1956 Bradley Braves baseball team

The 1956 Bradley Braves baseball team represented Bradley University in the 1956 NCAA baseball season. The Braves played their home games at Tom Connor Field. The team was coached by Leo Schrall in his 8th year at Bradley.

1956 Bradley Braves baseball
Missouri Valley regular season champions Missouri Valley Tournament champions District V Playoff champions
College World Series, T-3rd
Conference	Missouri Valley Conference
Record	24–8 (7–2 MVC)
Head coach	Leo Schrall (8th season)
Home stadium	Tom Connor Field

1956 Missouri Valley Conference baseball standings

	Conf							Overall
Team	W		L		PCT			W		L		PCT
Bradley  ‍†‍‡‍y	7	–	2		.778			27	–	8		.771
Oklahoma A&M  ‍‍‍	7	–	2		.778			11	–	10		.524
Saint Louis  ‍‍‍	6	–	3		.667			13	–	6		.684
Houston  ‍‍‍	5	–	4		.556			14	–	10		.583
Tulsa  ‍‍‍	5	–	4		.556			8	–	12		.400
Detroit  ‍‍‍	4	–	5		.444			9	–	11		.450
Wichita State  ‍‍‍	1	–	8		.111			4	–	13		.235
Drake  ‍‍‍	1	–	8		.111			4	–	13		.235
† – Conference champion ‡ – Tournament champion y – Invited to the NCAA tournament As of June 30, 1956 Rankings from Coaches' Poll

The Braves won the District V playoff to advance to the College World Series, where they were defeated by the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

Roster

1956 Bradley Braves baseball team
Players	Coaches
# Pos. Name Bats/throws Height Weight Year Home town Del Bireline / — — Peoria, Illinois John Burnham / — — Peoria, Illinois P Wyman Carey / — — Blue Island, Illinois Fred Davis / — — So Peoria, Illinois Carl Gottlieb / — — Jr Peoria, Illinois Don Groves / — — So Marion, Illinois Don Hakes / — — Chicago, Illinois Mike Kesseler / — — So Peoria, Illinois P Ron Lundgren / — — Varna, Illinois Billy Martin / — — Aurora, Illinois Jim Stanczak / — — Sr Waukegan, Illinois Ed Taylor / — — Sr Peoria, Illinois U Lee Utt / — — Sr Decatur, Illinois P Ralph Wenk / — — Sr Dave Wright / — — Danville, Illinois Donald Wyss / — — Peoria, Illinois	Head coach Leo Schrall Assistant coach(es) Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Current redshirt

Schedule

1956 Bradley Braves baseball game log
Regular season
April (14–2) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record MVC record 1 April at Alabama State Unknown • Montgomery, Alabama 11–1 1–0 – 2 April at Pensacola NAS Unknown • Pensacola, Florida 13–3 2–0 – 3 April at Pensacola NAS Unknown • Pensacola, Florida 24–14 3–0 – 4 April at Whiting NAS Unknown • Milton, Florida 13–5 4–0 – 5 April at Whiting NAS Unknown • Milton, Florida 10–7 5–0 – 6 April at Fort Benning Unknown • Fort Benning South, Georgia 7–3 6–0 – 7 April at Fort Benning Unknown • Fort Benning South, Georgia 4–5 6–1 – 8 April at Drake Unknown • Des Moines, Iowa 10–5 7–1 1–0 9 April at Drake Unknown • Des Moines, Iowa 16–2 8–1 2–0 10 April at Drake Unknown • Des Moines, Iowa 7–3 9–1 3–0 11 April Detroit Tom Connor Field • Peoria, Illinois 5–4 10–1 4–0 12 April Detroit Tom Connor Field • Peoria, Illinois 20–6 11–1 5–0 13 April Detroit Tom Connor Field • Peoria, Illinois 14–2 12–1 6–0 14 April at Iowa Unknown • Iowa City, Iowa 6–2 13–1 6–0 15 April at Iowa Unknown • Iowa City, Iowa 2–7 13–2 6–0 16 April Saint Joseph's Tom Connor Field • Peoria, Illinois 16–3 14–2 6–0
May (5–4) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record MVC record 17 May Northern Illinois Tom Connor Field • Peoria, Illinois 9–1 15–2 6–0 18 May at Saint Louis Sauget Field • Sauget, Illinois 3–5 15–3 6–1 19 May at Saint Louis Sauget Field • Sauget, Illinois 3–5 15–4 6–2 20 May at Saint Louis Sauget Field • Sauget, Illinois 7–1 16–4 7–2 21 May at Illinois State Unknown • Normal, Illinois 5–15 16–5 7–2 22 May Washington University Tom Connor Field • Peoria, Illinois 11–6 17–5 7–2 23 May Washington University Tom Connor Field • Peoria, Illinois 11–12 17–6 7–2 24 May 22 at Purdue Unknown • West Lafayette, Indiana 4–3 18–6 7–2 25 May 25 Southern Illinois Tom Connor Field • Peoria, Illinois 2–1 19–6 7–2
Postseason
MVC Tournament (2–1) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record MVC record 26 May 11 at Oklahoma A&M Unknown • Stillwater, Oklahoma 13–10 20–6 7–2 27 May 12 at Oklahoma A&M Unknown • Stillwater, Oklahoma 16–2 21–6 7–2
District V Playoff (1–0) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record MVC record 28 May vs North Dakota State Unknown • Stillwater, Oklahoma 11–2 22–6 7–2
College World Series (2–2) # Date Opponent Site/stadium Score Overall record MVC record 28 June 9 vs Washington State Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 4–3 23–6 7–2 29 June 10 vs Ole Miss Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 0–4 23–7 7–2 30 June 11 vs Wyoming Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 12–8 24–7 7–2 31 June 12 vs Minnesota Omaha Municipal Stadium • Omaha, Nebraska 3–8 24–8 7–2