Belus Smawley

Belus Van Smawley


Born:
March 20, 1918
Golden Valley, NC

Died:
April 24, 2003
Mooresville, NC


Career
Ellenboro High School - North Carolina, NC (High School)
1939-40 Appalachian State (College)
1940-41 Appalachian State (College)
1941-42 Appalachian State (College)
1942-43 Appalachian State (College) - Head coach/player
1943-44 Norfolk Naval Air Station (Military)
1944-45 Norfolk Naval Air Station (Military)
1946-47 Asheville Bombers (Independent)
1946-47 St. Louis Bombers (BAA)
1947-48 St. Louis Bombers (BAA)
1948-49 St. Louis Bombers (BAA)
1949-50 St. Louis Bombers (NBA)
1950-51 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1950-51 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
1951-52 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
1952-53 Pembroke State University (College) Head coach
1953-54 Pembroke State University (College) Head coach
1954-55 Pembroke State University (College) Head coach
1955-56 Pembroke State University (College) Head coach

Born to Charles and Dettie Smawley in North Carolina, After graduating from high school, Smawley worked for a few years before entering Appalachian State. In an odd circumstance, he was not only the star of the basketball team as a senior, but also the head coach, being 24 years old. After graduating, he played baseball for the Washington Senators' D-Level farm club in Kingsport. He joined the U.S. Navy shortly thereafter and served during World War 2. After the war, he took a job as the head football coach in Forest City, North Carolina. He played six years professionally in the BAA/NBA, and during this time he got his Masters Degree from Appalachian State. He also played some more pro baseball, this time with Forest City in the Carolina League. After six seasons of pro basketball, he moved over to Pembroke State where he was a basketball and baseball coach. He left Pembroke to become an administrator at Mooresville Junior High.

He and his wife, Joyce (1925-2011), had a son and a daughter.

Minor League Baseball Stats:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=smawle001bel

Source:
Asheville Citizen Times, October 24, 1946
St. Louis Dispatch, October 22, 1947
The Robesonian (Lumberton, NC), September 14, 1975

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/smawlbe01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=smawlbe01