Helped to make La Salle a power

Robert X. "Ace" McCann, 84, inducted into the La Salle University Hall of Athletes in 1991, died of liver cancer Tuesday, Aug. 23, at his home in Sarasota, Fla. He lived in Westtown Township before moving in 1995.

His citation on the La Salle alumni website describes him as an "outstanding playmaking guard during the postwar years (1946-1950), when the Explorers rose to national prominence. Described by his first La Salle coach (Charlie McGlone) as 'the most complete basketball player both offensively and defensively.' The team went 82-21 during his playing years and made NIT appearances in 1948 and 1950."

La Salle went 20-4 in 1947-48 and 21-4 in 1949-50, but Mr. McCann's teams won only one National Invitation Tournament game, in 1950.

In those years, before NCAA March Madness took the college basketball spotlight, the NIT in Manhattan determined which team might claim that it was the country's best. The Explorers went on to take the title in 1952.

Mr. McCann said in a 2005 Philadelphia Daily News interview that his "fondest La Salle memory" was not from the NIT. It was playing against future Boston Celtics star Bob Cousy when La Salle beat Cousy's College of the Holy Cross team in January 1949.

Playing Cousy "head to head was quite a thrill," Mr. McCann said. "He was a handful. . . .

"He did so many things with the basketball while he was dribbling, it made your head spin. . . . Beating them at their place [63-61] was a big one for us."

Born in Philadelphia, Mr. McCann had already made his mark in high school basketball here.

The 2005 article reported that he had "led Menchy Goldblatt's John Bartram High team to the Public League and City Title in 1944, beating Southeast Catholic (Larry Foust, Joe Hannan), 36-27, in front of a then-record crowd of 12,506 at Convention Hall."

Mr. McCann, a Navy veteran, was a salesman at Philadelphia Electric Co. in the 1950s and an insurance agent from 1958 to 1993, said a daughter, Megan Rooney.

But, she said, he didn't lose his love for basketball, working as an assistant coach at Bartram in the late 1960s and early 1970s and at what is now West Chester University in the late 1970s.

Besides Rooney, Mr. McCann is survived by his wife of 59 years, Dolly; sons Robert and Tim; daughter Jessica; and nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a son, Kevin.

A life celebration was set for 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 7, at St. Kevin Roman Catholic Church, 200 W. Sproul Rd., Springfield, Delaware County.