Zano Wast

Zano Stanley Wast


Born:
August 20, 1916
Moline, IL

Died:
May 21, 1988
Toledo, OH


Career
1939-40 University of Toledo (College)
1939-40 St Peter's - Ohio (Independent)
1940-41 Deluxe Inn - Toledo (Independent)
1942-43 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)

Played college ball at Toledo, but his name does not appear on the UT list of letter winners. Apparently also played a lot of semi-pro basketball. Many sources have Wast listed as one of the first black players in the league, but according to Murray Nelson's book "The National Basketball League: A History, 1935-1949", we was not black. (Chapter 7, note 1).


After playing basketball, he worked as a salesman at Sears for 23 years.

He was married to Beverly, and had two sons, John and Al.

Source:
Toledo Blade, May 22, 1988
Akron Beacon Journal, April 12, 1940
Evening Review (East Liverpool, OH), April 5, 1941

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/w/wastza01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=wastza01

Al Price

Albert W. Price


Born:
September 8, 1917
Detroit, MI


Died:
November 7, 2011
Toledo, OH


Career
Waite High School - Toledo (High School)
1941-42 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1942-43 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)
1943-44 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1944-45 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1945-46 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1945-46 Kansas City Stars (Independent)
1946-47 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)

Born in Detroit to Bernard and Mabel Price. As a kid, the family moved often between Toledo and Chicago. He and his brother Bernard both wound up with the Harlem Globetrotters. After his playing days, Al worked for the city of Toledo as a draftsman.

He was married to Edith (d.1994) and they had four children; Al, Gregory, Thomas and Debra.

Source:
Toledo Blade, November 11, 2011
Toledo Blade, December 29, 2010

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/p/priceal01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=priceal01

Casey Jones

Casey C. Jones


Born:
June 15,1915
Princeton, KY

Died:
April 2, 2002
Maumee, OH


Career
Scott High School - Toledo (High School)
Knoxville (College)
Ciralsky Meat Packers (Barnstorming)
1942-43 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)
New York Komedy Kings (Barnstorming)
Harlem Globetrotters (Barnstorming)


Born to Clarence and Bodie Jones in Kentucky, the Jones family moved to Toledo, where Jones attended Scott HS. He attended college at Knoxville, and played basketball there as well as professionally for barnstorming teams and became one of the first 10 black players in the NBL. He opened his own insurance agency, as well as working for Lucas County and the city of Toledo. Jones was elected to the Ohio State Senate in 1968.
He married Lovell Barber on June 13, 1963, and they had three sons; Curtis, George and William, and four daughters, K. Laverne Redden, Sarah, Marilyn and Marsha Jones.

Obituary, Toledo Blade, April 5, 2002

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/j/jonesca01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=jonesca02

Billy Jones

William McNeil Jones


Born:
February 3, 1914
Toledo, OH

Died:
April 9, 2006
Los Angeles, CA


Career
1928-29 Woodward High School - Toledo (High School)
1929-30 Woodward High School - Toledo (High School)
1933-34 University of Toledo (College)
1936-37 University of Toledo (College)
1937-38 University of Toledo (College)
1938-39 Toledo All Stars (Independent)
1938-39 Toledo Brown Bombers (Independent)
1939-40 Toledo Collegians (Independent)
1940-41 Toledo White Huts (Independent)
1941-42 Toledo White Huts (Independent)
1941-42 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1942-43 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)
Ciralsky Meat Packers (Independent)

Jones was one of the ten black players to break the color barrier in the NBL. After many years of playing in the Toledo area, he moved to Los Angeles where worked for many years as the industrial director for the L.A. Urban League, pushing the city to hire more minority employees at the local transit authority.

Toledo Blade Obituary

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/j/joneswi01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=jonesbi02

Cortez Gray

Cortez Zell Gray


Born:
March 7, 1916
Hanceville, AL 

Died:
July 28, 1996
Phoenix, AZ


Career
Akron South High School - Ohio (High School)
1939-40 University of Toledo (College)
1940-41 University of Toledo (College)
1941-42 University of Toledo (College) 
1941-42 Midland AC (Independent)
1942-43 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)

Cortez was born to Virgil (1886-1961) and Lola (1891-1977) Gray
He worked for as a foreman for 40 years at Garity-Schultz.
He was married to Mary Ellen McGuane (1919-1949). Mary Ellen tragically died of a heart attack while visiting her in-laws during the Christmas season. She was on 30 years old. She and Cortez had a son Patrick (b.1942), and a daughter, Kathleen David (b.1947). He later remarried to Shirley (1926-1993). His obituary mentions sons named Robert and Daniel, who are not mentioned in Mary Ellen's obituary. They might be the product of the marriage of Shirley.

His brother Wyndol also played in the NBL.

Sources:
Mary Ellen's Obituary, Toledo Blade, December 27, 1949
Obituary, Toledo Blade, July 31, 1996

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/g/grayco01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=grayco01

Bob Gerber

Robert Edward Gerber


Born:
August 1, 1916
Akron, OH 

Died:
February 13, 2002
Sandusky, OH


Career
Akron South High School - Ohio (High School)
Akron West High School - Ohio (High School)
1939-40 University of Toledo (College)
1940-41 University of Toledo (College)
1941-42 University of Toledo (College) 
1942-43 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)
1942-43 Detroit Eagles (Independent)
1942-43 Detroit Eagles (Suffrins)
1943-44 Detroit Eagles (Suffrins) 
1943-44 Dayton Bombers (Suffrins)
1945-46 Indianapolis Kautskys (NBL)
1946-47 Toledo Jeeps (NBL)
1947-48 Minneapolis Lakers (NBL)
1947-48 Tri-Cities Blackhawks (NBL)

Born in Akron to Charles and Ellen Gerber, Gerber attended Akron South High School for two years before transferring to West. He only became a regular player in his senior year, and then went on to Toledo, where he became All-American. He had an unorthodox shot and poor vision. He even experimented with a new invention called contact lenses in his senior year but quickly went back to his glasses. After one year for the Jim White Chevys, he served his country in the war. He returned to play three more seasons in the NBL.
After basketball, he worked for many years at George's Cigar and Gift Shop and then Doehler Jarvis.
He was married to Sandy.



Source:
Evening Independent, January 27, 1942

Obituary:
Toledo Blade


Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/g/gerbero01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=gerbebo01

1942-43 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)

1942-43 TOLEDO JIM WHITE CHEVROLETS
NATIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Finished: 0-4 .000, 5th place

Toledo withdrew from the league on December 14, 1942

• Head Coach: Sid Goldberg (March 26, 1912 - October 22, 1995)

PLAYERS:

• Shannie Barnett (February 8, 1919 - July 2, 1991)

Biography

• Robert Gerber (August 1, 1916 - February 13, 2002)

Biography

• Cortez Gray (March 7, 1916 - July 28, 1996)

Biography

• Pat Hintz (February 4, 1914 - February 22, 2004)

Biography

• Casey Jones (June 15,1915 - April 2, 2002)

Biography

• Billy Jones (February 3, 1914 - April 9, 2006)

Biography

• Al Price (September 8, 1917 - November 7, 2011)

Biography

• Eddie Sadowski (February 2, 1915 - March 11, 1992)

Biography

• John Townsend (September 20, 1916 - December 4, 2001)

Biography

• Zano Wast (August 20, 1916 - May 21, 1988)

Biography

Shannie Barnett

Shannie Sloan Barnett


Born:
February 8, 1919
Pine Bluff, AR

Died:
July 2, 1991
Toledo, OH


Career
Indiana Y Big Five (Semi-Pro)
Ciralsky Meats (Semi-Pro)
Brown Buddies (Semi-Pro) 
1942-43 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)
1949-50 New York Comedy Kings (Independent)


Shannie worked for 42 years at the Jeep plant in Toledo, retiring in 1984. He was an active member of the Democratic Party in the area, serving on many boards and committees.
He married Doris and had three daughters: Linda Dent, Patricia Barnett and Karen Barnett

Source:
Toledo Blade, July 5, 1991


Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/b/barnesh01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=barnesh01

Abe Yourist

Abe Harry Yourist


Born:
March 19, 1907
Russia

Died:
November 9, 1991
Seattle, WA


Career
1925-26 Woodward High School - Toledo (High School)
1926-27 Woodward High School - Toledo (High School)
1927-28 Woodward High School - Toledo (High School)
1929-30 Heidelberg College - Ohio (College)
1930-31 Heidelberg College - Ohio (College)
1931-32 Heidelberg College - Ohio (College) 
1932-33 Toledo Crimson Coaches (Independent)
Babe Dridrickson's All Stars (Pro)
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)


Yourist was born in Russia to David and Sophia Yourist, and the family immigrated here shortly after Abe was born. He grew up in Toledo where Woodward was a high school athlete. Yourist was a four-sport star at Heidelberg, playing football, basketball, baseball and ran track. He played pro basketball on Babe Dridrikson's All-Stars and the Crimson Coaches as well as a brief appearence with the Toledo Chevrolets. He also was a professional wrestler for many years, including under the names Pepper Gomez and the Masked Marvels. He retired from wrestling around 1970. He also worked for Fenton Aluminum Sash in the Seattle area for 22 years. He had lived in Seattle since 1948.

Yourist died in 1991 after falling in his home. He married Irene in 1937 and had a son, Harry, and a daughter, Sharon.

Sources:
Obituary, Toledo Blade, November 9, 1991
Seattle Time Obituary, November 13, 1991
1930 Census
Bio at Heidelberg College

Many places state he played professional football for the Bears and other teams, but the only record of him playing pro football is with Passaic in the AFA in 1936.
http://www.profootballarchives.com/1936aapas.html

Nothing to indicate he played for the Bears (or any NFL team) at all.

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/y/youriab01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=youriab01

Paul Wallace

Paul Wallace


Born:

 

Died:
 



Career
Overbrook High School - Philadelphia (High School)
University of Toledo (College) 
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)


Using the information that Wallace went to Overbrook and UT, we find this Paul Wallace:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=55039076

However, if that IS the Paul Wallace who played for the Chevrolets, he would have been 16 years old. Granted, he was a big star in Philadelphia HS, but how would he wind up playing a single game at such a young age in a city far far away. There is nothing to indicate that his family lived in Toledo at the time. This Paul Wallace went to UT after World War 2. So this doesn't make sense.

So.... two things here. Paul "Hook" Wallace was 16 when he played one game for Toledo when he was there for some reason in the winter of 41-42, and went to UT 5 years later.

OR

The Paul Wallace who played for the Chevrolets has no connection to Overbrook and UT as reported elsewhere.

I personally subscribe to the latter, especially since Hooks' obit on the findagrave site says nothing about playing professionally at age 16, which I think would be notable.

The only Paul Wallace (or surname of Wallace of any first name) was Hook Wallace. ('47 and '48)

There is this Paul G.Wallace, who would be 19, but lived in Toledo in 1930 and 1940
https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3Apaul~%20%2Bsurname%3Awallace~%20%2Bbirth_place%3Aohio~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1915-1925~%20%2Bresidence_place%3A%22Toledo%2C%20Ohio%22~%20%2Bresidence_year%3A1930-1940~


Update 8/22/16
Having located a photo of Paul Wallace in his Toledo '48 uniform, and comparing it to his obituary photo, it looks like the same guy, and therefore conclude that Paul "Hook" Wallace, UT '48, is the Paul Wallace from Philly who lived 1925-1998. So did he play for the Chevrolets at 16? Or is the Paul Wallace of UT not the same as the one who played for the Chevys?

Mystery continues

Pro Basketball Encyclopedia says it is this guy: (born Aug 17, 1923, died Feb 1976)
http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=fxk1916&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=Paul&gsfn_x=0&gsln=Wallace&gsln_x=1&msypn__ftp=Ohio,%20USA&msypn=38&msypn_PInfo=5-%7C0%7C1652393%7C0%7C2%7C0%7C38%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C&MSAV=1&msbdy=1923&msddy=1976&msddy_x=1&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&uidh=q12&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=1&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=65215482&recoff=4%205&db=ssdi&indiv=1&ml_rpos=1

However, following their lead of a middle initial (G) I find Paul Gordon Wallace (July 7, 1922 - August 16, 2007). Born in Pioneer, Ohio, to Clair(e) Wallace (b. 1890?) and Ruby I. Harmon Wallace (b. 1895?) died in Tucson. Sister is Jean E. Wallace, born 1920. WW2 veteran, enlisted Nov 20, 1942. Married: Ethel E. Kelley (born Aug 31. 1926) on August 3, 1946  (daughter of Chester Kelley and Fannie Upham). He remarried to Maureen around 1988. He had a son named Scott.



Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/w/wallapa01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=wallapa01

Benjamin Schall

Benjamin Jack Schall


Born:
December 8, 1917
Cleveland, OH

Died:
February 9, 1998
Toledo, OH


Career
Woodward High School - Toledo (High School)
1936-37 University of Toledo (College) 
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)
1946-47 Toledo Jeeps (NBL)


Schall served in the army during World War 2.



Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/s/schalbe01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=schalbe01

Bill Thompson

William Francis Thompson


Born:
February 21, 1920
Toledo, OH

Died:
September 27, 1969
Philadephia, PA


Career
1936-37 Central Catholic High School - Toledo (High School)
1937-38 DeSales College - Toledo (College)
1938-39 DeSales College - Toledo (College)
1939-40 DeSales College - Toledo (College)
1940-41 DeSales College - Toledo (College) 
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)

Born in Toledo to Joseph and Martha Thompson, Bill attented DeSales College where he starred on the basketball team. After playing with the Jim White Chevrolets in the NBL, Thompson served in the U.S. Army in World War 2. After the war, Thompson worked for Pittsburgh Plate Glass and as branch manager would relocate a few times after leaving Toledo in 1951. He died in 1969 at the young age of 49.

Bill and his wife Jeanne had three daughters and three sons.


Source:
Coshocton Tribune, March 15, 1939
Toledo Blade, September 29, 1969



Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/t/thompbi01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=thompbi02

Jim Rae

James Weaver Rae, Jr.


Born:
October 7, 1917
Bowling Green, OH

Died:
January 7, 2013
Traverse City, MI


Career
DeVilbiss High School - Toledo (High School)
1939-40 University of Michigan (College) 
1940-41 Toledo White Huts (Independent)
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)



Born to James and Grace Rae in Ohio, Jim went to Michigan where he studied medicine as well as be the captain of the basketball team and ran track. He played professionally briefly for Toledo before continuing his medical career. He went into the Navy for World War 2 and was one of the first soldiers to enter Nagasaki after the atomic bombing there.

In 1950 he started his residency at the Mayo Clinic before returning to Ann Arbor to start the Physical Rehab Department at U-M.

Dr. Rae was 95 when he died of an upper respiratory infection in 2013.


Obituary

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/r/raeji01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=raeji01

George Nelmark

George Gregory Nelmark (Nelimarkka)



Born:
May 9, 1917
Ironwood, MI

Died:
December 4, 2010
Santa Barbara, CA


Career
1938-39 Missouri State Teachers College (College) - (now NE Missouri State)
1939-40 Missouri State Teachers College (College) - (now NE Missouri State)
1940-41 Missouri State Teachers College (College) - (now NE Missouri State)
1941-42 Oshkosh All-Stars (Independent)
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)
1945-46 Los Angeles Carroll Shamrocks (ABL-AAU)
1946-47 St Louis Blues (Independent)
1946-47 Syracuse Nationals (NBL)
1947-48 Syracuse Nationals (NBL)
1948-49 Fibber McGee & Molly (AAU)
1948-49 Santa Barbara Retreaders (AAU)
1949-50 Santa Maria Dukes (AAU)
1950-51 Santa Barbara All-Americans (AAU)


Born in Ironwood, Michigan to Matti and Hilma Nelimarkka, Nelmark played basketball at Missouri Teachers College and after graduating, he signed with the Oshkosh All-Stars in 1941, but did not play with them in the NBL season. He then signed with Toledo before joining the Marines, seeing action in the Pacific including being in the first Marine Division to land at Guadalcanal. After developing gangrene on his foot, he returned the the States and played basketball on the Marine's base team in San Diego. Nelmark stayed in California and returned to school at Cal-Santa Barbara. He also played semi-pro basketball while in California. He returned to the East to play two seasons for the Syracuse Nationals, but then went back to California to finish his education at UCSB. He took a teaching and coaching job at Antelope Valley HS and stayed there until his retirement in 1990. He died in 2010 at 93 years of age after a bout with Alzheimer's.
He was married to Luella Herold (1925-2009) and they had two daughters, Carol Nelmark (1954-2009) and Norma Kessler.

Source:
Obituary
Salt City Cagers Blog

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/n/nelmage01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=nelmage01

Pat Hintz

Harold Joseph "Pat" Hintz


Born:
February 4, 1914
Massillon, OH

Died:
February 22, 2004
Ann Arbor, MI



Career
Washington High School - Massillon, Ohio (High School)
1937-38 University of Toledo (College)
1938-39 University of Toledo (College)
1939-40 University of Toledo (College)
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)
1942-43 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)

After a successful collegiate career at Toledo, Hintz joined the Chevrolets for two years before joining the USMC and served during World War 2. After the war, he began a long career as a school teacher, administrator and superintendent, including superintendent terms in Hanover and Saline, Michigan.
Married Martha Berry (1916-2007), and had two sons, Patrick and Michael.

I have seen other sources that list Pat Hintz as being born in October of 1914 and dying in 1994, but I think the two links below (UT and Saline Rep) point to the correct Pat Hintz, especially since the description of his Masters Degree and Education career.

Sources:
Univ of Toledo
Saline Report, July 1, 1964
Obituary

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/h/hintzpa01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=hintzpa01

Eddie Erban

Edward Joseph Erban


Born:
July 6, 1921
Oshkosh, WI  

Died:
May 17, 2008
Stillwater, MN


Career
Oshkosh High School - Wisconsin (High School)
Wisconsin-Oshkosh (College)
1939-40 Oshkosh Chris Crafts (Indpendent)
1940-41 Oshkosh Chris Crafts (Indpendent)
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)
1942-43 Clintonville Truckers (Indpendent)
1943-44 Oshkosh All-Stars (NBL)
1944-45 Oshkosh All-Stars (NBL)
1945-46 Oshkosh All-Stars (NBL)
1946-47 Syracuse Nationals (NBL)
1949-50 Oshkosh All-Stars (WSBL)

Born to Michael and Anna Erban, Eddie graduated from Oshkosh High School and attended Wisconsin-Oshkosh where he played basketball. We played for Toledo and Oshkosh in the NBL, and also served in the Marine Corps during World War 2. After a season with Syracuse, he retired to become an mason and bricklayer, forming a successful church-building business.
He married Helen Schoenrock on December 5, 1940, and had a son, Steven, and a daughter, Sandy Bekken.

Obituary

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/e/erbaned01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=erbaned01

Donald Elser

Donald Lewis Elser


Born:
August 4, 1913
Gary, IN

Died:
October 18, 1968
Gary, IN


Career
1928-29 Horace Mann High School - Gary, IN (High School)
1929-30 Horace Mann High School - Gary, IN (High School)
1930-31 Horace Mann High School - Gary, IN (High School)
1933-34 Notre Dame (College)
1934-35 Notre Dame (College)
1935-36 Notre Dame (College)
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)

1945-46 Boston Goodwins (NEBL)
1946-47 Gary Ingots (Independent)

In high school, Elser lettered in football, basketball and track. He played all three at Notre Dame, and set 23 records for the shot put. After college, Elser played one season of professional football for the Boston Shamrocks of the old AFL. After a brief appearance in the NBL for Toledo, Elser entered the U.S. Navy to fight World War 2. He was a longtime football and track coach at his alma mater, Horace Mann HS.
Elser died of a heart attack in his car at 55 years of age in 1968. He and his wife Margaret had two daughters, Donna and Elizabeth.

Source:
Indiana Football Hall of Fame
Milwaukee Journal, January 10, 1947

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/e/elserdo01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=elserdo01

Tommy Edwards

Thomas Carl Edwards, Jr.


Born:
January 14, 1911
Ohio

Died:
March 14, 1977
Toledo, OH


Career
1927-28 Woodward High School - Toledo (High School)
1928-29 Woodward High School - Toledo (High School)
1929-30 Woodward High School - Toledo (High School)
1930-31 unspecified team in Toledo
1940-41 Toledo Collegians (Independent)
1940-41 Toledo White Huts (Indpendent)

1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL) - Player / head coach


Played one game for Toledo. Injured his knee playing for a team in Toledo the year after he graduated. Other sites say he played for Ohio Univ, but that record eludes me. His obituary says he did not attend college.

A star football, baseball and basketball player in high school, Edwards played for various teams in the Toledo area throughout the 1930's. Edwards coached Toledo in the 1941-42 season, and even played one game. He later worked as a longshoreman and died in 1977.



As for his family, looks like he married Mildred McDonald in 1934 and had three sons. He later remarried to Mary Ann. Not sure what happened to Mildred.

Source:
A Biographical Directory of Professional Basketball Coaches by Jeff Marcus
Toledo Blade, March 15, 1977
Wooward HS Yearbook

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/e/edwarth01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=edwarto01

Gran Edwards

Gran Edwards


Born:

   

Died:




Career
1941-42 Toledo Jim White Chevrolets (NBL)

Played three games for Toledo.

Originally listed by encyclopedias as Glenn Edwards

Just for the sake of elimination, no one by the surname of Edwards played at Univ of Toledo.

- Update 8/19/2016 -
An article in the January 14, 1942 Rochester Democrat and Chronicle refers to the center as Gran Edwards. This changes the focus of my search. An article from January 15, 1942 in the same newspaper refers to him as "Granny" so I conclude that his name is not Glenn.

There was a Thomas Granville Edwards (1920-1996) from Delta, Colorado, who played for Western State (Co.) and then played in various leagues out west as all as playing while in the Navy, but I can't place him in the Midwest. There is another Granville Edwards (1916-1995) from Kentucky, which is a lot closer to Ohio, but nothing to link him to basketball. It's possible either of these two guys are the Gran Edwards who played for Toledo, but the data is inconclusive. It is also possible that the 1942 D&C article mistakingly referred to Glenn as Gran, which send us back to square one.

The Gran Edwards from the West played center at Western and weighing 185 pounds (he also played football there), but the Toledo player is listed on probasketballencyclopedia as being 5'6 and 130 pounds. However, the boxscore printed on January 19, 1942 in the Roch D&C has Gran Edwards as a center. This makes the Gran Edwards from the west as our likely player.

Source:
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, January 14, 1942 
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, January 15, 1942

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/e/edwargl01n.html
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=edwargl01

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