Frank Lewis

Frank N. Lewis


Born:
January 1, 1930
New York, NY

 :




Career
1949-50 Columbia University (College)
1950-51 Columbia University (College)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL) 
1951-52 Carbondale Aces (ABL)

1951-52 Lancaster Rockets (EPBL)
1951-52 Middletown Guards (ABL)

After graduating from Columbia in 1951, Lewis played in the ABL while going to Columbia law school. He played one game for Bridgeport before being sent to Carbondale.He would eventually move to Arizona to practice law.

Source:
https://www.college.columbia.edu/cct/issue/spring18/article/letters-editor

Stats:

John Gozdenovich

John Vincent Gozdenovich (Gvozdenovich)
aka John Goz


Born:
March 8, 1924
North Bergen, NJ

Died:
July 7, 1997
Edgewater, NJ


Career
1941-42 Cliffside Park High School - New Jersey (High School)
1944-45 Long Island University (College)
1948-49 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)
1949-50 Pottsville Packers (EPBL) 
1949-50 Reading Rangers (EPBL)

1949-50 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1950-51 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1950-51 Bristol Tramps (EBL-Ct)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1952-53 New Jersey Titans (Independent)

Born in New Jersey to Antonio (Anthony) and Vinka Gozdenovich. A football and basketball player in high school, Goz would play a year at LIU before dropping out of school. He tried out with the Wilkes-Barre Barons in fall of 1948, but did not make the team so he signed with the Pottsville Packers. He would play basketball for a few years in the Eastern and American Leagues.

John married Rita Judge and they had at least one son.

Source:


Stats:

Pat Gillen

Patrick Joseph Gillen, Jr.


Born:
March 19,1925
New York, NY

Died:
October 5, 2006
Watertown, CT


Career
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1953-54 New Haven (Independent)

Not 100% sure, but I think it is likely hom. No other person named Patrick Gillen or Patrick Gillon in the area of the right age.

Source:
Naugatuck Daily News, January 25, 1954

Stats:

Cecil Gabriel

Cecil Rowland Gabriel


Born:
October 2, 1929
Bridgeport, CT

 :




Career
1948-49 Bridgeport Rectors (EBL-Ct)
1950-51 Spada's Blue Goose - Stratford, CT (Independent)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1954-55 Savin Jewelers - Bridgeport (Independent)

Gabriel also played semi-pro baseball in New England in the early 50's. "Gabe" married Edith Barrett (1926-2016) in 1949. 

Source:


Stats:

Ray Dombrosky

Raymond John Dombrosky


Born:
January 1, 1927
West New York, NJ

Died:
December 9, 1982
Franklin Lakes, NJ


Career
1944-45 Memorial High School - West New York, NJ (High School)
1948-49 St. John's University (College)
1949-50 St. John's University (College)

1949-50 Bristol Tramps (EBL-Ct)
1950-51 St. John's University (College)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1951-52 Middletown Guards (ABL)
1952-53 Middletown Guards (ABL)
1952-53 Pawtucket Slaters (ABL)

Dombrosky entered the navy in January of 1945, serving at the tail-end of World War 2. He starred at St. John's after being discharged and played a couple years in the ABL.

Source:


Stats:

Al Biolsi

Alfred Louis Biolsi


Born:
March 14, 1929
Brooklyn, NY

Died:
June 24, 2018



Career
1947-48 Grover Cleveland High School - Brooklyn (High School)
St. Francis (College) ??
1949-50 Tradewinds - Brooklyn (Independent)
1950-51 Tradewinds - Brooklyn (Independent)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1952-53 Scranton Miners (ABL)

He supposedly went to St. Francis College but does not appear on the St. Francis letterwinners list.

Source:


Stats:

1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)

1951-52 BRIDGEPORT ROESSLERS
AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE (II)
9-22 .290, 6th place


Under new ownership, the Bridgeport team stumbled through the season, winning consecutive games only once and losing 10 of 11 on the final stretch.


Head Coaches:  

• Jerry Rizzo (March 12, 1918 - August 27, 2011) 1-4 Also played. See below
• Perry Pilotti (March 24, 1916 - July 27, 1993) 8-18

PLAYERS:

• Bob Anderson  (February 15, 1928 - July 23, 1983)

Biography 

• Hank Baietti (October 1, 1920 - June 26, 2006)

Biography 

• Ed Bartels (October 8, 1925 - November 4, 2007)

Biography

• Al Biolsi (March 14, 1929 - June 24, 2018)
  

Biography

• Tommy Byrnes (February 19, 1923 - January 9, 1981)

Biography

• Jack Curran (b. 1924)

Biography

• Perry Del Purgatorio (August 29, 1928 - February 4, 2018)

Biography

• Ray Dombrosky (January 1, 1927 - December 9, 1982)

Biography

• George Feigenbaum (July 2, 1928 - December 25, 2000)

Biography

• Matty Forman (February 18, 1929 - February 24, 1991)

Biography 

• Cecil Gabriel (b. October 2, 1929)

Biography

• Pat Gillen (March 19,1925 - October 5, 2006)

Biography

• Ernie Gomez (June 16, 1924 - June 19, 1963)

Biography

• John Gozdenovich (March 8, 1924 - July 7, 1997)

Biography 

• Mickey Homa (October 16, 1923 - April 9, 2014)

Biography

• Joel Kaufman (March 8, 1927 - June 22, 1972)

Biography 

• Bobby Knight (April 30, 1929 - May 23, 2008)

Biography

• Frank Lewis (b. January 1, 1930)

Biography

• Alex Petersen (July 20, 1924 - June 23, 2014)

Biography

• Jerry Rizzo (March 12, 1918 - August 27, 2011)

Biography

• Herb Scherer (December 21, 1928 - June 28, 2012)

Biography

• Tom Smith (July 5, 1927 - May 31, 1996)

Biography

• Big John Wilson

Biography

• Bill Zirkel (July 20, 1927 - October 24, 2011)

Biography

Bobby Knight

Alex Petersen

Dr. Alexander Petersen, Jr.


Born:
July 20, 1924
Coquille, OR

Died:
June 23, 2014
Corvallis, OR


Career
1946-47 Oregon State University (College)
1947-48 Oregon State University (College)
1948-49 Oregon State University (College)
1949-50 Astoria High School - Oregon (HIgh School) Head coach
1950-51 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1950-51 Torrington Howards (EBL-Ct)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1951-52 Saratoga / Schenectady Harlem Yankees (ABL)
1955-56 Southern Oregon State College (College) Head coach
1975-76 Southern Oregon State College (College) Head coach

Petersen enrolled at Oregon State but enlisted in the Army in May of 1943. After serving during World War 2, he returned to Oregon State where he played basketball. After graduating, the 6'5 Peterson took a job as the coach for the basketball team at Astoria High School. However, after one year, he resigned the post, wanting to continue his education at Columbia in New York. While out east, he played a couple years of basketball. After finishing his doctorate at Columbia, he returned to Oregon, being hired at Southern Oregon to coach football as well as assistant professor of science. He only coached football there for three seasons, and also coached basketball a of couple seasons. He worked as a professor for many years at Southern before retiring.

He and his first wife had four children. He remarried to Lois Pye in 1977.

He sometimes appears in articles as "Alvy" Peterson.

Source:
Medford Mail Tribune, June 15, 1952

Stats:

Joel Kaufman

Joel Philip Kaufman


Born:
March 8, 1927
New York, NY

Died:
June 22, 1972
San Mateo, CA


Career
1943-44 DeWitt Clinton High School - New York City (High School)
1944-45 DeWitt Clinton High School - New York City (High School)
1946-47 New York University (College) Freshmen
1947-48 New York University (College)
1948-49 New York University (College)
1949-50 New York University (College)
1950-51 Paterson Crescents (ABL)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1952-53 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

Kaufman lead DeWitt Clinton to the PSAL title, Kaufman entered the U.S. Army in July of 1945. World War 2 ended just a month later, and Kaufman was discharged in November of 1946. He would enroll at NYU and would star on their basketball team for the next three seasons. Drafted in the ninth round of the NBA draft in 1950 by the Philadelphia Warriors, Kaufman wound up playing three seasons in the ABL. In a doubleheader in Wilkes-Barre on December 16, 1952, Kaufman's Elmira club played Saratoga while Scranton and Wilkes-Barre clashed in the nightcap. Not having enough players to dress, Scranton asked for permission to borrow Kaufman for the game, which Wilkes-Barre and the league agreed to. Having scored 14 points for his Colonels in the first game, Kaufman added 15 for the Miners in Scranton's 73-69 loss. Kaufman was on business trip to California when he died of a heart attack in 1972 at 45 years of age.

Source:
Jews in Sports

Stats:

Matty Forman

Matthew John Forman


Born:
February 18, 1929
Bridgeport, CT

Died:
February 24, 1991



Career
Fairfield Prep - Connecticut (High School)
1947-48 College of the Holy Cross (College)
1948-49 College of the Holy Cross (College) did he miss this season?
1949-50 College of the Holy Cross (College)
1950-51 Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols (ABL)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1952-53 Middletown Guards (ABL)
1953-54 Hamilton Standard - Windsor Locks, CT (Independent)
1953-54 Manchester British Americans (EBL-Ct)
1955-56 Frankie's Drive-In - Hartford (Independent)
1957-58 Hamilton Standard - Windsor Locks, CT (Independent)

A graduate of Fairfield Prep School, Forman played baseball and basketball at Holy Cross. He would play some pro and semi-pro basketball after college around Connecticut.

Source:


Stats:

Perry Del Purgatorio

Perry J. Del Purgatorio


Born:
August 29, 1928
North Bergen, NJ

Died:
February 4, 2018
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ


Career
1944-45 Emerson High School - New Jersey (High School)
1946-47 Villanova University (College)
1947-48 Villanova University (College)
1948-49 Villanova University (College)
1949-50 Villanova University (College)
1950-51 Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols (ABL)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1953-54 Manchester British Americans (EBL-Ct) 

Born to Frank and Rose, Perry played basketball at Emerson HS before moving on to Villanova. After a successful stint at Nova, he played two seasons in Bridgeport in the ABL. He went into the army in 1952 and served during the Korean war.

Perry and his wife, Alice, had four sons and a daughter.

Source:


Stats:

Bob Anderson

Robert Howard Anderson


Born:
February 15, 1928
Newark, NJ

Died:
July 23, 1983
San Francisco, CA


Career
1945-46 Panzer College - East Orange, NJ (College)
Fort Sam Houston (Military)
1948-49 Loyola University - Maryland (College)
1949-50 Loyola University - Maryland (College)
1950-51 Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols (ABL)
1950-51 Hartford Hurricanes (EBL-Ct)
1951-52 Bridgeport Reosslers (ABL)

Bob went to West Side High School in Newark, New Jersey, where he played football but never played basketball. He went to Panzer for a year before joining the U.S. Army in 1945. After his service, the 6'5, 195-pound athlete went to Loyola University in Baltimore. After graduating, he was drafted in the sixth round by the NBA's Tri-Cities team in 1950. Unable to make the team, Anderson played one game with Bridgeport in 1950-51. He signed with Carbondale January 23, 1951, but not sure if he ever played for them. Next year, he was back for one more run in Bridgeport.

Anderson would attend law school at Rutgers and in 1972 would move out west to Alamo, California. He worked worked as a stock broker at Dean Witter Reynolds, rising to Senior Vice President. In early 1983, he was diagnosed with a brain tumor and died that July at 55 years of age. He and his wife, Ginny, had five sons and a daughter.



Source:
Baltimore Sun, March 7, 1949

San Francisco Examiner, July 26, 1983

Stats:

Mickey Homa

Michael Edward Homa


Born:
October 16, 1923
Fairfield, CT

Died:
April 9, 2014
Fairfield, CT


Career
Roger Ludlowe High School - Fairfield, CT (High School)

1945-46 Bridgeport Lenox (CSL)
1946-47 New Britain Newfields (NEBL)
1946-47 Stamford Pros (EBL-Ct)
1946-47 Bridgeport Springwoods (CSL)
1946-47 Bridgeport Newfields (Independent)
1947-48 University of Kentucky (College)
1947-48 Bridgeport Newfields (Independent)
1948-49 Bridgeport Newfield Steelers (ABL)
1949-50 Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols (ABL)
1950-51 Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols (ABL)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)

Born in Fairfield, Connecticut, to Peter and Eva Homa, Mickey lettered in basketball, baseball and golf in high school. He entered the Marines after graduating, and served mainly in Iceland during World War 2. After the war, he played basketball for Adolph Rupp at Kentucky, but left school after one year. He would return home and play in the ABL for three seasons.

Aside from being a good basketball player, Homa was an excellent golfer, honing his craft under the instruction of the legendary golfer Tommy Armour. making the cut in two U.S. Opens (1953, '56) and one PGA Championship ('59). He worked for many years at various clubs as the golf pro, retiring in 1995.

He married Wanda Soltys in 1951 and they had two sons.

Source:
Obituary, Connecticut Post, April 11, 2014
https://www.ctpost.com/sports/article/Chris-Elsberry-Hooks-Homa-remembered-as-5396516.php

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/mickey-homa/

Ernie Gomez

Ernest Mendez Perez (Perry) Gomez


Born:
June 16, 1924
Hartford, CT

Died:
June 19, 1963
West Haven, CT


Career
1942-43 Harding High School - Hartford (High School)
1946-47 New Britain Newfields (NEBL)
1947-48 New Britain Newfields (NEBL)
1948-49 Bridgeport Newfield Steelers (ABL)
1949-50 Danbury Hatters (EBL-Ct)
1949-50 Middletown Guards (EBL-Ct)
1952-53 Bridgeport Savin Jewelers (Independent)
1954-55 Merando's - Bridgeport (Independent)

Gomez graduated from Harding HS in Hartford and went into the Navy to serve during the war. After the war, he played some pro basketball in Connecticut Gomez ran into some trouble with the law in 1953, being sentenced to nine months in Danbury Federal Correctional Facility for forging checks and fraud.

He married Joyce Van Allen in 1944 and they had one son and two daughters before their divorce in 1958. He had just turned 39 when he died in 1963.

Source:
Bridgeport Telegram, June 20, 1963

Stats:

Bobby Knight

Robert Fred Knight


Born:
April 30, 1929
Hartford, CT

Died:
May 23, 2008
Springfield, MA


Career
Weaver High School - Hartford (High School)
1947-48 Hartford Hurricanes (ABL)
1948-49 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1948-49 Hartford Hurricanes (ABL)
1949-50 Nelton Park - Hartford (Independent)
1950-51 Manchester Nassiff Arms (EBL-Ct)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1951-52 Manchester British Americans (ABL)
1952-53 Manchester British Americans (ABL) 
New York Broadway Colored Clowns (Independent)
1953-54 Nassiff Arms (Independent)
1953-54 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1954-55 Nassiff Arms (Independent)
1954-55 New York Knicks (NBA)
1955-56 Connecticut Yankees (Independent)

Knight was a very popular player in the Hartford area. Unable to go to college due to the difficulty at the time for black kids to go to college, Knight played semi-pro and pro basketball around Connecticut. He was a talented scorer, and he would eventually find his way to the NBA, playing a couple games for the Knicks in the 1954-55 season.

He was a generous and modest man, working with youths in Hartford for many years, volunteering at the local YMCA for years. He died in 2008 at 79 years of age.

Source:
http://articles.courant.com/2008-05-28/sports/knight0528.art_1_basketball-genius-naismith-memorial-basketball-hall-bobby-knight

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/knighbo01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=knighbo01

Jack Curran

John J. Curran


Born:
1924


Died:




Career
1941-42 St. John's Prep - Brooklyn (High School)

1942-43 YMCA - Bedford (Independent)
1944-45 Hartford (Independent)
1944-45 Brooklyn Jewels (Independent)
1944-45 Bendix - New York (Independent)
1944-45 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1946-47 Troy Whirlwinds (NYSL)
1946-47 Long Island American Nationals (Independent)
1947-48 Hartford Hurricanes (ABL)
1947-48 Fitchburg Pamcos (NEBL)
1947-48 Wallingford Veterans (EBL-Ct) ??
1947-48 Pfizer - Brooklyn (Independent)
1949-50 New Britain Rios (EBL-Ct) ??
1950-51 Manchester Nassiff Arms (EBL-Ct)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1951-52 Middletown Guards (ABL)
1952-53 Middletown Guards (ABL)
1952-53 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1953-54 Bristol Tramps (ECL)



The Brooklyn-native and long-time basketball player served in the Army during World War 2.

Possible John J. Curran Jr, born August 22, 1924 in NYC

or John Joseph Curran (b. 4/10/22) in Brooklyn. His enlistment record says Occupation : Actors and Actresses, which was sometimes what was listed for pro athletes

John Arthur Curran (1924-2021) from Brooklyn fits, but his obituary mentions nothing of basketball and was in Northern Virgnina during parts of Jack Curran's career

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/jack-curran/

Tom Smith

Thomas Francis Xavier Smith


Born:
July 5, 1927
Jersey City, NJ

Died:
May 31, 1996
Jersey City, NJ


Career
1946-47 St. Peter's Prep - Jersey City, NJ (High School)
1948-49 St. Peter's College - New Jersey (College)
1949-50 St. Peter's College - New Jersey (College)
1950-51 St. Peter's College - New Jersey (College)
1951-52 New York Knicks (NBA)
1951-52 Carbondale Aces (ABL)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1952-53 Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL)
1952-53 Jersey City Titans (Independent)

Born to Edward and Viola Smith,

Tom was drafted by the Knicks in 1951, and signed on October 14, 1951

Smith scored over 1300 points at St Peters, and was drafted by the Knicks in 1951. He only played one game with the Knicks in the regular season, scoring four points.(Not sure which game.)

He served as a city clerk in Jersey City for eight years before running successfully for the city's mayor in 1977, serving his term through 1981 when he ran for governor of New Jersey, but lost in the primaries. Also an author who wrote of his time in politics and the powers of Jersey City, Smith died of cancer in 1996.

He and his wife, Florence, has two daughters.

Source:
Everything You Wanted to Know About the Knicks, Michael Benson
Obituary, New York Times, June 5, 1996

Stats:

http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=smithto01

Herb Scherer

Herbert Frederick Scherer


Born:
December 21, 1928
Maplewood, NJ

Died:
June 28, 2012
Roswell, GA


Career
Bloomfield Technical High School - Bloomfield, NJ (High School)
1948-49 Long Island University (College)
1949-50 Long Island University (College)
1950-51 Carbondale Aces (ABL)
1950-51 Tri-Cities Blackhawks (NBA)
1951-52 New York Knicks (NBA)
1951-52 Washington Capitols (ABL)
1951-52 Carbondale Aces (ABL)
1951-52 New York Knicks (NBA)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1952-53 Scranton Miners (ABL)


On June 21, 1950, Scherer signed with the New York Knicks, but didn't make the team and in November was sent to Paterson in the ABL. (Somehow wound in playing for Carbondale, so don't know if he ever played with Paterson or if that was an error in the newspaper article.) In February of 1951, he was sold by the Aces to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks of the NBA and finished the season with that club. He was let go by the Blackhawks after the season. In October of 1951, Scherer signed with the New York Knicks, but two months later he was sold to the Washington Capitols of the ABL. However, ABL commissioner John J. O'Brien ordered that Scherer be assigned to the Carbondale franchise. Not even a month later, on January 26, 1952, he was back with the Knicks, and played for them for about two weeks. He played one game at some point for Bridgeport. In 1952, he joined the Scranton Miners of the ABL. He left basketball in 1953 to go into the construction business with his brother, retiring after 45 years.

He married Mary Buist in 1951 and they had two sons and a daughter.

Source:
Obituary, Star Ledger, July 2, 2012

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/scherhe01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=scherhe01

George Feigenbaum

George Feigenbaum
also played under the name George Faust and George Fenton

Born:
July 2, 1928
Binghamton, NY

Died:
December 25, 2000
Valley Stream, NY


Career
1945-46 New Utrecht High School - Brooklyn, NY (High School)
1946-47 Coney Island AC - New York (Independent)
1947-48 Philadelphia SPHA's (ABL)

1947-48 Mohawk Redskins (NYSL)
1948-49 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1948-49 Hartford Hurricanes (ABL)
1948-49 Wallingford Veterans (EBL-Ct)

1948-49 Saratoga Indians (NYSL)
1949-50 Hartford Hurricanes (ABL)

1949-50 Wallingford Veterans (EBL-Ct)

1949-50 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)

1950-51 Bristol Tramps (EBL-Ct)
1950-51 Allentown / Carbondale Aces (ABL)
1950-51 Wallingford Veterans (EBL-Ct)
1950-51 Torrington Howards (EBL-Ct)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1951-52 Carbondale Aces (ABL)
1951-52 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1952-53 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1953-54 Manchester British Americans (CSL) 
1953-54 Hazleton Mountaineers (EPBL) Head coach / player
1953-54 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1954-55 Williamsport Billies (EBL)
1955-56 Hazleton Hawks (EBL)
1956-57 Lenox (Mass) Merchants (Independent)

A long-time pro player in the East, he also worked as a salesman for a women's garment store in New York. Feigenbaum also played under the name George Faust and George Fenton.

Source:


Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/f/feigege01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=feigege01

Ed Bartels

Edward John Bartels


Born:
October 8, 1925
New York, NY

Died:
November 4, 2007
Killingworth, CT


Career
1942-43 LaSalle Academy - New York City (High School)
1943-44 LaSalle Academy - New York City (High School)
1946-47 North Carolina State University (College)
1947-48 North Carolina State University (College)
1948-49 North Carolina State University (College)
1949-50 Denver Nuggets (NBA)
1949-50 Hartford Hurricanes (ABL)
1949-50 New York Knicks (NBA)
1950-51 Utica Pros (ABL)
1950-51 Washington Capitols (NBA)
1950-51 Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL)
1950-51 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1951-52 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1951-52 Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1952-53 Pawtucket Slaters (ABL)
1952-53 Middletown Guards (ABL)
1952-53 Manchester British Americans (ABL)
1952-53 Scranton Miners (ABL)

Ed was born to Edward and Emily Bartels in New York City. He served in the U.S. Army in World War 2 and then played basketball at NC State. He played two seasons in the NBA.

Ed married Maureen McCormick in 1956 and they had three sons and two daughters.

Source:
Hartford Courant, November 8, 2007

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/barteed01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=barteed01