66 straight wins and three state championships
1950, 1951, and 1952
 

West End St. James, Pittsburgh  

Pittsburgh Press, March 24, 1952

 

1952 State Title Box Score Williamsport St. Mary's Carl Meyer           5-1-11 Jim Edgeworth     3-5-11 Charles Yetter      3- 1-7 Paul Glunk            6-1-13 Paul Hamm           5-1-11 Robert  Neylon      0- 2-2                                     55

West End St. James Paul Brownlee      5-2-12 Rocco Julian         6-3-15 Frankie Sapienza  7-8-22 Philip Myers          4-1-9 Harry Cypher         2-1-5 Jack Andretis         1-0-2                                     69

The Western Finals
Pittsburgh Press,
March 18, 1952
 

by Bill Gaffey for pahoops.org

But what is the record?  Well pahoops.org did some research at the State Library based upon an inquiry from a person who visits our Pennsylvania Basketball Website.  They told us to investigate the records of West End St. James from Pittsburgh in the 1950's.  We did, and we found that St. James had won  66 straight  and three state championships over four seasons. At the time, we thought it was the record for consecutive wins.  We found out later that West Philadelphia had won 68 in a row in the 1970's to lay claim to that record.

However, the new information does not in any way diminish the brilliant record of West End S. James.  Many of the accomplishments and records of schools who played under the PCIAA banner, the Pennsylvania Catholic Athletic Association were left on the shelf  and certainly disregarded after it disbanded in the 1970's. 
We have those records HERE.

  On February 1950, West  End St. James lost 40-39 to St. Mary's of Mt. Washington, then they reeled off their 66 wins and three state championships before being stopped in the second game of the 1952-53 season.  They lost to St. Adelbert's 33-31 on December 6, 1952.