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'A pure soul': Late Bradley basketball player won a championship and built a family legacy

Dave Eminian, Journal Star
·4 min read
Gene Morse (center-left, holding coach's leg) celebrates an NIT championship with his Bradley University teammates in 1957.
Gene Morse (center-left, holding coach's leg) celebrates an NIT championship with his Bradley University teammates in 1957.

PEORIA — Gene Morse left a family legacy — the one at home, and the one that is the Bradley Braves basketball community.

A main character on Bradley's 1957 National Invitation Tournament championship team, Morse died Sunday at age 85.

"He was an integral part of that 1957 championship team, he made some key plays down the stretch that were a catalyst to their victory," said former Harlem Globetrotter Curley Boo Johnson, whose father, Curley, was on that team. "Gene was like an uncle to me. My dad and Gene were very close. When my father died, Gene was one of his pallbearers."

Morse and his wife, Judy, built a family legacy at home with four daughters, the late Kimberly (Brad) Gregurich, Stacey (Erik) Anderson, Michelle (Bruce) Bennett and Allison (Eric) Dicks.

His grandchildren called him "Papa" and he adored them — the late Taylor (Shane) McCafferty, Baylie (Austin) Craig, Tate (Ellie) Anderson, Abbey (Matt) Blackwell, Hayden (Corey) Dullard, Addison Bennett, Bryce Bennett and Sage Dicks. And step grandchildren, Brian (Ashley) Anderson, Brett (Katie) Anderson and Bobby (Katie) Anderson.

And he was adored by his athletic brothers on the Bradley basketball roster, too, great players like Joe Billy McDade, Bobby Joe Mason, Barney Cable and others.

Follow the Braves: Full coverage of the Bradley men's basketball team

A magical season

Those Braves won the NIT tournament in 1957 with an 84-83 decision over Memphis State at Madison Square Garden. They won it on a three-point play by Shellie McMillon in the final seconds. Bradley was 22-7 under coach Chuck Orsborn that season and ranked 19th in the final AP poll.

Morse, from Havana, was a 6-foot-3 forward who averaged 10.6 points and 6.4 rebounds per game on 51% shooting from the field in 1956-57. He played two more years after that, a total 81 games. Bradley won nine straight and 12 of 13 in one stretch that season.

Gene Morse was part of the Bradley Braves 1956-57 NIT championship team. Front row (left to right): Bob Rousey, Mike Owens, Wes Mason, Chuck Sedgwick, Curley Johnson, Bill Roecker. Middle row (left to right): Roger Dunn, Gene Morse, Dick Dhabalt, Dan Smith, Bobby Joe Mason, John Myers. Back row (left to right): Shellie McMillon, Dave Emerson, Dave Moran, Gene Herberger, Joe Billy McDade, Joe Gozdziak, Don Carothers.

Performance worthy of an Oscar

The great Oscar Robertson averaged 32.6 points and 16.3 rebounds per game in 1959. But Morse held him to 12 points in 36 minutes during an 85-84 loss to then-No. 7 ranked Cincinnati on the road in January of that season. He allowed Robertson only two points in the final 10 minutes of the game.

The rematch on March 7, 1959, was a sellout two months in advance at Robertson Memorial Field House, and BU won that one, 84-66, against a Cincy team by then ranked No. 3 in the nation.

Gene Morse (33 in white, mid-air under basket), crashes to the floor after sinking a shot against Memphis State during the National Invitation Tournament final at Madison Square Garden in New York, March 23, 1957. Morse's effort contributed to Bradley's uphill 84-83 victory. In on the play were Morse's teammates Shellie McMillon (41) and Bobby Joe Mason (21).

'He touched a lot of people'

There are many more stories about Gene Morse, on and off the basketball court.

He was a terrific player and competitor. He stood up for his Black teammates at Bradley when they weren't allowed to stay with the team in the same hotel on road trips.

He and his wife, Judy, met while he was playing at Bradley. They went on to maintain a stewardship with Morton United Methodist Church and inspired their entire family to a Christian life.

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Morse earned his Certified Life Underwriter designation and helped many with financial, life and health benefits. He was a partner in the Unruh & Morse agency in Peoria.

His heart was full. And so was his trophy case. He was honored to be the recipient of the prestigious Lydia Moss Bradley Award given in recognition of his outstanding commitment and service to Bradley University. He was inducted into the Bradley Athletic Hall of Fame, the Greater Peoria Sports Hall of Fame and IHSA Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame.

And he served as a commissioner of the Morton Park District for several years.

"There's not too many of a fine gentleman and pure soul as Gene Morse," Johnson said. "Whenever you saw him, he made you feel good.

"He touched a lot of people. I'm in that long list of people."

Gene Morse, of Morton, died on June 4, 2023 at age 85. He was part of Bradley University's 1956-57 NIT championship basketball team.
Gene Morse, of Morton, died on June 4, 2023 at age 85. He was part of Bradley University's 1956-57 NIT championship basketball team.

Time to say goodbye

A funeral service for Gene Morse will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, June 12, 2023, at Morton United Methodist Church (420 N. Tennessee St., Morton), with Pastor Bill Novak and Pastor Adam Penn officiating.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, June 11, at the church. Burial will be at Hirstein Cemetery in Morton.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made in Gene’s name to Morton United Methodist Church.

Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Bradley basketball player Gene Morse won NIT title, buitl family in Peoria area