Marty Scheinkman

Martin Scheinkman


Born:
April 20, 1920
New York, NY

Died:
June 19, 2015
Tucson, AZ


Career
1939-40 CCNY (College)
1941-42 Hartford Gems (Independent)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)
l'Universite de Toulouse - France (Independent) Head coach / player

Scheinkman had to leave school in 1941, so he joined the Army. Assigned to the Air Corps. He was a navigator on supply planes, and after the war played basketball for the Troy Celtics and in France. When the Air Corps became an independent force known as the U.S. Air Force, he served in the Korean War as well. Aside from flying planes into Hurricanes for research, he would work as a fireman in New York City. He would move to Arizona and continute his education and would become an advocate for geriatric rights and pensioners, dying in 2015 at the age of 95.

He married Gerry Malloy and they had a son and a daughter. After her passing, he remarried to Helen Cook.

Source:
Obituary

Stats:

Bob Scheer

Robert R. Scheer


Born:
April 19, 1923
New York, NY

Died:
February 4, 2009
Wayne, NJ ??


Career
1939-40 DeWitt Clinton - The Bronx (High School)
1941-42 CCNY (College)
1942-43 CCNY (College)
1945-46 CCNY (College)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)

I would like some concrete evidence I have the right guy. Pretty sure, though.

Source:


Stats:

Max Scharf

Max Scharf
born Maxwell Scharfman


Born:
January 31, 1918
Brooklyn, NY?

Died:
January 14, 1981
New Rochelle, NY ??


Career
1936-37 Erasmus Hall High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1938-39 Long Island University (College)
1940-41 Long Island University (College)
1941-42 Mitchell Field (Military)
1946-47 Newark Bobcats (ABL)

Scharf served in the military during World War 2.

I think he was Maxwell Scharfman, who later wound up being a fur salesman.

He had a child in Jan 1944 / Dec 1943

Source:


Stats:

Luke Sapan

Luke Sapan


Born:
December 7, 1920


Died:
August 21, 1977
Great Neck, NY


Career
1940-41 Long Island University (College)
1941-42 Long Island University (College)
1942-43 Long Island University (College)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)
1946-47 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1947-48 Abraham and Strauss (Independent)
1948-49 Utica Olympics (NYSL)
1948-49 Wallingford Veterans (EBL-Ct)

Sapan graduated from LIU and became the athletic director at Manhattan Beach High School but entered the military shortly thereafter.

He married in 1947.

Source:


Stats:

In memoriam: Elmer Behnke

Elmer Behnke, who played for the NBA's Milwaukee Hawks in the 1951-52 season, has died at the age of 89.

Biography

Obituary

Elmer Herman Behnke, age 89, passed away on May 25, 2018. He was born in Elgin, Illinois, the son of the late Elmer Edward Behnke and Erna Meyer Behnke. Preceding him in death was Elmer's loving wife of forty-three years, Mildred (Millie) Golden Behnke. He is survived by his daughter Peggy Behnke Little and son-in-law James Little of Hoover, AL. He also leaves behind two dearly loved grandchildren: Ginger Little Hodges of Hoover, AL, and Mark Little of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Elmer delighted in his six great grandchildren: Weston, Whitney, Landon, and Miller Hodges, all of Hoover, AL, and Evie and Samuel Little of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida. Being 6'7" was an attribute that propelled his basketball career. Elmer was inducted into the Hall of Fame for both Marengo High School Hall and Bradley University that also led to being drafted into the NBA. After a year of living out of suitcases, Elmer left professional sports to pursue a business career as a trusted employee for Thompson Tractor Company for 34 years. Retirement held sweet memories of the years with Millie and Elmer's favorite hobby of playing golf alongside his long-time golfing buddies. Elmer stood tall in both his stature and in his faith. As a dedicated servant of his Lord Jesus Christ, he became one of the founding members of the Lutheran Church of Vestavia Hills, where he remained a lifelong committed member. He lived his religion, demonstrating his love fully and unconditionally. Elmer Herman Behnke's life is a celebration and a lesson in faith to us all.

Bernie Rutledge

Bernard James Rutledge


Born:
October 1, 1923
New York

Died:
April 20, 1954
Oyster Bay, NY


Career
1939-40 Chaminade High School - Long Island, NY (High School)
1940-41 Chaminade High School - Long Island, NY (High School)
1941-42 Notre Dame University (College) Freshmen
1942-43 Notre Dame University (College)
1943-44 Notre Dame University (College)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)
1947-48 Utica Olympics (NYSL)

Born to James and Katherine Rutledge, Bernie played football, basketball and track at Chaminade HS on Long Island. His father died when Bernie was six years old, leaving their mother to raise the five children on her own. He went to Notre Dame after high school and entered the U.S. Navy's V-12 program while there. After Notre Dame, he served in World War 2. He played basketball for the Jersey City Atoms after the war.

Rutledge died in 1954 at the age of 30. Not sure what the cause was.

Source:
Notre Dame Scholastic, January 14, 1944, page 14

Stats:

Miggs Reilly

James Thomas "Miggs" Reilly


Born:
June 30, 1923
Staten Island, NY

Died:
January 30, 2020
Bethesda, MD


Career
1942-43 Georgetown University (College)

1946-47 Georgetown University (College)

1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)

1946-47 Clifton Parkers - New Jersey (Independent)

1949-50 Washington Collegians - DC (Independent)

1949-50 York Victory (EPBL)

1950-51 York Victory (EPBL)

1953-54 Catholic University - Washington, DC (College) Head coach

1954-55 Catholic University - Washington, DC (College) Head coach

1955-56 Catholic University - Washington, DC (College) Head coach

1956-57 Catholic University - Washington, DC (College) Head coach

1957-58 Catholic University - Washington, DC (College) Head coach

Pretty certain the player simply listed as "Reilly" who appeared in four games for the Crescents in the 1946-47 season was Georgetown guard Miggs Reilly, who would later play for York in the Eastern League. Not 100% certain, but the fact that Jim Reilly played for Clifton near Passaic at the same time "Reilly" put in time with Paterson makes me kind of confident it is him.

After coaching five years at Catholic University, Reilly left to concentrate on his career as a lawyer, retiring from the bar in 2002.

Source:


Stats:

Marty Powers

Martin John "Red" Powers


Born:
March 27, 1928
New York, NY

Died:
December 21, 1991
North Las Vegas, NV


Career
1946-47 Newark Bobcats / Yonkers Chiefs (ABL)
1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)
1947-48 Paterson Crescents (ABL)
1948-49 Bridgeport Newfield Steelers (ABL)

1948-49 Williamsport Billes (EPBL) 
1949-50 Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols (ABL)

1949-50 Williamsport Billes (EPBL)
1949-50 Danbury Fedoras (EBL-Ct)
1949-50 Torrington Howards (EBL-Ct)
1950-51 Torrington Howards (EBL-Ct)

From NYC. Signed with Williamsport baseball team at 16 years of age. Before that, played baseball for Queens. Pieced this info together to come up with this gentleman.

Powers signed with the Newark Bobcats, and after the team moved to Yonkers and subsequently disbanded, he moved over to play with the Paterson Crescents. He would bounce around baseball's minor leagues and the basketball circuit out east before giving up the games. In baseball, he rose as high as Class-A.


Minor League Baseball Stats
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=powers001mar

Source:
Shamokin (PA) News-Dispatch, October 18, 1944

Stats:

Ed Poker

Ed Poker
born Edward Joseph Pokropski


Born:
October 30, 1917
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
October 8, 1991
Sicklerville, NJ


Career
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)
1946-47 House of David (Independent)
1947-48 House of David (Independent) 
1948-49 House of David (Independent)

Born to Joseph and Mary Pokropski, Ed would later go by the name the "Ed Poker" while playing semi-pro basketball and baseball around the Philadelphia area. He played basketball with the House of David team a few years as well as with the Wilmington Bombers in the ABL.

Ed worked for many years as a steelworker and a machinist.

He married Mary Zindell (1919-1976) in 1939 and they had six daughters and two sons. His second wife, Josephine, died only a month before Ed's sudden passing in 1991.


Source:
Courier Post, October 6, 1991

Stats:

Pine

Pine


Born:



Died:




Career
1946-47 Yonkers Chiefs (ABL)

Played one game for the Yonkers Chiefs on February 9, 1947

Source:


Stats:

Palmeri

Palmeri


Born:



Died:




Career
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Played one game for the Atoms. First name not known, and I haven't found the box score of his one game yet.

Few possibilities:
Russell "Zot" Palmeri - played football and basketball at Neptune HS in New Jersey, served in the U.S. Army during World War 2. Died suddenly in March of 1947 at the age of 30. This means he died shortly after his only game with Jersey City.
Johnny Palmeri - played American Legion and independent basketball around Monmouth, NJ, in Dec of 1947
Bob Palmeri - played YMCA basketball in Hoboken, NJ, in spring of 1948

Maybe his name is actually spelled "Palmieri."


Source:


Stats:

Tony Orlando

Anthony John Orlando


Born:
June 10, 1923
New York, NY

Died:
October 9, 1997
Woodcliff, NJ


Career
1939-40 Peter Stuyvesant High School - New York City (High School)
1940-41 Peter Stuyvesant High School - New York City (High School)
1941-42 Hoftsra University (College)
1943-44 Great Lakes (Military)
1944-45 RPI (College)
1945-46 RPI (College)
1946-47 RPI (College)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (NYSL)
1947-48 Cohoes Mastadons (NYSL)
1948-49 Saratoga Indians (NYSL)
1948-49 Sullivan Post (Independent)

5'11 170

Listed as Anthony J. Orlando from NYC. Tricky mainly because there was an Anthony J. Orlando born June 15 1923 who died in 1945. I kept seeing an Anthony J Orlando born June 10, 1923 and just assumed it was a typo in the birthdate. But looking back after  a few years, I found the draft card for the June 10 Anthony J Orlando who was attending Hofstra. Not only a different guy, but the college leads to the positive identification of our player.  Draft card weight and height pretty much matches too.

Source:
Troy Record, November 30, 1946

World War 2 Draft Card

Stats:

Eddie Ondrasik

Edward John Ondrasik


Born:
May 9, 1920
Guttenberg. NJ

Died:
November 24, 2009
The Villages, FL


Career
1945-46 Roanoke College - Virginia (College)

1946-47 Roanoke College - Virginia (College)
1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)

UPDATED 10/5/2020

Thanks to fellow researcher Lukas Kuba, I was able to confirm which of the two candidates I found to be the proper Eddie Ondrasik.

Ondrasik was playing at Roanoke College when his school was interrupted by World War 2. After serving in the U.S. Air Corps in Germany, he returned to college where he caught the attention of Red Auerbach, who was named the head coach for the Washington Capitols of the newly-formed Basketball Association of America. However, by the the time Roanoke's basketball season concluded in 1947, the Caps' roster was full and Eddie signed with the Paterson Crescents instead. He went on to coach and teach for many years and died in 2009.

Source:
https://memories-matter.blog/2018/05/30/hey-coach-o/

Stats:

Tony Nitti

Anthony J. Nitti


Born:
April 30, 1921
Italy

Died:
February 11, 1984
Trenton, NJ


Career
1938-39 Trenton Catholic High School - New Jersey (High School)
1945-46 Hazleton (PSL)
1946-47 Trenton Tigers (ABL)

Nitti served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2. He was discharged and played basketball with Hazleton

He and his wife, Agnes, had two children.

Source:


Stats:

Babe Nagle

Gerald Joseph "Babe" Nagle


Born:
August 30, 1921
Wilmington, DE

Died:
May 31, 1994
Wilmington, DE


Career
1937-38 Salesianum High School - Wilmington, DE (High School)
1938-39 Salesianum High School - Wilmington, DE (High School)
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)
(EBL) ??

Nagle graduated from Salesianum HS in Wilmington and served in the Navy during WW2. After the war, he played basketball professionally with the Wilmington Bombers (and maybe the Eastern League.... not sure yet). Nagle worked for many years as a Sheet Metal Worker and eventually would be elected to the Wilmington City Council, serving from 1965-1976. He died of heart failure in 1994.

He married Elizabeth Conley (1924-1996) in 1947.

Source:
The News Journal (Wilmington, DE), June 3, 1994

Stats:

George Milhaven

George Fred Milhaven


Born:
August 29, 1920
New York, NY

Died:
August 23, 2009
Ridge, NY


Career
1938-39 Bushwick High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1939-40 St. John's University (College)
1940-41 St. John's University (College)
1941-42 St. John's University (College)
1943-44 Sampson Naval Base (Military)
1944-45 Sampson Naval Base (Military)
1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)
1948-49 Long Island Bombers (Independent)

Did he play with the Paterson Crescents in 1947-48?? It is mentioned he was with the time prior to the start of the season.


Source:


Stats:

Vinnie Michaels

Vincent Michaels


Born:
1920 or 1921


Died:
Alive in 1989 and living in Forked River, NJ



Career
1937-38 Union Hill High School (High School)
1939-40 Seton Hall University (College)
1940-41 Seton Hall University (College)
1941-42 Seton Hall University (College)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

I was able to find an article about him that got his opinions on Seton Hall hoops in April of 1989 when they were playing in the NCAA championship game. It said he was 68 and living in Forked River, New Jersey. That as much as I could find.

Source:
Asbury Park Press, April 1, 1989

Stats:

Ross Merrick

Dr. Roswell Davenport Merrick


Born:
July 20, 1922
Brooklyn, NY

Died:
January 24, 2004
Kilmarnock, VA


Career
1939-40 James Madison High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1940-41 Springfield College - Massachusetts (College) Freshmen
1941-42 Springfield College - Massachusetts (College)
1942-43 Springfield College - Massachusetts (College)
1943-44 New Britain - Connecticut (Independent)
1945-46 New Britain - Connecticut (Independent)
1946-47 Elizabeth Braves (ABL)
1946-47 New Britain Teachers College - Connecticut (College) Head coach
1947-48 New Britain Teachers College - Connecticut (College) Head coach
1948-49 New Britain Teachers College - Connecticut (College) Head coach
1949-50 New Britain Teachers College - Connecticut (College) Head coach
1950-51 Meriden Sons of Italy (EBL-Ct)
1950-51 New Britain Teachers College - Connecticut (College) Head coach
1951-52 New Britain Teachers College - Connecticut (College) Head coach
1952-53 New Britain Teachers College - Connecticut (College) Head coach 

Merrick played baskeball at Springfield College and then semi-pro before serving in the military during World War 2. After the war, Ross took the head coaching job at New Britain Teachers College (now Central Connecticut State University), a post he held for seven seasons. During this time, he continued his education at NYU and Boston College, eventually getting a doctorate. He left his coaching job to become the Dean for the  College of Education at Southern Illinois University. In 1958, he moved to DC to represent SIU at the American Alliance for Health. Taking to the Washington scene, he would become the Executive Director of the National Association of Sport and Physical Education until his retirement in 1990. He also established the U.S. Fitness and Sports Council and served as Executive Director.

Ross died in 2004.

Source:
Legacy.com

Stats:

Jack McCloskey

John William McCloskey


Born:
September 19, 1925
Mahanoy City, PA

Died:
June 1, 2017
Savannah, GA


Career
1943-44 University of Pennsylvania (College)
1946-47 Hazleton Mountaineers (EPBL)
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)
1947-48 Lancaster Red Roses (ABL)
1947-48 Lancaster Red Roses (EPBL)
1947-48 University of Pennsylvania (College) Freshmen - Head coach
1948-49 Lancaster Red Roses (EPBL)

1948-49 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)

1949-50 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)

1950-51 Cheltenham Aces (Main Line League)
1950-51 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)
1951-52 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1952-53 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1952-53 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1952-53 Collingswood High School - New Jersey (High School) Head coach
1953-54 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1954-55 University of Pennsylvania (College) Freshmen - Head coach

A three-sport star in high school (football, baseball and basketball), McCloskey entered the Navy's V-12 program after high school and was sent to the University of Pennsylvania. He played basketball while there. and after the war would play basketball professionally through the mid 1950's. During this time, he would also coach basketball and played minor league baseball.McCloskey was named the MVP of the Eastern League in 1952-53 and 1953-54 before ending his days on the court. However, his involvement in the game itself remained. He continued to coach and would evenutally move into management. In late 1979, McCloskey was hired as the GM for the then-floundering Detroit Pistons. By the end of the 1980's, he had rebuilt the team into a powerhouse, with two NBA championships and multiple appearances in the Conference Finals. He would later leave the Pistons to work as GM for the Minnesota Timberwolves before retiring.

McCloskey died from complications of Alzheimer's Disease in 2017 at the age of 91.

He was married to Leslie.

Minor League Baseball Stats:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mcclos012---

Source:
Standard Sentinel (Hazleton, PA), June 4, 1954
Obituary, NY Times

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mccloja01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=mccloja01

John Marty

John Marty


Born:



Died:




Career
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)



There is a John A Marty from New Jersey (1919-1974) that this player could be.

Source:


Stats:

Harry Markellos

Harry Anthony Markellos


Born:
February 6, 1923
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
January 11, 2010



Career
1940-41 Northeastern High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1941-42 Northeastern High School - Philadelphia (High School)

Loyola University - Maryland (College) ??
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)
1946-47 Link Belt - Philadelphia (Independent)

The 6', 160-pound athlete from Philly attended Northeastern HS and later served in Army during World War 2, He supposedly went to Loyola, but haven't confirmed it.

Markellos played pro basketball with the Wilmington Bombers in 1946-47. He also played minor league baseball and semi-pro football.


Minor League Baseball Stats
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=markel002har

Source:


Stats:

Makin

Makin


Born:



Died:




Career
1946-47 Brooklyn Gothams (ABL)
1946-47 Allentown Rockets (EPBL)

He is also referred to as Macklin and Mackin.

Update 3/5/2019
Slowly piecing this one together. There was a player mentioned as George Mackin or Makin who joined Allentown of the Eastern League in February of 1947. Connie Toombs was on the Allentown club as well as the Brooklyn Gotham that year, and it is possible the he got Makin a shot with Allentown. It is mentioned in a newspaper article that the Makin who joined Allentown was from Manhattan, so I am thinking it is the same guy. So is this player really named George Mackin? There was a Danny Mackin who played basketball at Muhlenberg College in 1946-47. Could be relative.

Source:


Stats:

Herb Maack

Herbert Henry Maack


Born:
April 16, 1917
Union City, NJ

Died:
May 5, 2007
Narragansett, RI


Career
Hun School of Princeton - New Jersey (Prep school)
1939-40 Columbia University (College)
1941-42 Columbia University (College)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

After playing football and basketball at Columbia, Maack entered the U.S. Navy and served in the South Pacific during World War 2. After the war, he played one season of pro football (with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the AAFC) and one season of pro basketball (with the Jersey City Atoms in the ABL). He went into coaching, starting as a line coach for the Columbia football team in 1946. He moved to Bucknell and then the University of Rhode Island before being named the head football coach at URI in 1956. He lead URI for five seasons. During his time at Bucknell, he also coached the wrestling team.

AAFC Stats:
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MaacHe20.htm

Source:


Stats:

Ed Lyons

Edmund H. Lyons


Born:
July 1, 1926
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
October 28, 2011
Livingston, NJ


Career
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)
1947-48 Philadelphia SPHA's (ABL)
1948-49 Philadelphia SPHA's (ABL)
1949-50 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)

1949-50 Trenton Tigers (ABL)

1950-51 Allentown / Carbondale Aces (ABL)

1950-51 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)

1951-52 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)
1951-52 Washington Capitols (ABL)

1951-52 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)  

1952-53 Lancaster Rockets (EPBL)

1953-54 Lancaster Red Roses (EPBL) Head coach / player

After high school, where Lyons was a basketball star (he held the city scoring record until broken by Wilt Chamberlain) as well as a baseball star, Eddie enrolled at Temple but quickly went off to the U.S. Army to fight in World War 2. The war ended a couple months after Lyons enlisted, and he was discharged and signed to pitch in the Cincinnati Reds farm system. At this time, he also played pro basketball in the ABL to keep fit in the off-season. He was a fixture around New England on the ball diamond, playing for 18 years not just there but also in Canada and the Mid-Atlantic states, but he never made it to the major leagues. He would become a coach in the Cape Cod league and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2000 as the second-winningest manager in league history. He would also coach high school and college baseball, as was a mentor and a positive role model for scores of young athletes. He and his wife, Kay, had three daughters, but they always joked that they also had hundreds of sons.

Minor League Baseball Stats:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lyons-001edm

Source:
https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/remembering-ed-lyons/n-4316583
http://www.nj.com/sports/njsports/index.ssf/2011/11/heralded_baseball_coach_eddie.html

Stats:

Artie Lockheed

Arthur Newman Lockheed


Born:
March 4, 1921
NY

Died:
November 22, 2014
Stockton, CA


Career
1939-40 St. Francis College - Brooklyn (College) Freshmen
1940-41 St. Francis College - Brooklyn (College)
1941-42 St. Francis College - Brooklyn (College)
1942-43 St. Francis College - Brooklyn (College)
1946-47 Saratoga Indians (NYSL)
1946-47 Newark Bobcats / Yonkers Chiefs (ABL)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)
1947-48 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

After starring on the basketball court for four season at St Frances where he mastered the one-handed shot, Lockheed joined the U.S. Army and served in the Air Corps during World War 2. After the war, he played two seasons with the Jersey City Atoms while teaching at St. Francis Prep and earning a Master's Degree in English Literature. In 1948, he moved out to Stockton, California, where he worked as a teacher until his retirement.

Source:
https://sfcathletics.com/hof.aspx?hof=11

Stats:

Bruce Lindsay

Bruce Carleton Lindsay


Born:
August 30, 1916
Columbia, PA

Died:
February 14, 1991
Wilmington, DE


Career
1934-35 Wilmington High School - Delaware (High School)
1937-38 University of Delaware (College)
1938-39 University of Delaware (College)
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)

Lindsay was the captain of the basketball team at the University of Delaware, and after school he served in the U.S. Army during World War 2. He was awarded the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Defense Service Medal and the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon. After the war, he went into teaching and coaching, but also played three scoreless games for the Wilmington Bombers in 1947. He would later become a high school athletic director as well as basketball official for many years before retiring in 1974.

Bruce and his wife, Dorothy, had a son and three daughters.

Source:
News Journal (Wilmington, DE), February 15, 1991

Stats:

Frank Licitra

George Francis "Frank" Licitra


Born:
May 7, 1920
NJ

Died:
May 29, 1986
Mount Laurel, NJ


Career
1938-39 Abraham Lincoln High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Haven't found a heck of a lot about Licitra.


Source:


Stats:

Bobby Lewis

Robert Sayre Lewis


Born:
April 28, 1918
New York, NY

Died:
July 2, 2022
Chevy Chase, MD


Career
1937-38 NYU (College)
1938-39 NYU (College)
1939-40 NYU (College)
1940-41 Phillips 66 Oilers (Independent)
1940-41 Ohrbach - Brooklyn (Independent)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Born to Louis (c. 1887) and Fannie Lewis (c. 1893)
Brother Norman (born Dec 1915) was a champion collegiate fencer in the 1930's. Younger brother Harold (1923-2011) was a well-regarded Physics Professor.

An All-American at NYU, Lewis would go on to play some pro basketball before enlisting in the military in March of 1943. After the war, he would play with the Atoms in the ABL.He later became an accountant.

Source:


Stats:

Lenny Lesser

Leonard Lesser


Born:



Died:




Career
1942-43 CCNY (College)
1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)
1946-47 Newark Bobcats (ABL)
1946-47 Elizabeth Braves (ABL)
1947-48 Brooklyn Gothams (ABL)

Haven't found him yet. Only thing I am sure of is that he is not Len Lesser who lived 1922-2011. That Len Lesser played Uncle Leo on "Seinfeld."

Source:


Stats:

Jim Hoerst

James Paul Hoerst


Born:
October 31, 1922
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
December 17, 1971
Philadelphia, PA ??


Career
1940-41 La Salle University (College) Freshmen
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)

Jim entered the army in the summer of 1943, serving his country in World War 2. The brother of Wilmington Bombers head coach Frank Hoerst, Jim joined the club in January of 1947 and averaged 4.6 points in 14 games.

Jim was married to married Madeline Dyal.

Source:


Stats:

Dave Laub

David Laub


Born:
July 7, 1921
New York, NY

 :




Career
1938-39 Eighth Avenue Temple - Brooklyn (Independent)
1939-40 CCNY (College)
1941-42 CCNY (College)
1942-43 CCNY (College)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)

Laub played one year at CCNY but was declared ineligible after that season. The engineering student was able to get his eligibility restored and he rejoined the school team in 1941. After the 1942-43 season, Laub entered the U.S. Army and served during World War 2 as a member of the Army Corps of Engineers. After his discharge in 1946, he played one year with the Troy Celtics in the ABL. He would go on to work in the construction field for many years before finally retiring in 2014 at the age of 93.

Source:
CCNY Athletics, August 17, 2015

Stats:

Bill Landis

Bill Charles "Tall Timber" Landis, Jr.


Born:
June 25, 1925
Fountain Hill, PA

Died:
September 26, 1997
Quakertown, PA


Career
1942-43 Quakertown High School - Pennsylvania (High School)
1943-44 Albright College - Reading, PA (College)
1944-45 Albright College - Reading, PA (College)
1946-47 Reading Keys (EPBL)
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)

The 6'7, 190 pound Landis starred on the court at Quakertown HS, and by the time he finished at Albright college, had grown to 6'9 and 215 pounds.

Landis signed with the Philadelphia Warriors of the BAA in October of 1946 but was waived and wound up with the Bombers in the ABL. He played five games for the Bombers, putting up 26 points. He left basketball and worked for many years in the maintenance department of the Reading Railroad.

Source:
Morning Call (Allentown, PA) September 27, 1997

Stats:

Charlie Lacina

Charles Lacina


Born:
March 29, 1922
Mount Vernon, NY

Died:
June 21, 2007
The Bronx, NY


Career
1939-40 James Monroe High School - The Bronx, NY (High School)
1940-41 James Monroe High School - The Bronx, NY (High School)
1941-42 St. John's University (College) Freshmen
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)
1946-47 Scranton Miners (PSL)

After being named all-City in basketball at Monroe HS, Lacina was offered many scholarships to college but chose to go to St John's. After one season on the freshmen squad, being their leading scorer, Lacina left school to join the army. He became an officer and would serve in the Pacific during World War 2 as a member of the Army Corps of Engineers and later a supply officer. It was while in the Pacific he met his future wife, an army nurse named Elizabeth ("Bette") Clavin, and they married in 1944. After the war, Lacina declined to return to St. John's and went on to play professional basketball. He joined the ABL's Troy Celtics in November of 1946, and appeared in 8 games and scoring 44 points before he was let go. He then signed with Scranton in the Penn State League and finished out the season. He quit the game to become a policeman for the city of New York, and within a few years became a detective. He was eventually promoted to Detective First Grade and was a part in many big investigation at the time, especially looking into organized crime in the area. He would retire from the NYPD and take a job with the U.S. Department of Defense, overseeing security at various governmental facilities.

An avid boater in retirement, Charlie died in 2007 at the age of 85. He and his wife and two sons.

Source:
Obituary, The City Island Current

Stats:

Freddy Kunz

Fred Kunz


Born:



Died:




Career
1939-40 Good Counsel High School - New Jersey (High School)
1946-47 Elizabeth Braves (ABL)

Is he Fred Kuntz (1921-2005)

Source:


Stats:

Harry Kovner

Harry Kovner


Born:
c. 1916


Died:




Career
New Utrecht High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1936-37 CCNY (College)
1939-40 Jewish Center - Brooklyn (Independent)
1942-43 Jewish Community House - Bensonhurst, NY (Indpendent)
1944-45 Boro Park YMHA - Brooklyn (Independent)
1946-47 Brooklyn Gothams (ABL)

WW2 veteran. Was also referred to as "Jake Kovner" in a news story (probably a mistake).

Two possibilities:
Harry Kovner Nov 29 1916 - June 4, 2002  Died in Brooklyn
Harry Kvoner October 24 1915 - November 11. 1996 Died in Queens

Source:


Stats:

Bill Kotsores

William James Kotsores


Born:
September 18, 1924
Astoria, NY

Died:
June 6, 1971
Queens, NY


Career
Andrew Jackson High School - Queens (High School)
1943-44 St. John's University (College)
1944-45 St. John's University (College)
1946-47 Elizabeth Braves (ABL)
1948-49 Bridgeport Steelers (ABL)


He married Jacqueline Perkins (1925-2005) in 1944 and they had two daughters. Bill and Jackie divorced in 1965.

Source:


Stats:

Jim Kiernan

James (F.?)Kiernan (Jr?)


Born:

New York, NY

Died:




Career
1936-37 St. Simon High School - New York City (High School)
1937-38 St. Simon High School - New York City (High School)
1938-39 St. Simon High School - New York City (High School)
1939-40 Georgetown University (College)
1940-41 Georgetown University (College)
1941-42 Washington Brewers (Independent)*

1941-42 Glens Falls Liona - New York (independent)  
1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)

Kiernan, from the Bronx, left Georgetown in 1941. He played pro basketball and also pitched some minor league baseball that year, first with Brattleboro and then in Bennington (both clubs are in Vermont.) He later pitched for Bridgeport (Connecticut) in 1947.

6'0 

* The Brewers were a member of the ABL at this time, but it does not appear like Kiernan played in any league games; only in exhibition games.

Source:


Stats:

Bill Kobler

William Kobler


Born:



Died:




Career
1944-45 St. John's University (College)
1945-46 St. John's University (College)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)
1946-47 Philadelphia SPHA's (ABL)
1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)

Kobler signed with Troy in the ABL, but was released after playing in three games (despite putting up 14 point in the season opener.) He joined the SPHA's a few weeks later but was used sparingly in four games, scoring only two points. He bounced over to the Crescents in January for a brief stint before being let go again.

Source:


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In Memoriam: Donnie Forman

Donnie Forman, member of the 1948-49 BAA champion Minneapolis Lakers, has died at the age of 92.

Biography

Obituary

Donald J. Forman, guard for the NYU Violets and the Minneapolis Lakers basketball teams, and later successful tax attorney, passed away peacefully on May 10th. He died at 92 of natural causes at his home in Naples, FL. He was a Third Team All-American guard for NYU and First Team All-City guard and All-City High Scorer for Boys High in Brooklyn, NY. In his one season playing for the Lakers, the team won the 1949 BAA (NBA) Championship. He contributed meaningfully to the 4-2 series' win over the Washington Capitals, with his defense against veteran play-maker Sonny Hertzberg. His basketball career ended immediately following the Championship win when he elected to participate actively in an eponymously named clothing retailer that had recently opened in Greenwich Village. His equally passionate and considerably longer career as a tax attorney spanned over 40 years, from the late 1950s until the early 2000s. After earning a JD from the University of Florida Law School ('51-'54) and an LLM in Tax from NYU ('56), he worked for the IRS in Chicago where he tried cases for six years. Following his work at the IRS, Forman went into private practice in Dallas, TX with Geary, Bryce, and Lewis; and later, as a partner at Ginsberg and Forman. He is survived by his wife of 19 years Paula Mannon Forman; three children, Emily Erna Jourdan, Adam Smith Forman, and Mark Andrew Forman; two grandsons, Asa Nance Forman and Asher Marks Forman; and two sisters, Francine Greenes and Phyllis Reisman. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 21 years, Nancy Smith Forman, who died in 1982 at 48. He is a member of the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame and was a generous donor to NYU.

Kane

Kane


Born:



Died:




Career
1946-47 Elizabeth Braves (ABL)

Played one game for Elizabeth, on January 11, 1947

Source:


Stats:

Ray Jackson

Ray Jackson


Born:



Died:




Career
1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)

Also referred to as Don Jackson. Mentioned as going to Temple, but does not appear on their Letterwinners list.

Source:


Stats:

Kayo Iwanicki

Casimir "Kayo" Iwanicki


Born:
November 28, 1921
Wallington, NJ

Died:
August 28, 2007
Saddle Brook, NJ


Career
1938-39 Lodi High School - Lodi, NJ (High School)
1939-40 St. Benedict's Prep - New Jersey (High School)
1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)

His name is misspelled in many places as "Ivanicki."

A football, baseball and basketball player at Lodi HS, Kayo went to St. Benedict's Prep for a year. He was a member of the 1938 Lodi football team that went 8-0 without giving up a single point. He served in the U.S. Army during World War 2, and after the war played basketball for the Paterson Crescents during the 1946-47 season. He worked as a floor inspector at Curtiss Wright Corporation and was also a member of the Board of Education in Wallington, New Jersey. In 1955, Iwanicki, along with five other board members. was convicted of soliciting a bribe in regards to the selection of  a new high school principal in the district. He was fined $1000 and had his prison sentence suspended. He retired from Curtiss Wright in 1983.

He married Catherine Budz (1923-2011) and they had one daughter.

Source:
Courier-News (Bridgeport, NJ), July 20, 1955
http://www.bizub.com/obituary/Casimir-F.-Iwanicki/Saddle-Brook-NJ/453625

Stats:

Frank Hoerst

Frank Joseph "Lefty" Hoerst, Jr.


Born:
April 11, 1917
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
February 18, 2000
Maple Shade, NJ


Career
1933-34 Northeast Catholic High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1934-35 Northeast Catholic High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1935-36 LaSalle University (College) Freshmen
1936-37 LaSalle University (College)
1937-38 LaSalle University (College)
1938-39 LaSalle University (College)
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL) Head coach

Born to Frank and Alice Hoerst in Philly, Hoerst played baseball, basketball and football at Northeast Catholic and would go on to play baseball and basketball at LaSalle. A hard-throwing pitcher and also a two-time captain of the basketball team, Hoerst would probably have pursued a basketball career professionally if a true organized and financially stable league existed at the time of his graduation. Instead, he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies after graduating and spent the 1939 season their Class D affiliate in Mayodan, North Carolina. The southpaw pitched well enough to be invited to spring training in 1940 and made the major league club. He appeared in six games with the Phils before being sent down to Pensacola, where he finished the season with a 16-7 record. He returned to the Phillies in 1941 and stayed through 1942 until the U.S. Navy called. He served through World War 2 and returned to the Phillies after the war. He stayed with the Phillies through the end of 1947 when he was sold to Memphis. In winter of 1946, he signed on to coach  the Wilmington Bombers basketball team in the ABL. Frank's brother Jim played for Frank that year. Frank would coach the LaSalle freshmen team that season, too.

After a couple years in Memphis, Hoerst was done with the game, having compiled a 10-33 record in his time with the Phils. He would later coach LaSalle's baseball team and work as an NBA referee. He worked at Gretz Brewery and rose from sales manager to Vice President, and started his own company which specialized in the manufacturing of a light-weight building material called vermicutlite.

Source:
SABR Biography

Stats:

Bill Henry

William E. Henry


Born:
May 23, 1924


Died:
April 24, 1999



Career
1946-47 Troy Whirlwinds (NYSL)
1946-47 Newark Bobcats / Yonkers Chiefs (ABL)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)
1947-48 Twin Cities Celtics (NYSL)

1948-49 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)  

Henry joined Troy after Yonkers dropped

Henry had never played basketball until he was in the U.S. Navy and stationed at Great Lakes. He played minor league baseball for a while, even winning the 1949 Interstate League (Class B) batting title.

Not 100% positive on his ID, but the middle initial comes from Baseball-Reference, and this William E. served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2.

Minor League Baseball Stats:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=henry-004wil

Source:


Stats:

Marv Haspil

Marvin N. Haspil
also played under the name Mel Haskell

Born:
February 11, 1924
Manhattan, NY

Died:
October 26, 2004
Miami, FL


Career
1941-42 Monroe High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1942-43 Union Temple - Brooklyn (Independent)
Long Island University (College)

1945-46 Bronx Indians (Independent)

1946-47 Bronx Indians (Independent)

1946-47 Binghamton Triplets / Pottsville Maroons (EPBL)
1946-47 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1946-47 New York Jewels (Independent)
1947-48 Gimbel - New York City (Independent)
1948-49 Brooklyn Gothams (ABL)
1950-51 Philadelphia SPHA's (Independent)

Haspil served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2. After the war, he played with the Trenton Tigers, New York Jewels, and the team sponsored by Gimbel's department store. In February of 1949, he signed with the Brooklyn Gothams and finished the 1948-49 season with them. He played with the Philadelphia SPHA's the year after they left the ABL and became an independent team.


Source:


Stats:

Art Gurfein

Arthur Murray Gurfein



Born:
November 18, 1921
Brooklyn, NY

Died:
May 30, 2003
Manhasset, NY


Career
1941-42 Long Island University (College)
1942-43 Long Island University (College)
1946-47 Troy Whirlwinds (NYSL)
1946-47 Philadelphia SPHA's (ABL)

Born to Harry and Cecila Gurfein in Brooklyn, Art served in USMC during World War 2. After returning back east after the war, he played pro basketball with the SPHA's in Philadelphia. He entered the clothing business and moved to Hawaii in the early 1950's.

He married Beverly Crawford in 1949

Source:
Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 27, 1942
Honolulu Star Bulletin, March 20, 1952

Stats:

Herb Greenspan

Herb Greenspan


Born:



Died:




Career
Overbrook or Southern High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1941-42 YMHA - Philadelphia (Independent)
1944-45 YMHA - Philadelphia (Independent)
1945-46 Ohev Shalom - Philadelphia (Independent)
1946-47 Philadelphia SPHA's (ABL)
1946-47 Ohev Shalom - Philadelphia (Independent)
1947-48 Ohev Shalom - Philadelphia (Independent) 


NOT Dr. Herbert S. Greenspan (1915-2000)


Source:


Stats:

Ed Golub

Edward Golub


Born:
December 25, 1922
Manhattan, NY

Died:
November 3, 2000
Hollandale Beach, FL


Career
1938-39 Boys High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1939-40 Boys High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1939-40 Brooklyn Central YMCA (Independent)
1940-41 St. John's University (College)
1941-42 St. John's University (College)
1942-43 St. John's University (College)
1942-43 Sampson Naval Station (Military)
1944-45 Norfolk Naval Training Station (Military)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)
1947-48 Twin Cities Celtics (NYSL)
1947-48 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1948-49 Mohawk Redskins (NYSL)
1950-51 Torrington Howards (EBL-Ct)

The 6'3, 175-pound Golub was born on Christmas Dat 1922 in Manhattan. He went to St John's but left after his junior year to join the Navy to fight in  World War 2. 

Source:
WW2 Draft Card

Stats:

Barney Goldberg

Bernard Francis "Barney" Goldberg, Sr.


Born:
October 14, 1921
Baltimore, MD

Died:
December 12, 2011
Ellicott City, MD 


Career
1938-39 Calvert Hall - Baltimore (High School)
1939-40 Loyola University - Maryland (College)
1940-41 Loyola University - Maryland (College)
1941-42 Loyola University - Maryland (College)
1942-43 Loyola University - Maryland (College)
1945-46 Fourteen Holy Martyrs - Baltimore (Independent)
1946-47 Baltimore Bullets (ABL)
1947-48 Harrisburg Senators (EPBL) Head coach / player
1948-49 St. Bernardine High School - Baltimore (High School) Head coach
1951-52 Calvert Hall - Baltimore (High School) Head coach

After making a name for himself at Loyola, Goldberg played and coached basketball for a while before becoming a lawyer, specializing in real estate as well as being a public defender. He wound up being found guilty of theft and misappropriation of funds in 1986 and was sentenced two two years in prison. His reputation severely tarnished (he even was the defendant in a civil case brought by his own son), he died in 2011 at 90 years of age.

Barney and his wife, Elaine, had ten children.

Source:
Baltimore Sun, March 9, 1986

Stats:

Don Gleasner

Donald George Gleasner


Born:
December 30, 1922
Wilmington, DE

Died:
May 3, 2011
East Hampton, NY


Career
1938-39 Wilmington High School (High School)
1939-40 Wilmington High School (High School)
1940-41 Morris Harvey College - West Virginia (College)
1941-42 Morris Harvey College - West Virginia (College)
1942-43 Morris Harvey College - West Virginia (College)
1943-44 University of Pennsylvania (College)
1945-46 University of Maryland (College)
1945-46 St. Helena - Wilmington (Independent)
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)

Born to Leo and Eleanor Gleasner in Wilmington, Delaware, Don was a natural and well-known athlete in his hometown. Gleasner, at 6'2 and 193 pounds, played basketball, football and baseball in high school and in college. He went to Morris Harvey (now the University of Charleston in West Viriginia) before entering the U.S. Navy. He played baskeball at Penn while in the navy's V-12 program. and served as a naval pilot during World War 2. After the war, he went to the University of Maryland and the urging of the Naval Academy's coach. He played his three sports at Maryland, and not only was he drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 28th round, but signed with the ABL's Wilmington Bombers and with baseball's Boston Red Sox. 
Gleasner played with the Bombers in their final ABL season. He started playing with the Brattleboro (Vermont) club in the Red Sox farm system in 1946, and in 1947 moved over to their Class-B affiliate in the Piedmont League in Roanoke. He never progressed higher in the minor leagues than Roanoke, leaving the Red Sox system after the 1948 season. He went to Asia and created an import business and was among the first entrepreneurs to introduce pre-finished plywood to America.

He married Patti Siceloff in 1947 and they had two sons and a daughter.

Minor League Baseball Stats
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=gleasn001don

Source:
News Journal (Wilmington, DE), December 3, 1941
News Journal (Wilmington, DE), July 25, 1946
Obituary, East Hampton Star, May 12, 2011

Stats: