1951-52 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)

1951-52 POTTSVILLE PACKERS
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
21-9, .700, 1st place

Joe Huth

Semi-finals: Defeated Williamsport, 3-0

Finals: Defeated Sunbury, 2-1

With Chink Crossin at the helm again, the Packers got off to a horrible start, dropping 4 of their first 5. They added Milt Ticco, Billy Chacka and Hank Dudek, and the fortunes of the club changed slightly. They got evened their record at 5-5 by the end of January but dropped two games to defending champion and first-place occupier Sunbury to leave them at 5-7. Adding college star Jack Leighton and Art Lentz, the Packers went on a tear. They won their next nine games before falling to Sunbury yet again, then won another 7 and passed the Mercuries for first place in the last week of the regular season.

Pottsville swept through Williamsport in the semi-finals for the President's Trophy and would defeat Sunbury to stake their claim as the Eastern League champions.

Head Coach:

• Chink Crossin (July 4, 1923 - January 10, 1981) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

George Kinek

Hank Belber (November 27, 1926 - December 25, 2014)

Jack Booros (May 4, 1928 - December 2, 2018)

Billy Chanecka (April 21, 1924 - January 27, 2010)

Chink Crossin (July 4, 1923 - January 10, 1981)

Hank Dudek (September 11, 1925 - September 14, 2015)

Jack Flannery (December 7, 1925 - January 22, 2007)

Joe Huth (September 28, 1927 - June 11, 2014)

Karl Kauterman (January 4, 1932 - January 15, 1994)

George Kinek (January 13, 1928 - January 21, 1995)

Dick Koecher (March 30, 1926 - February 4, 2020)

Jack Leighton (January 25, 1928 - August 2, 1996)

Art Lentz (June 27, 1926 - December 8, 2018)

Ed Lyons (July 1, 1926 - October 28, 2011)

Bill McClure (December 21, 1927 - September 7, 2001)

Cas Ostrowski (July 24, 1924 - March 2, 2000)

Milt Ticco (September 22, 1922 - January 26, 2002)

Bill Zubic (August 7, 1918 - July 24, 1994)

Jack Leighton

Jack Booros