Virgil Vaughn

Virgil Vincent Vaughn
also played under the name "Rokita"


Born:
May 15, 1918
Webster County, KY

Died:
February 26, 2007
Paducah, KY


Career
Kentucky Wesleyan (College)
1941-42 Evansville Bakers (AAU)
1943-44 Republic Aviation Thunderbolts (Independent)
1945-46 Baltimore Bullets (ABL)
1945-46 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1945-46 Larksville (PSL) Player (played under the name Rokita)
1946-47 Boston Celtics (BAA)
1947-48 Louisville Colonels (PBLA) Player / head coach
1947-48 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1947-48 Larksville (PSL) Player / head coach
1947-48 Newport (PSL)
1947-48 Syracuse Nationals (NBL)

Vaughn has a long confusing travelogue. Hopefully I pieced it together well, with information and citations below.

He was born to Matthew Vaughn and Pearley Black in rural Kentucky, and his father died when Virgil was only 14.
Some places say he played at Western Kentucky, but this is not accurate. He does not appear on their all-time roster. He played his college basketball at Kentucky Wesleyan.
After playing semi-pro basketball around his home state, Vaughn headed east to the ABL, playing with Baltimore and then Trenton.
In February of 1946, Vaughn, using the name "Rokita," joined up with Larksville in the Penn State League while still playing with Trenton.
The 1947-48 season is a season with much team changes for Vaughn (and is very confusing, with many questions). Named the head coach for the Louisville Colonels of the PBLA for a salary of $6500, Vaughn's tenure there last a mere six games as the league ceased operations on November 13, 1947, after suffering heavy financial losses. Now without a team and a league, Vaughn returned to the Trenton Tigers in the NBL. Apparently still playing with Trenton, he also returned to Larksville as a player / coach, but by January was playing with Larksville's rivals in Newport. By March of 1948, Vaughn was in Syracuse playing for the Nationals.

He was married to Gloria Jean Coburn (1923-2003)

Source:
Kentucky Wesleylan Media Guide, 2007
Alton Evening Telegraph, February 13, 1942
Alton Evening Telegraph, February 29, 1944
Morning News (Wilmington, DE), December 29, 1945
The Wilkes-Barre Record, February 4, 1946
The Wilkes-Barre Record, February 9, 1946
The Wilkes-Barre Record, February 11, 1946
Courier-Journal (Louisville), November 14, 1947
The Wilkes-Barre Record, December 12, 1947
The Wilkes-Barre Record, January 8, 1948
The Wilkes-Barre Record, January 13, 1948

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/v/vaughvi01n.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/v/vaughvi01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=vaughvi01