Peach Basket Society: Anderson Packers

Showing posts with label Anderson Packers. Show all posts

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Warren Switzer

Warren Candler Switzer, Jr.

Born:
July 4, 1925
Houston, TX

Died:
May 10, 1972
Houston, TX

Career
1942-43 Jefferson Davis High School - Houston, TX (High School)
1943-44 Southwestern Louisiana (College)
1946-47 Rice University (College)
1947-48 Rice University (College)
1948-49 Rice University (College)
1949-50 Rice University (College)
1950-51 St. Joseph Ponies - Missouri (Independent)
1950-51 Anderson Packers (NPBL)
1957-58 Rice University (College) Freshmen head coach
1960-61 Rice University (College) Freshmen head coach

After graduating from Jeff Davis HS in Houston, Switzer served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2 (I am assuming his naval training is why he was at SW Louisiana in 1943-44. After his release from the service in August of 1946, Switzer enrolled at Rice. After 4 years at Rice where he scored over 1000 points, Switzer signed with the St Paul Lights on July 26, 1950.

At some point he was let go by the Lights prior to the start of the season, and played with the independent Ponies of St. Joseph. He signed with the Anderson Packers, making his debut with the club on November 4, 1950. He wound up coaching the freshmen basketball team at Rice a couple of seasons, and was working as an insurance agent when he died of a heart attack in 46 years of age.

Warren was married to Ursula.

Source:
Corsica Daily Sun, July 26, 1950
Brownwood Bulletin, May 11, 1972

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=switzwa01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/warren-switzer/

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Chuck Mrazovich

Charles Mrazovich

Born:
February 26, 1924
Ambridge, PA

Died:
November 8, 2020
Hialeah, FL

Career
Ambridge High School - Pennsylvania (High School)
1945-46 Ambridge - Pennsylvania (Indpendent)
1947-48 Eastern Kentucky University (College)
1948-49 Eastern Kentucky University (College)
1949-50 Eastern Kentucky University (College)
1950-51 Indianapolis Olympians (NBA)
1950-51 Anderson Packers (NPBL)
1951-52 Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL)
1952-53 Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL)
1952-53 Russell County High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1953-54 Russell County High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1954-55 Russell County High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1955-56 Russell County High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1956-57 Russell County High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1957-58 Russell County High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1958-59 Franklin County High School - Frankfort, Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1959-60 Franklin County High School - Frankfort, Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1960-61 Franklin County High School - Frankfort, Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1961-62 Franklin County High School - Frankfort, Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1964-65 Hialeah High School - Florida (High School) Head coach
1965-66 Hialeah High School - Florida (High School) Head coach
1966-67 Hialeah High School - Florida (High School) Head coach
1967-68 Hialeah High School - Florida (High School) Head coach
1968-69 Hialeah High School - Florida (High School) Head coach
1969-70 Hialeah High School - Florida (High School) Head coach
1970-71 Hialeah High School - Florida (High School) Head coach
1971-72 Hialeah High School - Florida (High School) Head coach
1972-73 Hialeah High School - Florida (High School) Head coach

Born to Croatian immigrants, Mrazovich entered the U.S. Army after high School. Following World War 2, he played basketball and ran track at Eastern Kentucky. Drafted by the Olympians in the NBA, he was released by the club in January and signed with the Anderson Packers on January 16, 1951. He played pro basketball with the Anderson Packers and the Indianapolis Olympians before heading east to the Wilkes-Barre Barons in the ABL.

He would then become a teacher and long-time high school basketball coach in his home state of Kentucky as well as in Florida. He finally stepped down from coaching in 1973.

"We weren't allowed to dunk, but we would just to show off before the game. I wish I could play the game now." - Chuck Mrazovich, 2008 -

Source:
Croatia.org
EKU Sports Hall of Fame

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=mrazoch01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/chuck-mrazovich/

Wednesday, August 16, 2017

Al Madsen

Albert Matthew Madsen

Born:
January 5, 1921
Milwaukee, WI

Died:
February 23, 1988
San Antonio, TX

Career
1939-40 Boys Tech - Milwaukee (High School)
1940-41 Milwaukee (AAU)
1942-43 Corpus Christi Naval Air Station - Texas (Military)
1943-44 Beeville Naval - California (Military)
1944-45 Fleet City - California (Military)
1945-46 University of Texas (College)
1946-47 University of Texas (College)
1947-48 University of Texas (College)
1948-49 University of Texas (College)
1950-51 Anderson Packers (NPBL)

Madsen grew up in Milwaukee and after high school, he played some AAU basketball before entering the U.S. Navy at the beginning of World War 2. He managed to play at various naval stations between deployments, and was discharged in 1945. Having enjoyed his time in Texas, he decided to stay there for college. He went to the University of Texas, where he was one of the "Mighty Mice," the Final Four Longhorn team with many players, including Madsen, under 6 feet tall.

Source:
Waco Tribune Herald, January 26, 1947

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=madseal01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/al-madsen/

Red Latham

George Washington Truitt "Red" Latham

Born:
August 30, 1927
Converse, LA

Died:
February 15, 1999
Point Blank, TX

Career
1945-46 Louisiana Tech (College)
1947-48 Louisiana Tech (College)
1948-49 Louisiana Tech (College)
1949-50 Louisiana Tech (College)
1950-51 Anderson Packers (NPBL)

Sometimes appears in newspaper articles as Truitt Latham.

Source:

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/george-latham/

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Dick Dickey

Richard Lee Dickey

Born:
October 26, 1926
Rigdon, IN

Died:
July 3, 2006
Indianapolis, IN

Career
1941-42 Pendleton High School - Indiana (High School)
1942-43 Pendleton High School - Indiana (High School)
1943-44 Pendleton High School - Indiana (High School)
1944-45 DePauw University (College)
1946-47 North Carolina State University (College)
1947-48 North Carolina State University (College)
1948-49 North Carolina State University (College)
1949-50 North Carolina State University (College)
1950-51 Anderson Packers (NPBL)
1951-52 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1953-54 Anderson No. 1 Beverages (IPBA)

Dickey graduated from Pendleton High School and went right in to military's V-12 Program at DePauw, to prepare for World War 2. After the war, Dickey went to North Carolina State. (As stated previously in this blog, college basketball eligibility was restored by athletes who served, so the time a DePauw didn't effect his four years at NC State.) An All-American at NC State, Dickey was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in 1950 but chose to play with the Anderson Packers of the NPBL instead. After the demise of the Packers, Dickey played a year with the Celtics. He would wind up working for many years as an insurance agent, and died in 2006 after complication from surgery on his lung.

He and his wife, Jean, had seven children.

Video Clip from NC State

Source:
Muncie Evening Press, February 5, 1954
Obituary, USA Today, July 5, 2006

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dickedi01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=dickedi01

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Jim Cathcart

James Edward Cathcart

Born:
November 22, 1926
Little Rock, AR

Died:
March 14, 2015
Arlington, TX

Career
1944-45 Central High School - Little Rock, Arkansas (High School)
1946-47 University of Arkansas (College)
1947-48 University of Arkansas (College)
1948-49 University of Arkansas (College)
1949-50 University of Arkansas (College)
1950-51 Anderson Packers (NPBL)
1951-52 Wilkes Barre-Barons (ABL)
1952-53 Wilkes Barre-Barons (ABL)
1954-55 Wilkes Barre-Barons (EBL)
1955-56 Wilkes Barre-Barons (EBL)
1962-63 Central High School - Little Rock, Arkansas (High School)
1963-64 Central High School - Little Rock, Arkansas (High School)
1964-65 Central High School - Little Rock, Arkansas (High School)
1965-66 Central High School - Little Rock, Arkansas (High School)
1966-67 Central High School - Little Rock, Arkansas (High School)

Cathcart graduated from Little Rock Central and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. World War 2 ended not longer he enlisted, and Catchcart was discharged in 1946. He played basketball for four years at the University of Arkansas, and then played profesionally with the Anderson Packers and the Wilkes-Barre Barons. He went into education, teaching and coach at the junior high level before moving back to Little Rock Central to teach and coach the varsity team. In 1967, he became the athletic director for the Hot Springs, Arkansas, School District.

Source:
Obituary

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=cathcji01

Monday, August 7, 2017

Tiny Allen

Francis Coen "Tiny" Allen

Born:
April 15, 1924
Champaign, IL

Died:
April 16, 1957
Anderson, IN

Career
1940-41 Muncie Central High School - Indiana (High School)
1941-42 Muncie Central High School - Indiana (High School)
1945-46 Ball State Teachers College - Indiana (College)
1946-47 Ball State Teachers College - Indiana (College)
1947-48 American Legion Delaware Post - Muncie (Amateur)
1948-49 Oklahoma A&M (College)
1949-50 Oklahoma A&M (College)
1950-51 Anderson Packers (NPBL)

After graduating from Muncie Central, Allen entered the U.S. Navy to serve during World War 2. After the war, he attended Ball State and Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University). He moved to Anderson, where he played basketball for the Packers in their once NPBL season. He would then go on to work the Welker Ford Agency, and in 1957 took a job as a sales manager for the Edsel Division at Ford Motor Company. However, in early April of that year, he underwent an operation and died a week later from complications. He was only 33 years old.

Source:
Obituary, Anderson Daily Bulletin, April 16, 1957

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=allenfr01

1950-51 Anderson Packers (NPBL)

1950-51 ANDERSON PACKERS
NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Eastern Division
Finished: 22-22 .500, 3rd place

Head Coaches:

Frank Gates (April 12, 1920 - July 26, 1978) 14-12 - Also played, see below
Leo Klier (May 21, 1923 - June 4, 2005) 8-10 - Also played, see below

PLAYERS:

Tiny Allen (April 15, 1924 - April 16, 1957)