When Saint Peter’s first shocked the world

Picture courtesy of Saint Peter's College; Getty Pictures (2)

The workforce of Davids from tiny, unheralded Saint Peter’s Faculty of Jersey Metropolis was getting ready to do battle at Madison Sq. Backyard towards the larger, badder Goliaths from nationally ranked Duke.

Earlier than the workforce charged onto the courtroom and into the delirium of the Nationwide Invitational Event quarterfinals on the night time of March 18, 1968, Peacocks reserve heart Tom Schwester scrawled a message on the chalkboard within the locker room.

“Run Child Run.”

Elnardo Webster, pictured right here in an earlier sport from the 1968 season towards LIU, led Saint Peter’s into their matchup with Duke by scoring 51 factors in an opening-round NIT win over Marshall. Webster died this week on the age of 74.

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And the unranked Peacocks ran child ran throughout Duke’s Blue Devils to a surprising 100-71 victory that till final week stood as the best athletic achievement within the college’s historical past.