Cal State LA Athletics

Sax Elliot posted a 171-147 record as coach of Cal State L.A.’s men’s basketball team and he twice led the squad to fourth-place finishes in the NCAA College Division National playoffs after winning West Region championships. His 1959 team won Cal State L.A.’s only California Collegiate Athletic Association basketball title.

But it was as an innovator that Elliot was most famous: he used oxygen tanks and soup at halftime to revitalize his players; he developed the multi-colored ball later used in the ABA; he had players wear shoes with six-inch runner soles to force rule-makers legislate against built-up shoes and he had officials wear earplugs so they wouldn’t be influenced by screaming crowds.

A Sports Illustrated story credited Elliot with helping force the three-second rule after he had star center John Barber stand inside the key the entire game while he was fed pass after pass. Barber scored 188, 150 and 103 points, respectively, in three exhibition games.