Horse Haggerty

George Francis "Horse" Haggerty


Born:
July 4, 1891
Springfield, MA

Died:
June 8, 1961
Reading, PA


Career
Springfield High School - Massachusetts (High School)
1912-13 Springfield (Independent)
1913-14 Springfield (Independent)
1913-14 Reading Pretzels (EBL)
1914-15 Reading Bears (EBL)
1915-16 Reading Bears (EBL)
1915-16 Danbury Woosters AC (Independent)
1916-17 Harlan (Delco Industrial League)
1916-17 Reading Bears (EBL)
1917-18 Reading Bears (EBL)
1918-19 Philadelphia Midvale (ABL)
1918-19 Philadelphia Rockwoods (Independent)
1918-19 Harrisburg Independents (Independent)
1919-20 Reading Bears (EBL)
1919-20 Plymouth Shawnees (PSL)
1919-20 Pittston (PSL)
1919-20 Scranton (Independent)
1919-20 Newark Turners (Independent)
1920-21 Reading Bears (EBL)
1920-21 Nanticoke Nans (PSL)
1920-21 Springifled Gunners (IBL)
1920-21 Original Celtics (Independent)
1921-22 Original Celtics (Independent)
1921-22 Reading Bears (EBL)
1921-22 New York Celtics (EBL)
1921-22 Brooklyn Visitations (MBL)
1921-22 Springifled Gunners (IBL)
1921-22 Troy Trojans (NYSL)
1922-23 Atlantic City Sandsnipers (EBL)
1922-23 New York Celtics (MBL)
1922-23 Original Celtics (Independent)
1923-24 Paterson Legionaires (MBL)
1923-24 Knights of Columbus - Fort Wayne (Independent)
1923-24 Original Celtics (Independent)
1924-25 Washington Palace Five (Independent)
1924-25 Original Celtics (Independent)
1924-25 Knights of Columbus - Fort Wayne (Independent)
1924-25 Tremont  (Independent)
1925-26 Washington Palace Five (ABL)
1925-26 Brooklyn Arcadians (ABL)
1926-27 Canton Orphans (CBL) Head coach / player
1928-29 Hazleton (PSL)
1928-29 Wilkes-Barre Barons (PSL)
1928-29 Pattison (EBL)

Haggerty grew up in the birthplace of basketball: Springfield, Massachusettes. Due to his great size (6'4 220 pounds) and natural athletic skills, Haggerty took to basketball quickly. After a couple of playing around his hometown, he was signed to the Reading team in the Eastern League. He would then spend the better part of the next 17 years as one of the most popular basketball players in the country. He jumped from team to team, league to league, to barnstorming teams, and was known as being one of the few players who could grip a basketball with one hand. Haggerty was a rough player who drew many protests from opposing team to his physical style of play. Many of his contemporaries called him the "Babe Ruth of Basketball."

After a bad ankle injury ended his playing career in 1929, he officiated for a few more years before leavng tghe game to work as a bricklayer.

His career was briefly interrupted with his military service during World War One.

Source:
Democrat and Republican (Rochester, NY), June 10, 1961

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/Horse-Haggerty/