Archives West Finding Aid

Len Beil enrolled at Seattle University in 1963 from Sequim, Washington as a sought-after freshman basketball recruit. Len Beil was captain of the freshman Papoose team (1963-64) under Head Coach Lionel Purcell that recorded nineteen straight wins. Regarded as the best group of freshman ball players ever assembled at Seattle University at that time, Len and his future varsity teammates included: future NBA player Tom Workman, Plummer Lott, Malkin Strong, Mike Acres, and Jack Kreiger. Juniors Steve Looney, John LaCour, and John Wilkins rounded out the team roster in 1966-67. After a successful season, the Chieftains lost to Texas Western, 62-54, in the Far West NCAA Tournament in 1967. This collection, complied by the Beil family, records each Chieftain varsity basketball season in newsclippings, game programs, individual player statistic sheets and press books from 1964-1967. The collection also records selected personal student achievements of Len Beil as a leader in Seattle University student government, InterCollegiate Knights service group and academic honors. From 1992 through 2000 Len was the Executive Assistant to Seattle University President William J. Sullivan, SJ. Len is currently an active member of the Alumni Association.