1941-42 Bridgeport Newfields (CSL)

1941-42 BRIDGEPORT NEWFIELDS

CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
2-18, .100, 6th place

After their first CSL season in Norwalk, the Newfields moved to Bridgeport in the fall of 1941. Only Lynch, Ritchel, Santone and Sheehy stayed with the club into this season. Al Mansi, part of last year's team, only played one game before leaving the team.

Head Coach:

• 
  

PLAYERS:

Joe Binkert (February 18, 1922 - January 14, 1987)

Dennis Conley (May 29, 1921 - January 7, 1973)

John Cybul (January 9, 1920 - January 14, 2006)

Frank Dobek (October 28, 1918 - March 23, 1999)

Lindy Dobek (January 29, 1917 - February 23, 2015)

Dickie Fontaine (May 3, 1918 - October 10, 1998)

Pat Kiely 

Bobby Lynch (October 21, 1916 - March 13, 1982)

Jack Mackey (April 18, 1914 - February 5, 1993)

Al Mansi (July 14, 1921 - January 3, 2013)

Gene Marko

Jack O'Brien (July 25, 1916 - June 18, 1994)

Phelan  

Johnny Pyrch (May 7, 1919 - March 31, 2018)

Ken Ritchel (August 28, 1914 - October 1, 1988)

Jack Selavka (March 26, 1923 - January 4, 2012)

Tony Santone (May 30, 1919 - November 15, 1986)

Irish Sheehy (December 26, 1915 - June 19, 1985)

Muzzy Spalluto (February 29, 1920 - June 28, 1997)

Pete Sulzicki (August 21, 1919 - February 28, 2004)

Vic Swaller (September 13, 1922 - June 19, 2013)

Bob Synnott (September 27, 1912 - November 19, 1985)

1941-42 Connecticut State League (CSL)

The Connecticut State League dropped down to six teams for the 1941-42 season. The Danbury Gaels, New Britain Emeralds and Willimantic Aces dropped, and the Newfields relocated from Norwalk to Bridgeport, giving Bridgeport two teams representing the city. 

For the first time, the league abandoned its old system of splitting the season into two halves and just would run with each team playing a 20-game schedule with the top four teams playing in a playoff to determine the winner of the President's trophy. Barely a week into the season, the U.S. was drawn into World War 2 and the season carried that heavy load as it progressed. 

There wound up being a great divide between the top four and bottom two clubs. Waterbury and the Newfields finished in 5th and 6th, respectively, and well out of the playoff hunt. New London fought their way through to repeat as champions.

• Bridgeport Newfields
• Bridgeport Springwoods
• Hartford Gems
• New London Electric Boats
• Waterbury West Side Speedboys
• West Haven Hull Red Devils

New updates, identifications, corrections, January 2025

 Taking some time and looking back to fill in some holes or close some things out.

DETAILS ADDED:

Hal Dorn, ABL- died 2013

Leo Gottlieb, ABL, CSL, NBL - died in NYC

PROPERLY IDENTIFIED:

Vinny Michaels, ABL

CORRECTED:

Al Cerni, ABL, is actually Mel Cerny

Jackie Goldsmith, NBL, CSL, NBL, PCL - Corrected birth and death date, added place of birth and death, added birth name

NEW LEADS UNRESOLVED:

Van Boovan, PBLA, first name George. Allegedly from Vancouver, BC

1940-41 Willimantic Lounsbury Aces (CSL)

1940-41 WILLIMANTIC LOUNSBURY ACES
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 1-7, .125, 9th place
2nd Half: 2-6, .250, t-8th place

For the second year in a row, the Lounsbury Aces of Willimantic proved to be fodder for the rest of the league. They only won 3 games all year, and finished well out of the chase.

Head Coach:

• uncertain

  

  Walt Scranton

PLAYERS:

Steve Dubina (January 5, 1920 - December 16, 2019)

Jean Hall (June 16, 1911 - January 14, 1976)

Willie Monroe (December 8, 1914 - January 11, 1993) 

Wally Morehouse 

Murphy  

Murray Narotsky (July 3, 1923 - January 15, 1991)

Nate Rosen (March 12, 1921 - July 26, 2012)

Ben Sagal (May 9, 1919 - July 2, 2001)

Walt Scranton (April 28, 1917 - April 3, 1981)

Pete Staum (May 28, 1916 - September 23, 2002)

Carl Troester (May 27, 1916 - December 24, 1994)

Walker 

Earl Yost (August 14, 1921 - September 3, 2005)

1940-41 West Haven Red Devils (CSL)

Eddie Mucha

1940-41 WEST HAVEN RED DEVILS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 6-2, .750, 2nd place
2nd Half: 6-2, .750, t-1st place

After a disappointing 1939-40 campaign, the Devils came back strong, going 6-2 in the first half. However, it wasn't good enough to catch the first place Norwalk club. In the second half, they managed to replicate their 6-2 record which got them into a three-way tie for first, but Rubenstein withdrew the team from a projected round-robin tie breaker and ended their CSL season.

Head Coach:

• Herky Rubenstein (October 16, 1902 - October 4, 1975)
  

PLAYERS:

John Blasczyk (April 8, 1919 - January 21, 1984)

Steve Collins (May 2, 1915 - September 30, 1990)

Freddie Ferrie (April 2, 1917 - April 14, 1995)

Frank Iwanski (October 11, 1914 - October 29, 2003)

Chubby Malinconico (November 16, 1921 - March 14, 2007)

John McHugh

Eddie Mucha (June 12, 1919 - November 26, 1944)

Rocky Petrafessa (February 22, 1917 - February 6, 2003)

Herky Rubenstein (October 16, 1902 - October 4, 1975)

Joe Semenkovitch (July 15, 1917 - April 24, 1986)

1940-41 Waterbury West Side Speedboys (CSL)

Toots McNamara

1940-41 WATERBURY WEST SIDE SPEEDBOYS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 3-5, .375, t-6th place
2nd Half: 3-5, .375, t-6th place

Sponsored by Scovill Manufacturing in Waterbury, the Speedboys never made any real impact on the league, finishing 3-5 in 6th place in both halves. Popular local basketball figure Toots McNamara took over as head coach 4 games in but the team remained mired in mediocrity.

Head Coach:

• Mike Moore (March 8, 1907 - December 18, 1977) 0-3
• George "Toots" McNamara (April 27, 1897 - August 18, 1973) 6-7

PLAYERS:

Ralph Bradley (August 21, 1916 - March 19, 2007)

John Brady (February 22, 1920 - March 1981)

John Casey (September 16, 1917 - May 4, 1995)

Herbie French (March 6, 1921 - April 15, 2000)

Stan Grey (October 11, 1918 - November 15, 1977)

Billy Kalosky (December 21, 1921 - December 11, 2008)

Joe Kalosky (September 3, 1919 - February 3, 2010)

Russ McLean (April 23, 1917 - March 1, 2002)

Joe Runividge (April 15, 1919 - January 13, 2007)

Butch Sterniak (August 11, 1916 - May 30, 2017)

Johnny Stollar (April 10, 1917 - June 6, 2003)

1940-41 Norwalk Newfields (CSL)

Ike Kern

1940-41 NORWALK NEWFIELDS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 7-1, .875, 1st place
2nd Half: 4-4, .500, t-4th place

Lost to New London finals, 2-1

New to the league, the Newfields rolled through the first half, with only a 4-poinmt loss in New London as a blemish on their record.  They only managed a .500 record in the second half, and the poor momentum seemed to carry into the Presidents Cup. They would lose to New London in 3 games.

Head Coach:

• Eugene "Ike" Kern (November 26, 1909 - November 28, 1978) 

PLAYERS:

Bobby Lynch

Anso "Al" Belardinelli (January 1, 1915 - March 22, 2001)

Jack Burns 

George Fasulas (April 20, 1921 - October 23, 2000)

Jim Impilito

Bobby Lynch (October 21, 1916 - March 13, 1982)

Al Mansi (July 14, 1921 - January 3, 2013)

George Petrovich (August 23, 1921 - February 10, 2016)

Al Raslavsky (April 24, 1917 - November 11, 1993)

Ken Ritchel (August 28, 1914 - October 1, 1988)

Tony Santone (May 30, 1919 - November 15, 1986)

Irish Sheehy (December 26, 1915 - June 19, 1985)

Stan Wilson (September 6, 1917 - February 6, 1995)