Edward J. Tooley (1975) - Hall of Fame - Brown University Athletics

Edward J. Tooley

Induction:
1975
Class:
1955

Edward J. Tooley '55
Hometown: Yonkers, NY
Sport: Basketball
Year Inducted: 1975

Edward J. Tooley '55 played the game of basketball at both ends of the court. The 6-1, 185-pound center from Yonkers, N.Y. ended his career with 886 points, then the third highest total in Brown history, and his 400 points as a senior was at that time the second highest single-season total recorded by a Bruin. Playing against Amherst in 1954-55, Capt. Ed Tooley set a national record with 39 free throw attempts and scored a career high of 39 points. Tooley also was a superb rebounder, leading the Ivy League in that department in 1953-54. As a senior, he broke Frank Mahoney's Brown game record of 29 rebounds by hauling in 32 against Northeastern. To go with his 400 points in 1954-55, Tooley had 436 rebounds, good for 11th place nationally. "When you stop to consider that at 6-1, Ed Tooley gave away on the average four to five inches to the other centers he faced and still finished among the national leaders in rebounds, then you realize what a tremendous player he was," says former Bruin coach, Stan Ward. "His rebounding style was based on a sharpened sense of timing, which made up for his lack of height. Ed was a superb opportunist on the offensive board." Tooley was also Brown's leading defensive player of his era, the man always drawing the assignment of covering the other team's top scorer. The Bruin captain was named to the All-New England first team in 1955. Tooley is a salesman for Liebman Brewery, White Plains, N.Y.