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Alan Seiden, basketball star at St. John's, dies

BY JOSEPH STASZEWSKI | joseph.staszewski@newsday.com

May 6, 2008

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Former St. John's basketball star Alan Seiden, who helped lead the school to the 1959 National Invitation Tournament title, died Saturday in his Jamaica Estates home. Seiden, 71, suffered complications from strokes he had suffered in the past two years.

As a senior, Seiden scored 22 points to help the Redmen (the school's nickname then) beat Bradley, 76-71, in double overtime to win its third NIT crown in an era when it was considered college basketball's premier postseason tournament.

Seiden, who was 5-10, scored 1,374 career points and averaged 18.3 points and 3.8 assists per game during his time at St John's, 1956-59, playing under future Hall of Fame coach Joe Lapchick.

Seiden won the 1959 Haggerty Award as the most valuable college basketball player in the metropolitan area and was named a consensus All-American.

In 2006, he and teammate Tony Jackson were two of eight players named to the inaugural class of St. John's Legacy Honors. A banner with Seiden's name hangs in Carnesecca Arena on campus.

"He was small, but what a shooter, and he could have played for years and years in the National Basketball Association," said sports broadcaster Spencer Ross after accepting Seiden's Legacy Honor. "He never lost his way as a basketball mind and a basketball player. Alan has always lived his life with a very strong conviction and a very strong will."

Seiden grew up in Queens and led Jamaica High School to the 1955 Public Schools Athletic League title. His 1,349 career points in high school set a league record.

He was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks after college but never played in the NBA. He did play one season professionally in the American Basketball League (1961-62). He then worked as a ticket broker.

Seiden never married. He is survived by his mother, Dora, 93; his brother, Ronnie, and younger sister, Susan.

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