Blackie Towery

William Carlisle Towery


Born:
June 20, 1920
Caldwell, KY

Died:
November 25, 2012
Marion, KY


Career
1934-35 Shady Grove High School - Kentucky (High School)
1935-36 Shady Grove High School - Kentucky (High School)
1936-37 Shady Grove High School - Kentucky (High School)
1938-39 University of Western Kentucky (College)
1939-40 University of Western Kentucky (College)
1940-41 University of Western Kentucky (College)
1941-42 Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (NBL)
1942-43 Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (NBL)
1943-44 Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (NBL)
1944-45 Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (NBL)
1946-47 Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (NBL)
1947-48 Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (NBL)
1948-49 Fort Wayne Pistons (BAA)
1948-49 Indianapolis Jets (BAA) 
1949-50 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
1950-51 Grand Rapids Hornets (NPBL)
1950-51 Kansas City Hi-Spots (NPBL)
1950-51 Evansville Agogans (NPBL)


Born in Kentucky to Shellie Clark and Lela Barnes Towery, Towery was an All-American at WKU, leading the Hilltoppers to three conference titles. He joined the Fort Wayne Pistons after school, playing for seven seasons with a brief interruption to serve in World War 2, where he was awarded the Bronze Star. After the Pistons, he played with the Jets and Bullets in the NBA before a season bouncing around the NPBL. One time, during a game, Towery got in an altercation with both Jim Pollard and Max Winters. Apparently, Towery took them both out with a single punch each.1

He had a daughter, Nancy Brock, and three sons, Robert, Clark and William, all of whom went to WKU.


Sources:
Obituary
Interview from 2001
1 The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Los Angeles Lakers; pg 28

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/t/towerwi01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=towerbl01