Bobby Wanzer

Robert Francis Wanzer


Born:
June 4, 1921
Brooklyn, NY

Died:
January 23, 2016
Pittsford, NY


Career
1939-40 Benjamin Franklin High School - New York City (High School)
1940-41 Benjamin Franklin High School - New York City (High School)
1941-42 Seton Hall University (College) Freshman
1942-43 Seton Hall University (College)
1943-44 Colgate University (College)
1945-46 Mirimar-Pendleton Marines (Military)
1946-47 Seton Hall University (College)
1947-48 Rochester Royals (NBL)
1948-49 Rochester Royals (NBA)
1949-50 Rochester Royals (NBA)
1950-51 Rochester Royals (NBA)
1951-52 Rochester Royals (NBA)
1952-53 Rochester Royals (NBA)
1953-54 Rochester Royals (NBA)
1954-55 Rochester Royals (NBA)
1955-56 Rochester Royals (NBA) - Player / Head coach
1956-57 Rochester Royals (NBA) - Player / Head coach
1957-58 Cincinnati Royals (NBA) - Head coach
1958-59 Cincinnati Royals (NBA) - Head coach
1962-63 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1963-64 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1964-65 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1965-66 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1966-67 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1967-68 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1968-69 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1969-70 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1970-71 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1971-72 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1972-73 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1973-74 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1974-75 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1975-76 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1976-77 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1977-78 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1978-79 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1979-80 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1980-81 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1981-82 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1982-83 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1983-84 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1984-85 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1985-86 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach
1986-87 St. John Fisher College - New York (College) - Head coach

NATIONAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME, 1987

Born in Brooklyn, Wanzer lead his Franklin HS team to city title in his junior and senior year before heading off to Seton Hall. He transferred to Colgate before going into the USMC for World War 2. Wanzer returned to Seton Hall after the war, and then on to the Rochester Royals and a Hall of Fame career. A leader on the court, we played 8 seasons for the Royals before taking on the head coaching reigns as well as playing for two more years. When the franchise moved to Cincinnati, Wanzer retired as a player but stayed on as head coach.
In 1962, he took the head coaching job at small St John Fisher College, where he stayed for 24 seasons. Wanzer was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987.

He was married to Nina (d. 2005) and had two sons and a daughter.

Source:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/democratandchronicle/obituary.aspx?pid=177423718
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/25/sports/basketball/bobby-wanzer-94-hall-of-fame-player-from-nbas-early-patient-days-dies.html?_r=0

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/w/wanzero01n.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/wanzebo01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=wanzebo01