Burdette Haldorson (1999) - CU Athletic Hall of Fame - University of Colorado Athletics

Burdette Haldorson

Induction:
1999
Class:
1955

1955 All-American
1955 Final Four Participant
1956 & 1960 U.S. Olympian
Retired Number (No. 22)

Burdette Haldorson, who's No. 22 is one of just two retired basketball jerseys in CU history, left quite an imprint in the school's basketball annals. The 6-7, 210-pound Austin, Minn., native still holds four school rebounding records some five decades after his CU playing days, including the most in a half (21), game (31) and season (346). As a senior in 1954-55, he led the Buffs to the Big Seven title by averaging 23.9 points per game, and was also named as a first-team All-American. CU eventually went on to finish third in the nation, losing at the Final Four to eventual champion San Francisco and the legendary Bill Rusell. Haldorson earned two gold medals in 1956 and 1960 as a member of the U.S. Olympic team, went on to have a brilliant career in the National Industrial Basketball League as a member of the Phillips 66ers, the team entry for Phillips 66, who then hired him after his career. He then moved to Colorado Springs to form his own gas and oil distribution business. Haldorson was inducted along with his teammates from the 1960 Olympic team into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in August 2010. He was inducted into the Pac-12 Men's Basketball Hall of Honor during the 2012 Pac-12 Tournament, won by the Buffaloes.

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