Lambda Chi Alpha - Oregon State University

Page 3 I n the early 1950s, Roy Gaussoin '53-632 lived in the Alpha Lambda chapter house with three key members of the Oregon State basketball team: guard Bill Toole '52-620 and centers Swede Halbrooke '53-638 and Phil Shadoin '54-648. "We were known as the basketball house at the time," Roy said. The team was coached by legendary Slats Gill along with his assistant coach Paul Valenti. Trying out for the freshman basketball team himself, he remembers Valenti telling him, 'Roy, I am going to be honest with you. With the talent we have on this team, there won't be a spot for you.' Looking back on it, Roy isn't surprised that he didn't make the final cut as Phil was 7'0" and Swede was declared the world's tallest basketball player at 7'3" by Life Magazine. "We had to purchase longer beds to accommodate their large frames," Roy said. Having two players over seven feet tall on the team made Oregon State instant title contenders. In the 1955 NCAA Tournament, Oregon State advanced to the Elite Eight to face off against San Francisco University in a game played in a packed Gill Coliseum. SFU had legendary NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell on their roster along with K.C. Jones (also in the NBA HOF) his longtime teammate at both SFU and then with the Boston Celtics in the NBA. Roy recalls an epic game where the winner would be heavy favorites to win the championship. "The game was tightly contested," Roy said. "We had a chance to win on a last shot effort from Ron Robins, but the ball rolled off the rim to end the game. Some people thought Bill Russell put his hand in the net, but he didn't." The final score was 57-56, with Halbrook scoring 18 points and securing 10 rebounds to lead the Beavers, while Toole scored 6 points. Russell and Jones scored 40 of SFU's 57 points. It was the closest game that University of San Francisco played in the tournament, with each of their other victories being double-digit wins. In the tournament final, they beat La Salle 77-63 to win the NCAA Championship. Despite losing the game, Roy was proud of his brothers for helping bring glory to Oregon State and Lambda Chi Alpha. Afterall, the legacy that members leave at Alpha Lambda is what propels the fraternity forward. Roy continued to build on his legacy after graduation by showing his support for both Oregon State athletics and Alpha Lambda. Volunteering for the chapter and serving as president of Beaver Club, now called Beaver Nation, for three years, he knows the impact alumni can make. Roy is now an honorary trustee and proud supporter of the Oregon State University Foundation. In continuing his commitment to the brotherhood, he also gave to the Building for Our Second Century…The Campaign for Alpha Lambda. "This campaign is important because of the great history and reputation of Lambda Chi," Roy said. "My time at Oregon State was greatly enhanced by my ΛΧΑ experience. For alumni who benefited from Alpha Lambda the way I did, we should all want to see our success continue into the future as well." Roy encourages all brothers to join in the campaign effort! Outside of his involvement with Oregon State Athletics and Alpha Lambda, Roy helps care for his wife, who has Parkinson's disease. He spent 33 years as president and chairman of his family company, Silver Eagle Industries, before his retirement when his brother, Ross Gaussoin '56-679, took over. Roy's retirement has allowed him to visit the chapter house on occasion. Connect to hear more about why he believes in supporting Lambda Chi's legacy at osuroy@aol.com. Roy Gaussoin '53-632 Recalls ΛΧΑ Basketball Stars Nail-Biting 1955 NCAA Tournament Game Swede Halbrook '53-638 stands next to NBA Hall of Famer Bill Russell, showing off his towering height. Swede was declared world's tallest basketball player in Life Magazine's January 18, 1954 issue. Dean W. Barnes '40-433, of Santa Cruz, CA, passed away peacefully in his home on September 1, 2019, just 11 days shy of his 100th birthday. Dean became a member Lambda Chi Alpha after having been initiated into Theta Kappa Nu at Oregon State. He met his future wife as they were seated alphabetically, next to each other, in freshman English class. They enjoyed a lifelong companionship and 69-year marriage until Mary Alys passed away in 2011. Participating in the Oregon State ROTC program, Dean was ordered into active duty in the U.S. Army. Dean's career in the Army Corps of Engineers spanned 24.5 years, and he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel, until he retired in 1962. As a World War II officer, Dean served 42 months in the Southwest Pacific—earning the Legion of Merit for his responsibilities. After the war ended, he served 4 years in Germany and then in Washington DC, in the Office of the Chief of Engineers. After retiring from the military, Dean completed a graduate degree at New York University. He was then hired by United Technologies in Sunnyvale, CA where he worked for 14 years, writing test procedures for assembly and ALPHA LAMBDA REMEMBERS (Continued on page 7)

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