Temple to retire Hal Lear's number Jan. 30

Former Temple guard Hal Lear will have his number six retired in a ceremony at halftime of Temple's game against Richmond on Wednesday, Jan. 30 at the Liacouras Center. 

Lear, who helped lead the Owls to a 27-4 record and the program's first trip to the NCAA Final Four in 1956, will join Guy Rodgers, Mark Macon and Bill Mlkvy as the only players in the university's 115-year history to receive the honor. Macon, whose number was retired in 1999, was the last player to receive the honor.

Though Lear is obviously most remembered for his performances on the court, his experiences off the court matter just as much, if not more, to the former Owl.

"I am grateful for this honor, but more importantly I feel so privileged to have gone to Temple," Lear said in a statement released by the school. "Education is so important and I was well educated at Temple. The most important award I received when I left Temple was being named the team's Outstanding Scholar Athlete.  That means the most to me. When I look back on my time there I remember the many people who I met and who have gone on to achieve in life in so many ways."

Lear, who played at Philadelphia's Overbrook High School, is one of only three Temple players to have averaged 20 or more points in two different seasons. As a senior the left-handed guard set the still-standing school record of 745 points in a season, and his 24.0 points per game ranks fourth in the Temple annals. 

“Hal Lear is not only one of the greatest players, but one of the greatest people in Temple basketball history, and so deserving of this honor,” said Temple men’s basketball coach Fran Dunphy. “To score 80 points in the Final Four is an amazing accomplishment, especially in an era without the three-point shot."

Lear scored 32 points in the 83-76 loss to Iowa in the national semifinals in 1956. He then went on to score a then-NCAA record 48 points to lead the Owls to a 90-81 win over SMU in the third place game, and he became one of five players to ever be named Final Four MVP without competing in the title game. 

Over the 79 games in his career as an Owl, Lear scored 1,472 points, which was second at the time of his graduation and currently ranks 17th in Temple history. He was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1956 NBA draft, but his NBA career was brief. He spent nine years in the Eastern League and was named to the league's All-Time team during its 50th anniversary season.