I had great fun reading Mark Bernstein’s story about “Top Tigers,” the greatest athletes in the history of Princeton University. There will be much debate about who should be in or out, but to me there is no doubt that Bill Bradley ’65 belongs on top. I saw him play in all three of his varsity seasons, often against the finest players in the nation. He was always the most dominant figure on the court. In his time, Bradley received every accolade imaginable, including one that is memorialized by a banner hanging in Jadwin Gymnasium: “Bradley ’65 — Sullivan Award Winner 1965.” Though not as widely acclaimed as it was some decades ago when Bradley received the honor, the Sullivan Award was then given to the “the amateur athlete who by performance, example and good influence did the most to advance the cause of good sportsmanship during the year.” It is hard to think of a more deserving recipient than Bill Bradley.
Princeton also has one other Sullivan Award winner: track and field athlete Bill Bonthron ’34. In his senior year, Bonthron set the world record — the world record! — in the iconic 1,500-meter distance. It seems obvious to me that Bonthron belongs on a list of Princeton’s top 25 athletic luminaries.
I had great fun reading Mark Bernstein’s story about “Top Tigers,” the greatest athletes in the history of Princeton University. There will be much debate about who should be in or out, but to me there is no doubt that Bill Bradley ’65 belongs on top. I saw him play in all three of his varsity seasons, often against the finest players in the nation. He was always the most dominant figure on the court. In his time, Bradley received every accolade imaginable, including one that is memorialized by a banner hanging in Jadwin Gymnasium: “Bradley ’65 — Sullivan Award Winner 1965.” Though not as widely acclaimed as it was some decades ago when Bradley received the honor, the Sullivan Award was then given to the “the amateur athlete who by performance, example and good influence did the most to advance the cause of good sportsmanship during the year.” It is hard to think of a more deserving recipient than Bill Bradley.
Princeton also has one other Sullivan Award winner: track and field athlete Bill Bonthron ’34. In his senior year, Bonthron set the world record — the world record! — in the iconic 1,500-meter distance. It seems obvious to me that Bonthron belongs on a list of Princeton’s top 25 athletic luminaries.