Willard Swihart

Willard Earl Swihart


Born:
August 25, 1914
Massillon, OH

Died:
August 9, 1999
Chardon, OH


Career
1932-33 Washington High School - Massillon, Ohio (High School)
1933-34 Washington High School - Massillon, Ohio (High School)
1934-35 Washington High School - Massillon, Ohio (High School)
1936-37 University of Toledo (College)
1937-38 University of Toledo (College)
1938-39 University of Toledo (College) 
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)


Born to Willard (1887-1970) and Emma (1890-1981) Swihart.Some sources say he was born in 1913 (same date, though). Also apparently went by the name Vincent Swihart.
Married to Jewell, had a son, Willard Alfred Swihart, in 1945.


Died 1999?
http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gl=allgs&gsfn=Elonzo%20A&gsln=Swihart&gss=seo&ghc=20

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/s/swihawi01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=swihawi01

Wee Willie Smith

William T. Smith


Born:
April 22, 1911
Montgomery, AL

Died:
March 15, 1992 
Cleveland, OH


Career
East Tech - Cleveland (High School)
1931-32 Cleveland's Slaughter Brothers (Independent)
1931-32 New York Rens (Independent)
1932-33 New York Rens (Independent)
1933-34 New York Rens (Independent)
1934-35 New York Rens (Independent)
1935-36 New York Rens (Independent)
1936-37 New York Rens (Independent)
1937-38 New York Rens (Independent)
1938-39 New York Rens (Independent)
1939-40 New York Rens (Independent)
1940-41 New York Rens (Independent)
1941-42 New York Rens (Independent)
1942-43 New York Rens (Independent)
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)
1943-44 New York Rens (Independent)
1944-45 New York Rens (Independent)
1945-46 Cleveland Fifas (Independent)
1945-46 Cleveland Allmen Transfers (Independent)
1945-46 Cleveland Buckeyes (Independent)
1946-47 Cleveland Fifas (Independent)
1946-47 Cleveland Monarchs (Independent) 
1948-49 Dayton Rens (NBL)


Smith was born to Isaac and Mary Wheeler Smith in Montgomery, Alabama. One of the game's earliest basketball stars, Smith played with the legendary Rens. He returned to Cleveland, and after basketball worked for the Cleveland Transit Authority. Later he worked as a custodian in the Cleveland Public School System and operated a liquor store.


Smith married Estelle Taylor on August 7, 1937 and they had 2 daughters, June Stallworth, Faith Foster, and a son, James Taylor Smith. Smith was a resident of Cleveland Heights.

Sources:
Encyclopedia of Cleveland History
"Basketball: A Biographical Dictionary" by David-Porter



Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/s/smithwi01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=smithwi03

Bill Riebe

Willard Roy Riebe


Born:
August 15, 1917
Cleveland, OH

Died:
February 6, 2000 
Mayfield Heights, OH


Career
Euclid Shore High School - Ohio (High School)
1939-40 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1940-41 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1941-42 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1942-43 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)
1943-44 Dayton Dive Bombers (Independent)
1944-45 Cleveland Allmen Transfers (NBL)
1945-46 Cleveland Allmen Transfers (NBL)
1946-47 Cleveland Rosenblums (Independent)

Son of Frank and Elsie Riebe. His brother Mel also played basketball in the NBL.

Married to Margaret.



Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/r/riebewi01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=riebebi01

Mel Riebe

Melvin Russell Riebe


Born:
July 12, 1916
Cleveland, OH

Died:
July 25, 1977 
Youngstown, OH


Career
1932-33 Euclid Shore High School - Ohio (High School)
1933-34 Euclid Shore High School - Ohio (High School)
1934-35 Euclid Shore High School - Ohio (High School)
1935-36 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1936-37 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1937-38 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1938-39 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1939-40 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1940-41 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1941-42 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1942-43 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (AAU)
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)

1944-45 Cleveland Allmen Transfers (NBL)
1945-46 Cleveland Allmen Transfers (NBL)
1946-47 Cleveland Rebels (BAA)
1947-48 Boston Celtics (BAA)
1948-49 Boston Celtics (BAA)
1948-49 Providence Steamrollers (BAA)

One of the finest prep basketball players in the Cleveland area, Riebe was also a skilled baseball player and after high school he played minor league baseball in Class D Owensboro in 1937 and 1938.
Riebe was a talented scorer who was among the early stars of the NBL. He did a short stint in the U.S. Navy at Great Lakes before returning to Cleveland.
Riebe died in 1977 of a heart attack.

Riebe's brother Hank played major league baseball in the 1940's, and another brother, Bill, also played basketball in the NBL.



Minor League Baseball stats:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=riebe-001mel

Sources:
Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/r/riebeme01n.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/riebeme01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=riebeme01

John Poncar

John James Poncar


Born:
October 16, 1913
Ohio

Died:
January 1, 2010 
Linesville, PA


Career
1941-42 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (Independent)
1942-43 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (Independent) 
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)
1946-47 Cleveland Rosenblums (Independent)

His wife, Florence, died 10 months after he passed.

Special thanks goes out to James Poncar for identifying his grandfather as our basketball player.




Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/p/poncajo01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=poncajo01

Vito Kubilus

Vito J. Kubilus


Born:
June 29, 1914
Canada

Died:
November 16, 1986 
Euclid, OH


Career
1935-36 Ohio College of Chiropody (College) 
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)
1946-47 Cleveland Rosenblums (Independent)


Sources:
Sandusky Register, March 24, 1947



Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/k/kubilvi01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=kubilvi01

Frank Garcia

Frank Francis Garcia


Born:
May 1, 1917
Hudson, NY

Died:
January 24, 1956 
Akron, OH


Career
1933-34 Akron South High School - Ohio (High School)
1934-35 Akron South High School - Ohio (High School)
1935-36 Akron South High School - Ohio (High School)
1938-39 Akron O'Neils (AAU)
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)
1944-45 Cleveland Allmen Transfers (NBL)
1945-46 Cleveland Allmen Transfers (NBL)
1947-48 Akron Borden Autos (AAU)

Born to Alex and Rose Garcia in New York.
Garcia, a baseball and basketball player and coach from the Akron area, died of a brain hemorrhage in 1956.

He was married to Martha and had a son and a daughter.

Source:
Akron Beacon Journal, January 24, 1956

Minor League Baseball Stats
http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=garcia010fra

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/g/garcifr01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=garcifr02

Ned Endress

Ned Robert Endress


Born:
March 2, 1918
Akron, OH

Died:
June 19, 2010 
Stow, OH


Career
Akron South High School (High School)
1937-38 University of Akron (College)
1938-39 University of Akron (College)
1939-40 University of Akron (College) 
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)
1944-45 Cleveland Allmen Transfers (NBL)
1945-46 Cleveland Allmen Transfers (NBL)
1946-47 Cleveland Rebels (BAA)
1946-47 Youngstown Cubs (AABL)
1950-51 Twinsburg High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1951-52 St Mary's High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1952-53 St Mary's High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1953-54 St Mary's High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1954-55 St Mary's High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1955-56 St Mary's High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1956-57 St Vincent High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1957-58 St Vincent High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1958-59 St Vincent High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1959-60 St Vincent High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1960-61 St Vincent High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1961-62 St Vincent High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1962-63 St Vincent High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1963-64 St Vincent High School - Akron (High School) Head coach
1964-65 St Vincent High School - Akron (High School) Head coach


Endress played basketball and football at Akron before embarking on a professional career in Cleveland. He became a successful lawyer and remained in the Akron area, where he served as a basketball and football coach, too.
He married Eileen in 1941 (1919-
1995) and they had three sons (Ned, Terry and Patrick) and a daughter.

Sources:
Obituary
Summit County Hall of Fame

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/e/endrene01n.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/endrene01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=endrene01

Hal Cihlar

Harold John Cihlar


Born:
July 16, 1914
Cleveland, OH

Died:
August 21, 1995 
Richfield, OH


Career
1934-35 Case Western Reserve - Cleveland (College) 
1935-36 Case Western Reserve - Cleveland (College) 
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)


Cihlar played basketball at Case Western, and later joined the Brassman briefly.
Married Esther Sherman (1916-2009) on October 26, 1938. They had a son, Craig, and a daughterm Jill.




Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/c/cihlaha01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=cihlaha01

1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)

1943-44 CLEVELAND CHASE BRASSMEN
NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Finished: 3-15 .167, 4th place


Semifinals - Lost to Fort Wayne, 2-0

• Head Coach: Vito Kubilus (June 19, 1914 - November 16, 1986)

PLAYERS:

• Elmer Brownell  (November 4, 1917 - December 31, 1988)

Biography

• Harold Cihlar (July 16, 1914 - August 21, 1995)

Biography

• Ned Endress (March 2, 1918 - June 19, 2010)

Biography

• Frank Garcia (May 1, 1917 - January 24, 1956)

Biography

• Vito Kubilus (June 29, 1914 - November 16, 1986 )

Biography

• Pete Lalich (June 23, 1920 - February 1, 2008)

Biography

• John Poncar (October 16, 1913 - January 1, 2010)

Biography

• Bill Riebe (August 15, 1917 - February 6, 2000 )

Biography

• Mel Riebe (July 12, 1916 - July 25, 1977 )

Biography

• Wee Willie Smith (April 22, 1911 - March 15, 1992 )

Biography

• Willard Swihart (August 25, 1914 - August 9, 1999)

Biography

Pete Lalich

Peter Todd Lalich


Born:
June 23, 1920
Lorain, OH

Died:
February 1, 2008
Spring Hill, FL


Career
East Tech High School - Cleveland (High School)
1941-42 Ohio University (College)
1942-43 Cleveland White Motors (Independent)
1942-43 Sheboygan Redskins (NBL)
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)
1944-45 Pittsburgh Raiders (NBL)
1945-46 Youngstown Bears (NBL) 
1946-47 Cleveland Rebels (BAA)

Brother of Nick Lalich.

Born to Yugoslavian immigrants, Lalich was a standout basketball player at East Tech in Cleveland before heading off to Ohio U. He played professionally for five seasons before quitting. He became a manager with Western Southern Life Insurance. He retired to Florida, where he lived the remainder of his life.
Lalich died of kidney failure in 2008.
He married Alyce and they had two sons, Peter and Todd. His grandson, also named Peter, was a highly recruited quarterback out of high school, and played football at the University of Virginia.

Source:
Tampa Bay Times. February 8, 2008



Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/l/lalicpe01n.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lalicpe01.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=lalicpe01

Elmer Brownell

Elmer Eugene Brownell


Born:
November 4, 1917
Chicago, IL

Died:
December 31, 1988
Wauconda Lake, IL


Career
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)
1943-44 Cleveland Chase Brassmen (NBL)



Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/b/brownbi02n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=brownbi01