1942-43 Bridgeport Springwoods (CSL)

1942-43 BRIDGEPORT SPRINGWOODS

CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
10-5 .667, 2nd place (7-5 without New Britain contests)

The Springwoods lost some players to the war, so they managed to pick up Jack Mackey, Dennis Conley and Johnny Pyrch from the local Newfields, who failed to field a team this season. The Springwoods home curt, Sokol Hall, was destroyed by fire on December 11, 1942. Al Bike, the team manager, managed to secure Warren Harding High School as their new home court in time for the December 13 game with New London.

Bridgeport was 10-5 when the season was terminated due to the war effort, good enough for second place. New Britain had dropped from the league and all their results, be it a played game or forfeit, were removed from the official league standings. The Springwoods had defeated NB once (60-42 on 12/6) and had been award two forfeit wins, but their overall record was 7-5 after removing those results.

Jackie Bowden averaged 12.4 points in the nine games I found boxes for.

Head Coach:

• 
  

PLAYERS:

Jackie Bowden (September 7, 1917 - October 4, 1995)

Dennis Conley (May 29, 1921 - January 7, 1973)

Al Crowley  

Jack Mackey (April 18, 1914 - February 5, 1993)

Len Napoli (January 28, 1925 - May 19, 2008)

Joe Oslai (January 27, 1923 - March 10, 1976)

Johnny Pyrch (May 7, 1919 - March 31, 2018)

Steve Salata (August 25, 1923 - June 5, 2012)

Tony Santone (May 30, 1919 - November 15, 1986)

Muzzy Spalluto (February 29, 1920 - June 28, 1997)

1942-43 Connecticut State League (CSL)

The attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into World War 2 at the beginning of the 1941-42 season. By season's end, all resources were being drawn in to the war effort. Almost all semi-pro basketball leagues went into hiatus in the summer of 1942, but the Connecticut State League chose to continue with only four clubs. The plans were for a 32-game season split into halves, but when New Britain withdrew at the end of December, the remaining teams opted to dump the split season and play the remaining games outright. The eastern seaboard and New England turned into a hotbed for military training and development, and there were enough athletes who joined the service who would find themselves stationed in Connecticut and New York. A lot of these players would play with independent teams from their base/station as well as being able to play in off-hours for local teams. Higher-tiered professional basketballers like Bob Calihan and Nick Shaback would play in the CSL while serving stateside, as well as some popular collegiate players from other regions of the country. The league limped to conclusion in late January with no champion crowned. 

• Bridgeport Springwoods
• New Britain Lutherans
• New London Electric Boats
• West Haven Hull Red Devils

1941-42 West Haven Red Devils (CSL)

1941-42 WEST HAVEN RED DEVILS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
11-9, .550, 4th place
Semi-finals: Lost to Hartford, 2-1

West Haven looked good at the start, winning 10 of 14 from the start. They would hit a rough patch in later January, and would only win one of their last 6 games, and that was by forfeit. They managed to pound Hartford, 80-63, in the first game of the league semi-finals, but lost the next two to get eliminated. 

Head Coach:

• Herky Rubenstein (October 16, 1902 - October 4, 1975)
  

PLAYERS:

Eddie Mucha

John Blasczyk (April 8, 1919 - January 21, 1984)

George Fasulas (April 20, 1921 - October 23, 2000)

Frank Iwanski (October 11, 1914 - October 29, 2003)

Chubby Malinconico (November 16, 1921 - March 14, 2007)

John McHugh

Eddie Mucha (June 12, 1919 - November 26, 1944)

Rocky Petrafessa (February 22, 1917 - February 6, 2003)

Franny Piascik (May 29, 1918 - October 20, 2013)

Herky Rubenstein (October 16, 1902 - October 4, 1975)

Eddie Sylvia (July 25, 1918 - May 10, 1999)

Spencer  

1941-42 Waterbury West Side Speedboys (CSL)

Bill Oliver

1941-42 WATERBURY WEST SIDE SPEEDBOYS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
5-15, .250, 5th place

Waterbury hope to do better than their 6-10 record last year, but they fared even worse. They lost 13 of their first 14 and two of their 5 wins were by forfeit.

Head Coach:

• 
  

PLAYERS:

Frank Beauty (June 4, 1913 - August 12, 2000)

Ralph Bradley (August 21, 1916 - March 19, 2007)

John Brady (February 22, 1920 - March 1981)

John Casey (September 16, 1917 - May 4, 1995)

Ted Edelson (December 26, 1916 - September 15, 1995)

Herbie French (March 6, 1921 - April 15, 2000)

Bill Hoystradt (November 21, 1914 - February 15, 1989)

Billy Kalosky (December 21, 1921 - December 11, 2008)

Joe Kalosky (September 3, 1919 - February 3, 2010)

Joe Lynch (March 20, 1922 - March 22, 1983)

Malone   

Pat Mazzarella (June 18, 1923 - July 19, 1989)

Russ McLean (April 23, 1917 - March 1, 2002)

Bill Oliver (November 3, 1914 - July 28, 1992)

Huddie Richard (October 16, 1916 - April 27, 2006)

Jim Roach (May 2, 1923 - May 27, 2033)

Johnny Stollar (April 10, 1917 - June 6, 2003)

Frank Beauty

Joe Lynch

1941-42 New London Electric Boats (CSL)

1941-42 NEW LONDON ELECTRIC BOAT DIESELS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Joe Murphy

15-5, .750, 1st place

Semi-finals: Defeated Bridgeport Springwoods, 2-1

Finals: Defeated Hartford, 2-1

New London had a good team the previous year, but the additions of players like Red Wallace and Jackie Goldsmith really bolstered the team (although Goldsmith left the team in January after scoring 120 points in ten game). Wallace would average 15.2 points while Chet Jaworski averaged 9.9. New London won the regular season title and would battle through the Springwoods and Hartford to win the cup.

Head Coach:

• Joe Murphy (December 10, 1913 - August 2, 1986) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Tony Osinski

Joe Brennan (February 8, 1917 - March 18, 2006)

Moe Dubilier (February 20, 1915 - April 22, 2003)

Jackie Goldsmith (January 18, 1921 - October 23, 1968)

Chet Jaworski (November 8, 1916 - October 16, 2003)

Joe Kane (April 12, 1913 - January 10, 1988)

Joe Maryeski (July 3, 1923 - January 6, 2022)

Joe Murphy (December 10, 1913 - August 2, 1986)

Tony Osinski (January 6, 1918 - May 8, 1991)

George Petrovick (August 23, 1921 - February 10, 2016)

Ash Resnick (March 6, 1916 - January 18, 1989)

Eddie Sullivan (February 3, 1919 - May 3, 1987)

Red Wallace (July 12, 1918 - July 7, 1977)

Jackie Goldsmith

Joe Kane

Joe Maryeski

Red Wallace

Moe Dubilier

George Petrovick

Chet Jaworski

Joe Brennan

Ash Resnick

1941-42 Hartford Gems (CSL)

1941-42 HARTFORD GEMS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
14-6, .700, 2nd place
Semi-finals: Defeated West Haven, 2-1

Dick Kelly

Finals: Lost to New London, 2-1

The Savitt Gems went through a complete rebuild over the last year. Only Joe Noce and Henry Zajac

returned from the previous season (and Zajac was let go after two games.) After dropping three of their first four games, the Gems won 6 of 7 and their last seven games to finish in second place. After defeating West Haven in the league semi-finals, they would lose the championship to New London in a hard-fought three game series. Leo Gottlieb, a popular basketball star from New York City, topped the team with 14.4 point per game.

Head Coach:

• George Stavinitsky (May 6, 1906 - December 5, 1978) 

PLAYERS:

Bob Barton 

Dave Bass (June 21, 1911 - December 13, 1996)

Ike Cole

Ike Cole (September 21, 1921 - September 19, 2006)

Ike Eikenberry (May 5, 1917 - January 16, 1992)

Freddie Ferrie (April 2, 1917 - April 14, 1995)

Leo Gottlieb (November 28, 1920 - August 16, 1972)

Russ Granger (January 4, 1914 - March 11, 2007)

Joe Keating (December 28, 1919 - February 25, 1995)

Dick Kelly (September 25, 1922 - May 21, 2000)

Johnny Kershaw (June 27, 1915 - June 6, 1988)

Leo Levine 

Bobby Lynch (October 21, 1916 - March 13, 1982)

Joe Noce (August 30, 1920 - November 3, 2002)

Bill Oliver (November 3, 1914 - July 28, 1992)

George Pajak (August12, 1916 - June 26, 2011)

Marty Scheinkman (April 20, 1920 - June 19, 2015)

Stan Wilson (September 6, 1917 - February 6, 1995)

Earl Yost (August 14, 1921 - September 3, 2005)

Henry Zajac (April 6, 1914 - September 23, 1977)

Ike Eikenberry

Henny Zajac

1941-42 Bridgeport Springwoods (CSL)

1941-42 BRIDGEPORT SPRINGWOODS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
13-7 .625, 3rd place

Semi-finals: Lost to New London, 2-1

Bridgeport started the season strong, winning 7 of their first nine before a 2-4 spot knocked them out of first. They rallied to win four of their last five (including a forfeit win over the Newfields) to lock a third-place finish. However, they would lose to New London in the semi-finals, ending their season.

Head Coach:

• Eddie Reilly (March 26, 1886 - December 4, 1964) 

PLAYERS:

George Barney (February 20, 1921 - October 15, 2001)

Mal Baxter (November 10, 1921 - September 17, 2010)

Jackie Bowden (September 7, 1917 - October 4, 1995)

Joe Binkert (February 18, 1922 - January 14, 1987)

Red Harding (June 6, 1921 - May 26, 1998)

Slim Kurimsky (February 1, 1919 - October 8, 2006)

Johnny Norko (April 16, 1916 - March 28, 2010)

Joe Oslai (January 27, 1923 - March 10, 1976)

Charlie Petrushonis (January 8, 1921 - d. 1987-2010)

Johnny Pyrch (May 7, 1919 - March 31, 2018)

Norm Ritchel (January 28, 1919 - March 9, 1971)

Dave Roberts (March 18, 1921 - April 17, 1992)

Jim Whaley (May 6, 1915 - ????)