Benny Selzer

Benjamin A. Selzer


Born:
August 29, 1912
Passaic, NJ

Died:
July 24, 1993
Passaic, NJ


Career
1928-29 Passaic High School - New Jersey (High School)
1929-30 Passaic High School - New Jersey (High School)
1932-33 University of Iowa (College)
1933-34 University of Iowa (College)
1934-35 Tulsa Oilers (AAU)
1935-36 Passaic Reds (ABL)


Born in Passaic to Romanian immigrants Samuel and Tillie Selzer, Benny graduated from Passaic HS and headed to midwest to play college ball at Iowa. He would play with the Tulsa Oilers before returning home to play with the Passaic Reds of the ABL. He would play some independent basketball around the Passaic area afterwards.

Benny married Lilyan Nathan (1919-2000) in 1949.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/benny-selzer/

Phil Rabin

Phil H. "Fishy" Rabinowitz (Rabin)


Born:
July 10, 1913


Died:
October 28, 2010
Fort Lauderdale, FL


Career
1932-33 Long Island University (College)
1933-34 Long Island University (College)
1934-35 Long Island University (College)
1934-35 Bridgeton (EBL)
1935-36 Bridgeton (EBL)
1935-36 Atlantic City (EBL)
1935-36 Paterson/Trenton/Passiac (ABL)
1936-37 Kingston Colonials (ABL)
1937-38 Kingston Colonials (ABL)
1937-38 Plymouth (NYPA)
1937-38 Hazleton (NYPA)
1938-39 Jersey Reds (ABL)
1939-40 Philadelphia SPHA's (ABL)
1939-40 Washington Brewers (ABL)
1940-41 Washington Brewers (ABL)
1941-42 Saratoga (NYSL)
1942-43 New York Jewels (ABL)
1943-44 Brooklyn Indians (ABL)
1944-45 Baltimore Bullets (ABL)
1944-45 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1945-46 Paterson Crescents (ABL)

Rabin played professionally under an assumed name while still enrolled at LIU. After some time in the Eastern League, he signed with Paterson in the ABL and would play in the ABL through the 1945-46 season with a brief period in the military during World War 2.

He and his wife Bertha had two sons and two daughters.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/phil-rabin/

Bud Clancy

James "Bud" Clancy


Born:



Died:




Career
1934-35 Camden (EL)
1935-36 Passiac Reds (ABL)
1935-36 Bridgeton-Germantown (EL)
1935-36 Rees-Maloy Wolves (Independent)
1936-37 Atlantic City Sandsnipers (ABL)
1936-37 Pittston (PSL)
1936-37 Brownstown (TCL)
1937-38 Reading Keys (TCL)
1937-38 Atlantic City (NLNP)
1937-38 Hazelton (NYPA)
1938-39 Hazelton (NYPA)
1938-39 Reading Keys (TCL)
1938-39 Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL)** Signed Jan 26, 1939. Did he play?
1939-40 Lancaster (TCL)
1939-40 Elmira (NYSL)

From Philadelphia.

Clancy signed (along with Bill Zunic) with Wilkes-Barre on January 26, 1939, but issues arose around the TCL as to whether he could still play with Reading while with the Barons. There were unclear rules as to how many major league players (i.e. ABL players) could be on a TCL roster. Eventually it was decided he was indeed eligible. However, I am not sure he ever suited up with Wilkes-Barre in a game.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/bud-clancy/

1935-36 Paterson Panthers / Trenton Moose / Passaic Reds (ABL)

1935-36 PATERSON PANTHERS / TRENTON MOOSE / PASSAIC REDS
AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE (II)
First Half:
4-11 .267, 6th place
Second Half:
8-11 .421, 6th place

The team started in Paterson but moved to Trenton on December 12, 1935, after an 0-5 start. They finished the first with in Trenton, and then relocated to Passaic, New Jersey, for the second half.


Head Coaches: 

• Benny Borgmann (November 2, 1898 - November 11, 1978)  4-11  Also played. See below.
• Freddie Romp (c.1884 - pre-1953)  8-11 Was also the team owner

PLAYERS:

• Pete Barry (November 16, 1896 - August 29, 1968)

Biography

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

Biography

• Benny Borgmann (November 2, 1898 - November 11, 1978)

Biography

• Gaza Chizmadia (January 12, 1906 - April 23, 1987)

Biography 

• Bud Clancy 

Biography 

• George Glasco (April 7, 1901 - December 23, 1983)

Biography

• Sonny Gluck (April 20, 1902 - February 1, 1973)

Biography 

• Red Grower (January 1, 1911 - November 22, 2007)

Biography 

• Al Kellett (October 30, 1901 - July 14, 1960)

Biography

• Mooney Levine (July 27, 1912 - November 1976)

Biography

• Bill McElwain (October 9, 1905 - November 27, 1981)

Biography

• Willie Putzer (June 22, 1909 - May 6, 1990)

Biography

• Phil Rabin (July 10, 1913 - October 28, 2010)

Biography 

• Rusty Saunders (March 12, 1906 - November 24, 1967)

Biography

• Benny Selzer (August 29, 1912 - July 24, 1993)

Biography 

• Taxi Tackach (February 11, 1911 - February 3, 1989)

Biography 

• Milt Trupin (September 5, 1909 - June 26, 2003)

Biography

• Sam Winograd (November 28, 1913 - July 25, 1998)

Biography

Taxi Tackach

John Joseph "Taxi" Tackach


Born:
February 11, 1911
New Jersey

Died:
February 3, 1989
West Palm Beach, FL


Career
1930-31 East Rutherford High School - New Jersey (Independent)
1934-35 Brooklyn Visitations (ABL)
1935-36 Passaic Reds (ABL)

Raised in Passaic, Tackach own a tool company in West Hartford, Connecticut, before retiring to Florida.

He and his wife, Eugenia, had one son and one daughter.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/taxi-tackach/

Willie Putzer

William Joseph Putzer


Born:
June 22, 1909
New York City, NY

Died:
May 6, 1990
Lyons, NJ


Career
1924-25 J.K. Paulding High School - New York (High School)
1930-31 Fordham University (College)
1931-32 Middletown United Clothiers (Independent)
1932-33 Middletown Collegians (Independent)
1932-33 Jamaica Corbetts (MBL)
1933-34 New Britain Palace (ABL)
1934-35 New Britain Jackaways (ABL)
1934-35 Bridgeton (EBL)
1935-36 Passaic Reds (ABL)
1935-36 Alabama Pitts All-Stars (Independent)
1936-37 Atlantic City Sandsnipers (ABL)

Putzer played for Fordham in his sophomore year, and was set to play baseball in the spring when it was discovered that he had played basketball professionally under an assumed name. He was declared ineligible. He went on to play professionally while finishing his education at Fordham. Putzer would go one to work for many years as a Customs Officer for the Department of the Treasury, retiring in 1979.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/willie-putzer/

Mooney Levine

Solomon A. "Mooney" or "Monone" Levine


Born:
July 27, 1912
Passaic, NJ

Died:
November 1, 1976
Passaic, NJ


Career
1931-32 Passaic High School - New Jersey (High School)
1932-33 Wooley City - New Jersey (Independent)
1932-33 Passaic YMHA - New Jersey (Independent)
1932-33 Hackensack Jewish Five - New Jersey (Independent)
1933-34 Newark Joe Fays (ABL)
1935-36 Passaic Reds (ABL)
1936-37 Amsterdam (NYSL)
1938-39 Binghamton Triplets (NYSL)
1939-40 Amsterdam (NYSL) 

Mooney Levine, was a star at Passaic High School before playing professionally in New Jersey and New York.


Source:
Press and Sun-Bulletin (Binghamton, NY) December 2, 1939
Press and Sun-Bulletin (Binghamton, NY) December 29, 1938

The Herald News (Passaic, NJ), November 2, 1976

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/mooney-levine/

Dave Bass

David Bass


Born:
June 21, 1911
Spencer, MA

Died:
December 13, 1996
Miami, FL


Career
1929-30 Textile - Brooklyn (High School)
1930-31 Bank of United States (Independent)
1931-32 Brooklyn Jewels (Independent)
1931-32 Brooklyn Jewels (MBL)

1931-32 Yonkers Chippewas (Independent)
1932-33 Brooklyn Americans–Brooklyn Jewels (MBL)
1933-34 Newark Joe Fays (ABL)
1933-34 New Britain Palace (ABL)
1934-35 New Britain Jackaways - New Britain Mules (ABL)
1935-36 Hartford YMHA (Independent)
1935-36 Paterson Panthers / Trenton Moose / Passaic Reds (ABL)
1935-36 Freeland (PSL)
1936-37 Hazleton (PSL)
1936-37 New York Celtics (ABL)
1937-38 New York Yankees (ABL)
1937-38 Kingston Colonials (ABL) Head coach / player
1939-40 Troy Celtics (ABL)
1941-42 Hartford Gems (CSL)

Bass was a talented guard who played through the 30's. While with Kingston in 1937-38, he was named coach when Pop Morganweck stepped down in January of 1938. Bass miss the 38-39 season due to a bad knee injury but returned to play for Troy in 1939.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/dave-bass/

Sonny Gluck

Edward H. "Sonny" Gluck


Born:
April 20, 1902
New York, NY

Died:
February 1, 1973
New York, NY


Career
1922-23 Bronx Dodgers (Independent)
1922-23 Dexter Big Five (Independent)
1924-25 New York Cliftons (Independent)
1927-28 Philadelphia Warriors (ABL)
1928-29 New York Hakoahs (ABL)
1928-29 Brooklyn Dodgers (Independent)
1929-30 Philadelphia SPHA's (EBL)
1929-30 Passaic (Independent)
1930-31 Camden (EBL)
1931-32 Union City Reds (MBL)
1932-33 Brooklyn Americans (MBL)
1932-33 Jersey City Palace Diamonds (MBL)
1933-34 Bronx Americans (ABL)
1934-35 Albany (NYSL)
1935-36 Passaic Reds (ABL)

Gluck played a little bit of basketball before signing with the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1927-28 season. He played one day with the club, coming off the bench in both games of a doubleheader against the Detroit Cardinals on January 2, 1928. He would go one to play another 8 seasons.

After a lengthy basketball career, Gluck became president of Gotham Pressed Steel Corporation. When the company was purchased by Servotronics, we would become involved in electronic games and was behind the development of electronic sports games.

Source:
N.Y. Times, February 3, 1973

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/sonny-gluck/