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Eddie Sheldrake

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Eddie Sheldrake
Sheldrake c. 1951
Personal information
Born (1926-10-25) October 25, 1926 (age 97)
NationalityAmerican
Listed height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Career information
High schoolWashington (Los Angeles, California)
College
NBA draft1951: undrafted
PositionGuard
Career history
1951–1957Los Angeles Kirby's Shoes
Career highlights and awards
As player

Harvey Edward Sheldrake Jr.[1] (born October 25, 1926[2]) is an American restaurateur and former basketball player. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins. Standing 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m), Sheldrake was a two-time All-Southern Division selection in the Pacific Coast Conference (PCC), including first-team honors as a senior in 1951. After graduating from college, he played in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). He later opened restaurants with his brother, including KFC locations and over a dozen branches of Polly's Pies.

Early life

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Sheldrake grew up in southwest Los Angeles and attended George Washington High School.[3][4] He played on their "B" basketball team until his senior year, as he only weighed a modest 110 pounds (50 kg).[1] He became an aviation pilot in the Navy before enrolling at the University of California, Los Angeles,[1] in 1947.[5]

Basketball career

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At UCLA, Sheldrake was the captain of the Bruins' freshman team, breaking their season scoring record with 262 points. Dick Ridgeway surpassed him with 284 in 1950.[6] He was a reserve for most of his second year in 1948–49,[6] playing in 24 games and averaging 3.0 points per contest in John Wooden's first season as UCLA's head coach.[5][7] The Long Beach Press-Telegram wrote that "perhaps it's a good break for" the 5-foot-9-inch (1.75 m) Sheldrake to play for Wooden, who was a 5-foot-10-inch (1.78 m), three-time All-American playing for Purdue.[8] The Bruins needed wins in their final two games, both against their crosstown rivals, USC, to win the PCC's Southern Division. However, they lost starters Chuck Clustka and Ron Pearson to viral infections, and Alan Sawyer underwent an emergency appendectomy. Sheldrake scored a game-high 17 points in the first game, and had 10 points in the second, as UCLA won both meetings for the title.[6] Joining the Bruins that season was his best friend from high school, Jerry Norman,[9][10][11] who received multiple NCAA Division I offers and was persuaded by Sheldrake to choose UCLA.[9][12]

Sheldrake became a regular at guard in 1949–50,[13] when UCLA won the PCC championship over Washington State.[14] The Bruins were selected for the 1950 NCAA tournament, the first NCAA tournament appearance of Wooden's coaching career, but lost their opener to Bradley, who was ranked No. 1 by the Associated Press (AP).[15] Sheldrake was voted a second-team All-PCC Southern Division selection,[16] and United Press (UP) named him a first-team Little All-American, its team of top players standing 5 feet 10 inches and under.[1][17]

Sleldrake was voted the Bruins' captain for 1950–51,[18] when they lost nine lettermen, and he was the only regular to return.[14] He was converted to forward that season before moving back to guard after the 6-foot-4-inch (1.93 m) sophomore Ridgway established himself with some 20-point games.[1] In January 1951, Wooden kicked Norman off the team for two weeks for talking to a teammate during practice and not paying attention.[19][20] Sheldrake, who was also friendly with the coach, facilitated their reconciliation.[19] On February 17, Sheldrake scored 38 points, making 15 of 23 field goal attempts and 8 of 11 on free throws, in a 90–67 win over Stanford, breaking the Southern Division record of 36 set by Ralph Vaughn against UCLA in 1939.[21][22] The previous UCLA record was 30, held by Don Barksdale and Bill O'Brien. The Bruins also surpassed the Southern Division team record of 88 points, set in 1947 by California.[22] Wooden had told Sheldrake to score more as Ridgway, their leading scorer, was ill. The coach said that Sheldrake was "taking his captaincy pretty seriously" and had been passing up shots to give others the opportunity to score.[23] After winning their third consecutive Southern Division title,[24] UCLA lost two straight games to Washington, who won the conference championship. Sheldrake missed the first game with the flu before playing most of the second.[25]

Sheldrake received honorable mention from AP and UP for their 1951 All-America team.[26][27] He was a first-team All-Southern Division selection and was again named to the Little All-American first team.[28][29] He won the Caddy Works award as UCLA's most inspirational player and received the Glendale Bruin club award as the team's outstanding senior.[30] He was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000.[31]

After college, Sheldrake played AAU basketball for Los Angeles Kirby's Shoes.[32] He was team captain in 1951–52, leading them to a 12–0 record in Far West AAU.[33] The Hollywood Citizen-News named him to the All-Far West AAU first team.[34] Kirby's played in the National Industrial Basketball League (NIBL) for one season in 1952–53,[35][36] when he was named an NIBL All-Star.[37] By 1958, Sheldrake was no longer playing with the club, with The Daily Report writing that "age had taken it's toll".[38]

Later years

[edit]

After graduating from UCLA, Sheldrake became a furniture salesman.[3] He opened KFC shops with his brother Don, starting in Belmont Shore, California in 1965. By 1971, they owned 10 in Los Angeles County and Orange County.[39] Wanting to expand from KFC to an original restaurant,[40] the brothers began their Polly's Pies chain in Fullerton in 1968. It was a former Pie Pantry location, with two P's serving as the front door handles. Not wanting to spend money to change the doors, they named the restaurant in honor of their manager's newborn daughter, Polly. The restaurant expanded to over a dozen locations in Los Angeles and Orange counties.[41][42]

Personal life

[edit]

Sheldrake has eight children.[2] As a college freshman in 1948,[43] he married his first wife, Lois (née Crum),[44] who was a student at Pepperdine University.[45] She died of cancer in 1959.[46][47] They had two sons and two daughters.[47]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Geyer, Jack (January 10, 1951). "Little Eddie Sheldrake One of Biggest on Bruin Five". Los Angeles Times. Part IV, p. 3. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "About Us". Polly's Pies Marketplace. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Luna, Nancy (August 10, 2016). "Polly's Pies founder fights to stay in landmark Fullerton eatery". Orange County Register. Retrieved September 28, 2024.
  4. ^ Tobin, Jack (January 26, 1950). "Bruin Eddie Sheldrake Figures All the Angles". Los Angeles Mirror. p. 57. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b Cronin, Ned (January 13, 1950). "Tale of the tiny Bruin". Daily News. p. 31. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c Samulelsen, Rube (January 11, 1951). "Draw Up A Chair". Hollywood Citizen-News. p. 11. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Bisheff, Steve (2004). John Wooden : An American treasure. Cumberland House. p. 48. ISBN 9781581826654. Retrieved September 28, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  8. ^ Delano, Fred (November 29, 1949). "Bruin Court Hopes at High Level". Long Beach Press-Telegram. p. A-16. Retrieved September 27, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b Soderburg, Wendy (October 1, 2010). "We Will Always Call Him Coach". UCLA Magazine. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  10. ^ Wooden, John; Tobin, Jack (1988). They Call Me Coach. Contemporary Books. p. 115. ISBN 0809245914. Retrieved September 28, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  11. ^ "UCLA Cagers Place Emphasis on Speed". Riverside Daily Press. December 15, 1948. p. 26. Retrieved September 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Chortkoff, Mitch (March 13, 2014). "What Might Have Been For UCLA Basketball". Culver City Observer. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015.
  13. ^ Samulelsen, Rube (January 12, 1951). "Draw Up A Chair". Hollywood Citizen-News. p. 5. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ a b Myers, Bob (December 19, 1950). "Hot Scrap Expected Among Pacific Coast School Fives". The Morning News. AP. p. 36. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ Davis, Seth (2014). Wooden: A Coach's Life. St. Martin's Press. p. 124. ISBN 9781250060853.
  16. ^ "Cougars, UCLA Place Two Players on All-Star Team". Alameda Times Star. March 9, 1950. p. 13. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Little All-America Quint Based on Lack of Height". Great Fallas Tribune. UP. March 3, 1950. p. 14. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Sheldrake Named '51 Cage Captain". Los Angeles Mirror. April 21, 1950. p. 68. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ a b Davis 2014, p. 121.
  20. ^ Wolff, Alexander (March 19, 2007). "Birth Of A Dynasty". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021.
  21. ^ Geyer, Jack (February 18, 1951). "Sheldrake Sinks 38 to Break Record". Los Angeles Times. Part II, p. 7. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ^ a b "UCLA Remains One Off Pace". Hollywood Citizen-News. February 19, 1951. p. 14. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ Cook, Ben (February 27, 1951). "Sheldrake Heat Hot UCLA Five". The Independent. p. 14. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ^ "Huskies Vie With Uclans". The Statesman Journal. March 9, 1951. p. 8. Retrieved September 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "Huskies Headed For NCAA Meet". The Progress Bulletin. March 12, 1951. Sec. 3, p. 2. Retrieved September 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ^ "Sam Ranzino Named To 1951 All-America; Groat Second". The Robesonian. AP. March 9, 1951. p. 7. Retrieved September 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Spivey Named To UP All-America Quintet". Daily News. UP. March 7, 1951. p. 6. Retrieved September 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "2 Bruins, 1 SC cager win honors". Daily News. March 8, 1951. p. 30. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "Sheldrak's Again 'Little' All-American". The Independent. UP. February 27, 1951. p. 14. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "Sheldrake and Ridgway Gain UCLA Laurels". Los Angeles Times. April 10, 1951. Part IV, p. 3. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "Eddie Sheldrake". UCLA Athletics. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  32. ^ "Ridgway Joins AAU Basketball Quintet". Los Angeles Mirror. November 8, 1951. p. 78. Retrieved September 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Meet Kirby's". Santa Maria Times. January 5, 1953. p. 2. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  34. ^ Hall, John (February 16, 1952). "Ridgway, Yardley Pace Far West All-Star Five". Hollywood Citizen-News. p. 7. Retrieved September 29, 2024 – via Newspaper.com.
  35. ^ Panella, Bob (December 12, 1952). "Kirby's Host the Best". Hollywood Citizen-News. p. 8. Retrieved September 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  36. ^ "Kirby's drop out of cage league". Daily News. March 22, 1953. p. 55. Retrieved September 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  37. ^ "Sheldrake Makes All-Star Squad". Los Angeles Times. March 22, 1953. Part II, p. 12. Retrieved September 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  38. ^ "Ex-Chaffey Pair Will Join Forces Against Kirby's". The Daily Report. February 21, 1958. Sec. 3, p. 4. Retrieved September 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  39. ^ "A guide to the best restautants". Independent. Stepping Out, p. 15. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  40. ^ Guzman, Richard (February 21, 2022). "Polly's Pies in Long Beach celebrates 50th anniversary with a price rollback". Press-Telegram. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
  41. ^ Kragen, Pam (July 2, 1996). "Polly's cafe opens first North County location". North County Times. p. D-1. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  42. ^ Furr, Mary (September 21, 1995). "Poly's offers annual Hawaiian menu". Seal Beach Leisure World Golden Rain News. pp. 18, 21. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  43. ^ Powers, Jimmy (December 20, 1950). "The Powerhouse". Daily News. p. 86. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  44. ^ Bisheff 2004, p. 52.
  45. ^ "Southside Basketballers Among 'Best ob Coast'". Southwest Wave. November 19, 1950. p. 32. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  46. ^ Jares, Joe (January 6, 1969). "The Two Faces of the Rubber Man". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  47. ^ a b "Mrs. Lois Sheldrake". Los Angeles Times. February 20, 1959. Part III, p. 1. Retrieved September 26, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
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