Eddie Sheldrake

Harvey Edward Sheldrake Jr. (born October 25, 1926) is an American restaurateur and former basketball player. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins and later competed in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Known for his height of 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m), Sheldrake was an accomplished guard who earned multiple accolades during his college career. After basketball, he established a successful career in the restaurant industry, co-founding the Polly's Pies chain and opening several KFC locations.

Eddie Sheldrake

Sheldrake c. 1951
Personal information
Born	(1926-10-25) October 25, 1926 Los Angeles, California
Nationality	American
Listed height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Career information
NBA draft	1951 / Undrafted
Position	Guard
Career history
1951–1957	Los Angeles Kirby's Shoes

Early life

Sheldrake grew up in southwest Los Angeles, attending George Washington High School. Although he initially played on the school's "B" basketball team due to his modest weight of 110 pounds, he became a standout player by his senior year. After serving as an aviation mechanic in the Navy, he enrolled at the UCLA in 1947.

College basketball career

Sheldrake joined the UCLA basketball team in 1948, where he captained the freshman team, breaking its season scoring record. Under the coaching of John Wooden, Sheldrake became a key player for the Bruins, helping the team secure multiple Southern Division championships in the Pacific Coast Conference.

In the 1950–51 season, Sheldrake was named team captain and set a UCLA single-game scoring record with 38 points against Stanford. He earned honorable mentions for the All-America team and was recognized as a Little All-American by the United Press.