Displayed is a circa 1920s St. John's University Basketball cardigan, wool sweater. St. John's has fielded basketball teams from 1907. The program has an overall record of 1,942-1,098. St. John's was named the 1911 College Champion through both the Helms Foundation and Premo-Poretta Polls. The University was the NCAA Runner-Up in 1952, and won five NIT Championships, with the 1943 and 1944 NIT Championships being regarded as clear national titles. The program also has 14 regular season conference championships and four conference tournament crowns. 

The primary head basketball coach for St. John's in the 1920s was John Crenny, who coached the team from 1918-27, but it's not clear if Crenny wore the offered sweater, or if it was worn by another coach or a player, such as Buck Freeman, as a letterman's sweater. The offering has a collar tag reading, "Stadium/100% PURE WOOL/SHAKER SWEATER CO." Six red buttons run down the front. On the left chest is a St. John's interlocking S&J, in sewn-on 7.5" tall twill, with a basketball logo. There is no size indicated for the sweater. The distance from shoulder to shoulder is 17" and the distance from the shoulder to the end of the arm is 21.5", making for a "wingspan" measurement (not including bottom of the wrist to end of fingers) of 59.5". The distance from the top of the collar down the front to the bottom waist is approx. 26.5". The offering does have about ten or more holes, one about a half inch in length, and two about a quarter inch long. It also has as well as some smaller holes, some very tiny. With the sweater about a century old, it's likely that the holes are the result of moths. There are also spots of pilling. Despite the foregoing defects, the sweater actually presents well, and it still maintains a rich, red color, with nice eye-appeal. 

Over the years, St. John's has had a slew of renowned coaches, including the great pro player and coach, Joe Lapchick, Lou Carnesecca, who had a favorite (and some would say ugly) sweater that brought him a winning streak and lots of friendly abuse, and currently Rick Pitino. St. John's has also had many famous players, with Dick McGuire, Mark Jackson, Chris Mullin, Walter Berry, Ron Artest (Metta World Peace), and Sonny Dove, to name just a few. The offered sweater, with the defects minimized in presentation, will make a beautiful visual, vintage addition to any sports collection.