Washburn Hall of Fame - Lelus Brown
Lelus Brown
1936-38
Basketball 1936-38
Football 1936-38
Track and Field 1936-38
Inducted 1988-89
Three-sport standout Lelus Brown attended Washburn and played basketball, football and track and field for the Ichabods from 1936-38. In 1988-89 he was inducted into the Washburn Athletic Hall of Fame.
Brown was known on the basketball court for his famous one-handed shot and strong defense as a center. He was named all-Missouri Valley Conference in 1938 as he finished second in the league in scoring and first in free throws.
Brown played center on the football team as the Ichabods played a tough schedule. He was described as “rugged, rough and ready to play at any time.”
In 1936 the team played to a scoreless tie at Colorado College while three inches of snow fell on the CC field named Washburn Field. On the train ride to the game they made three stops along the way to pick up players and they ended up 40 minutes late. CC’s hospitality to the tardy guests was overwhelming, complete with a chicken dinner afterwards. Brown’s charm with a campus sorority got the entire team invited to a dance that night.
As a track and field star he excelled in discus, shot put and javelin. He also ran dashes and could complete the mile in less than five minutes.
After he graduated he served in his hometown of Newton as a county attorney and then in World War II he served in naval intelligence and as commander of a ship in the Pacific.
