Four times a National AAU All-American, a college All-American as a senior at the University of Colorado and one of the country’s rare double gold medal winners in the Olympics, Burdette “Burdie” Haldorson was the fourth basketball great inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, joining Jack McCracken, Ace Gruenig and Vince Boryla. He was selected in 1977.
Haldorson, a 6-7, 200-pounder, came from Austin, Minnesota, to lead the CU teams of 1954 and 1955 to Big Seven championships, the NCAA Midwest Regional title in 1955 and third place in the NCAA finals in 1955 when the Buffs lost to San Francisco in the national semi-finals.
Five full seasons as an AAU performer with the Phillps 66ers followed for Haldorson, who was a starting forward on the 1956 Olympic team at Melbourne, Australia. He capped his career by appearing with the U.S. team in the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
As a CU player, Haldorson:
–Set a season rebounding record, 337 in 1954.
–Scored a then record 524 points, in a twenty-five game season, in 1954- 55 as CU recorded its highest NCAA finish ever.
–Was averaging twenty-one points per game.
Haldorson remembers the 1956 U.S. Olympic team as perhaps the most dominating club he has ever played with or against.
Haldorson, a 6-7, 200-pounder, came from Austin, Minnesota, to lead the CU teams of 1954 and 1955 to Big Seven championships.