HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
BEVO FRANCIS - RIO GRANDE UNIVERSITY
1999 RECIPIENT - Honorary Life Member
Bevo Francis is being inducted as an Honorary Member of the
OHSBCA for his contributions to the game of basketball in Ohio. One of the
greatest scorers in the history of Ohio and national collegiate basketball,
he and his team brought national recognition to Rio Grande for their
achievements.
No story is any more colorful and exciting than the legendary Rio Grande
College, its offensive machine and Bevo Francis, one of the greatest scorers
in the history of college basketball. The change started in the 1952 season.
When Bevo and Newt came to Rio Grande from Wellsville High School, the
enrollment was 100. Their success put Rio Grande on the map, going from a
one-building college to a beautiful campus with an enrollment today of more
than 2,000 students.
In Bevo's last year at Wellston High School, their team finished 23 and 2.
Bevo averaged 31 points and on six occasions outscored the entire opposing
team. The stories of his collegiate scoring in the 1952-53 season are
unmatched. Over a stretch of several games, he averaged over 100 points per
game. Against Ashland Junior College in Kentucky, he scored 116 points, yet
he only had 65 points through the third quarter. In ten minutes of the
fourth quarter he scored 51 points and that was before they had the
one-and-one after fouls. That season Rio Grande won 39 games and outscored
opponents an average of 33 points. He averaged 50.1 PPG that season despite
being double and triple teamed in most games.
During the 1953-54 season he averaged 47.1 points and set an all-time NCAA
single game record of 113 points. (His 50.6 average declined in the last
four games after he sprained an ankle.) They played many of the top ranked
cage powers in 1953-54 and still posted a 21-7 record. Their opponents
included Wake Forest and Providence. Bevo was Second Team All-American in
1954 along with Bob Leonard, Indiana; Frank Ramsey, Kentucky; Dick Ricketts,
Duquesne and Tom Marshall, Western Kentucky. At that time Bevo was the only
small college player ever to make an All-American Team.
After college Bevo played with the Boston Whirlwinds under Newt Oliver,
traveling with the Harlem Globetrotters.
Bevo coached girls basketball at Southern Local where his granddaughter
played on the team. Their record was 65-5. Bevo's wife is Jean Francis and
they have a son, Frank Francis, and a daughter, Marge Francis Grimm, and
three grandchildren: Scott Francis, Sarah Francis and Jarrod Grimm. Their
great grandchild is Zachery Francis.
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