Burt Silverman

Burton D. Silverman


Born:
January 28, 1931


Died:
May 8, 2025



Career
1947-48 Simon Gratz High School - Philadelphia (High School)
Temple University (College) ??
1949-50 Trenton Tigers (ABL)

1949-50 Harrisburg Senators (EPBL)

Born to Herman and Sara Silverman, Burt set scoring records while playing basketball at Gratz HS in Philly. He would go on to play for the Trenton Tigers in the ABL. Some sources say he went to Temple, but I can't find any record of that. Served in US Army during Korean War, stationed in Fort Myer, Virginia.

He is married to Irene Barow (d. 2019) and they had three daughters.

They is a well-known artist out of NYC named Burton Silverman (b. 1928). He is not the same guy.

Brother Irving (d. 2018) and sister Barbara (c. 1935)

Source:


Stats:

Frank Martello

Frank Thomas Martello, Jr.


Born:
March 11, 1926
Brooklyn, NY

 :




Career
Erasmus Hall - Brooklyn (High School)

1946-47 Temple University (College)
1947-48 Temple University (College)
1948-49 Cohoes Mastadons (NYSL)
1949-50 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1949-50 Trenton Tigers (ABL)

1950-51 Reading Rangers (EPBL)

1950-51 Utrecht Chiefs YMCA - Brooklyn (Independent)
1951-52 Middletown Guards (ABL)

1951-52 Lancaster Rockets (EPBL)
1952-53 Lancaster Roses (EPBL)

Source:


Stats:

Dick Hammock

Richard John Hammock


Born:
March 12, 1924
New York, NY

Died:
February 1, 1965
Oklahoma City, OK


Career
1941-42 Seton Hall Prep - South Orange, NJ (High School)
1942-43 St. Bonaventure University (College)
1946-47 Seton Hall University (College)
1947-48 Seton Hall University (College)
1948-49 Seton Hall University (College)
1949-50 Hartford Hurricanes (ABL)
1949-50 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1951-52 Carbondale Aces (ABL)
1952-53 Jersey City Titans (Independent) 

Born to Sophie and Harry Hammock, Hammock played basketball and baseball at Seton Hall Prep. He played both sports at St. Bonaventure for a year before joining the U.S. Army. After the war, he enrolled at Seton Hall where he played both sports with great acclaim. After graduating, he signed to pitch for Wytheville in the Class-D Blue Ridge League in 1949. He pitched well, going 7-4 with a 2.77 ERA. After baseball season, he played pro basketball with the Hartford Hurricanes and the Trenton Tigers in the ABL. 1950's baseball season saw him with Bristol in the Colonial League (Class-B but unaffiliated with any major league club.) That was his last season in organized baseball, although he apparently played some more basketball in the ABL with Carbondale in 1951-52. In 1960, Hammock moved to Oklahoma City where he owned his own insurance agency. He died in 1965 at the young age of 40.

Dick and his wife, Minna, had four sons and a daughter.


Minor League Baseball stats
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hammoc001ric


Source:
Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, February 2, 1965)

Stats:

Bobby Glenn

Bobby Glenn


Born:



 :




Career
1949-50 Trenton Tigers/Cohoes Marras (ABL)

Played one game. (Not sure which one)

Source:


Stats:

Mason Benson

Mason Howard Benson


Born:
May 11, 1927
Brooklyn, NY

Died:
March 16, 2016
Bonita Springs, FL


Career
1943-44 Erasmus Hall - Brooklyn (High School)
1944-45 Brooklyn College (College)
1946-47 CCNY (College)
1947-48 CCNY (College)
1948-49 CCNY (College)
1949-50 Cohoes Marras (ABL)
1949-50 Waterbury Coppers (EBL-Ct)
1949-50 Scranton Miners (ABL) 

Benson, a Brooklyn native, went to Brooklyn College before moving over to CCNY. He would play one season in the ABL. He played with Cohoes in January of 1950, and played in five games. When the club disbanded, he signed with Scranton, playing one scoreless game before being released.

Source:


Stats:

1949-50 Trenton Tigers / Cohoes Marras (ABL)

1949-50 TRENTON TIGERS / COHOES MARRAS
AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE (II)
4-16 .200

A playoff-team the prior season, the Tigers got off to a mediocre 4-5 start in 1949 before losing their home court. They would play exclusively on the road for a month before landing a home in Cohoes, New York, where they would play as the Marras. Their fortunes never improved, losing 11 straight games before folding on January 30, 1950. Another long-term ABL franchise evaporates.

Head Coach: 

• Leroy "Red" Smith (September 21, 1895 - November 27, 1970) 3-5
• Angelo Musi (July 25, 1918 - October 19, 2009) 1-4 Also played. See below
• Irv Torgoff (March 6, 1917 - October 21, 1993) 0-4 Also played. See below
• Marv Blumenthal (May 30, 1924 - March 18, 1969) 0-2
• Kelly Brofman (June 15, 1923 - July 25, 2011) 0-1 Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

• Mason Benson (May 11, 1927 - March 16, 2016)

Biography

• Martin "Kelly" Brofman (June 15, 1923 - July 25, 2011)

Biography

• Stan Brown (June 27, 1929 - August 2, 2009)

Biography

• Brownie Carroll (January 27, 1919 - February 16, 2010)

Biography 

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

Biography

• Frank Frascella (July 28, 1922 - December 10, 2014)

Biography 

• Bobby Glenn 

Biography

• Dick Hammock (March 12, 1924 - February 1, 1965)

Biography

• Jack Hewson (September 7, 1924 - June 26, 2012)

Biography

• Sonny Jameson (November 9, 1926 - September 17, 1994)

Biography 

• Herb Krautblatt (November 19, 1926 - February 10, 1999)

Biography

• Ed Lyons (July 1, 1926 - October 28, 2011)

Biography

• Frank Martello (b. March 11, 1926)
  

Biography
 

• Jack McLaughlin (August 20, 1923 - March 28, 2002)

Biography

• Angelo Musi (July 25, 1918 - October 19, 2009)

Biography

• Jim Pemrick (February 26, 1925 - April 16, 1973)

Biography
 

• Fred Price (August 12, 1924 - September 29, 2012)

Biography

• Sam Roth  

Biography

• Jerry Rullo (June 23, 1922 - October 21, 2016)

Biography

• Butch Schwartz (February 14, 1919 - May 22, 2008)

Biography 

• Burt Silverman (January 28, 1931 - May 8, 2025)

Biography

• Bob Smith (December 28, 1923 - August 20, 2014)

Biography

• Irv Torgoff (March 6, 1917 - October 21, 1993)

Biography

• Bob Tough (August 28, 1920 - April 7, 1999)

Biography

Fred Price

Dr. Frederick A. Price, Jr.


Born:
August 12, 1924
Trenton, NJ

Died:
September 29, 2012
Ewing, NJ


Career
1941-42 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School)
1945-46 Fleet City - California (Military)
1946-47 Villanova University (College)
1947-48 Villanova University (College)
1948-49 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1949-50 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1953-54 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1954-55 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1955-56 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1956-57 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1957-58 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1958-59 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1959-60 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1960-61 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1961-62 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1962-63 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1963-64 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1964-65 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1965-66 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1966-67 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
1967-68 Catholic High School - Trenton (High School) Head coach
Rider College (College) Assistant coach

Price graduated from Trenton Catholic and served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2. He enrolled at Villanova where he played baseball and basketball. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies Baseball Club and spent the 1948 season in their farm system, but was let go after the season. He played pro basket ball with the Trenton Tigers while he finished his education at Villanova, graduating in 1950. He would get his Masters Degree from Rutgers in 1955, and his doctorate from Southern Mississippi in 1970. He had been teaching at Catholic, but in 1972 became a professor at Rider University and a couple years after that, a director in the New Jersey Department of Education.

He married Vivian Stroman and they had two sons.

Minor League Baseball Stats
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=price-002fre

Source:
Obituary, Trenton Times, October 10, 2012

Stats:

Jack McLaughlin

John Joseph McLaughlin


Born:
August 20, 1923
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
March 28, 2002
Norristown, PA


Career
1940-41 Bartram High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1941-42 Bartram High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1942-43 Temple University (College)
1945-46 McCall Post - Philadelphia (Independent)
1946-47 Temple University (College)
1947-48 Temple University (College)
1948-49 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1949-50 Trenton Tigers (ABL)

1949-50 Lancaster Rockets (EPBL)  

Listed as 6'4 210. I found a John Joseph McLaughlin who was listed as 6'3 in his WW2 draft papers. His military career coincides with Jack McLaughlin's time at Temple. Most likely him (1923-2002). Could use some ironclad proof, though.

Married Marie Logrippo and they had four sons and a daughter.

Source:


Stats:

Joe Howard

Joseph Francis Howard


Born:
June 4, 1928
Fairfield, PA

Died:
December 17, 1993
Hagerstown, MD


Career
1942-43 Chambersburg High School - Pennsylvania (High School)

1943-44 Chambersburg High School - Pennsylvania (High School)

1944-45 Chambersburg High School - Pennsylvania (High School)

1945-46 Gettysburg College - Pennsylvania (College)

1947-48 Cumberland Valley - Pennsylvania (Independent)

1947-48 Fairchild Packets - Maryland (Independent)

1948-49 Trenton Tigers (ABL)

1948-49 Chambersburg Cardinals - Pennsylvania (Independent)

1949-50 Chambersburg Cardinals - Pennsylvania (Independent)

1949-50 York Victory (EPBL)

1949-50 Fairchild Packets - Maryland (Independent)

1949-50 Greencastle VFW - Pennsylvania (Independent)

1952-53 Chambersburg Knights - Pennsylvania (Independent)

The 6'2 177-pound athlete from Chambersburg starred for the local high school team before playing some independent basketball around his area. He would play one game with the Trenton Tigers of the ABL, scoring five points. He would also play one game a year later for York in the Eastern League.

Source:


Stats:

1948-49 Trenton Tigers (ABL)

Coach Red Smith

1948-49 TRENTON TIGERS
AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE (II)
25-16 .610, 3rd place

Semi-Finals: Lost to Wilkes-Barre, 2-0

The Tigers got off to a slow 3-9 start before turning it on and climbing to a third-place finish. Jack Hewson scored around 21 points per game to lead the team as they headed into the ABL playoffs. The Tigers lost to the eventual champions Wilkes-Barre in the semi-finals.

Head Coach: 

• Leroy "Red" Smith (September 21, 1895 - November 27, 1970)

PLAYERS:

• Eddie Boyle (June 15, 1917 - March 16, 1999)

Biography

• Paul Chadick (May 25, 1918 - December 28, 1999)

Biography 

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

Biography 

• Frank Frascella (July 28, 1922 - December 10, 2014)

Biography 

• Gorham Getchell (August 14, 1920 - July 7, 1980)

Biography

• Earl Hafner (July 29, 1921 - March 15, 1988)

Biography 

• Jack Hewson (September 7, 1924 - June 26, 2012)

Biography

• Charley Hoefer (September 16, 1921 - June 12, 1983)

Biography

• Joe Howard  (June 4, 1928 - December 17, 1993)
  

Biography

• Jerry Kelly (June 14, 1918 - July 23, 1996)

Biography

• Herb Krautblatt (November 19, 1926 - February 10, 1999)

Biography

• Mike McCarron (March 2, 1922 - October 2, 1991)

Biography

• Jack McLaughlin (August 20, 1923 - March 28, 2002)

Biography

• Fred Price (August 12, 1924 - September 29, 2012)

Biography

• Al Rossi (November 27, 1925 - April 17, 2007)

Biography 

• Sam Roth  

Biography

Bill Zirkel

William Frederick Zirkel


Born:
July 20, 1927
New York, NY

Died:
October 24, 2011
Phoenix, AZ ??


Career
1946-47 West Virginia State University (College)
1947-48 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1948-49 Bridgeport Newfield Steelers (ABL)
1949-50 Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols (ABL)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1952-53 Middletown Guards (ABL)
1952-53 Scranton Miners (ABL)

Zirkel went to WVSU, scoring 262 points as a freshman, but left school after that year.


Source:


Stats:

Sam Roth

Sam Roth
also played under name "Sam Barucci"


Born:



Died:




Career
1943-44 New York University (College)
1944-45 Camp Satico (Military)
1945-46 New York University (College)
1946-47 New York University (College)
1947-48 Cohoes Mastadons (NYSL)
1947-48 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1948-49 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1949-50 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1949-50 Hartford Hurricanes (ABL)

Not Sam Roth (1921-2009)

Possibly Sam Roth (1923-2015)

News paper article refers to him as "Sam (Barucci) Roth"

Source:


Stats:

Bill Pless

William Gustav Pless


Born:
June 3, 1928
Far Rockaway, NY

Died:
October 25, 2001
Bellmore, NY


Career
Cortland State Teachers College - New York (College)
1947-48 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1947-48 Brooklyn Gothams (ABL)
1948-49 Troy Celtics (NYSL)
1948-49 Danbury Fedoras (EBL-Ct)
1948-49 Cohoes Mastadons (NYSL)
1949-50 Schenectady Packers (ABL)
1949-50 Meriden Sons of Italy (EBL-Ct)
1950-51 Allentown / Carbondale Aces (ABL)
1950-51 Meriden Sons of Italy (EBL-Ct)
1951-52 Carbondale Aces (ABL)
1951-52 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1952-53 Pawtucket Slaters (ABL)

The 6'6 athlete was one of the many youngsters signed during World War 2 to play baseball with the diluted talent pool. He was 17 when he made his debut for the Phillies' farm team in Wilmington in 1945, and would pitch over the next few seasons. He never got higher than Class A. During the off-season in this period, he would play pro and semi-pro basketball, including three seasons in the ABL.

Minor League Baseball Stats
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=pless-001wil

Source:


Stats:

Bob Kelty

Robert Patrick Kelty


Born:
July 20, 1921
Trenton, NJ

Died:
November 24, 1991
Yardley, PA


Career
1938-39 Trenton Catholic High School - New Jersey (High School)
1940-41 Villanova University (College)
1941-42 Villanova University (College)
1942-43 Villanova University (College)
1947-48 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1948-49 Sayreville Rams (Independent)

The 6'2, 186-pound player from Trenton played at Villanova. He played briefly with the Trenton Tigers in the ABL and with the Sayreville Rams. He also worked as an industrial relations agent in Trenton.

Kelty and his wife had triplets in 1947

Source:


Stats:

Frank Frascella

Frank J. Frascella


Born:
July 28, 1922
Trenton, NJ

Died:
December 10, 2014
Hamilton, NJ


Career
1940-41 Trenton High School (High School)
1941-42 Trenton High School (High School)
1942-43 Villanova University (College)
1943-44 Villanova University (College)
1944-45 Bainbridge Naval Center (Military)
1945-46 St. John's University (College)
1946-47 St. John's University (College)
1947-48 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1947-48 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1948-49 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1949-50 Trenton Tigers (ABL)

Frascella went to Villanova after graduating from high school, but entered the U.S. Navy to serve during the war. After combat ceased, he finished his education at St. John's. He would play three seasons with the Trenton Tigers. He would later work as a liquor salesman and a realtor.

He married Marthea Arbitell in 1949 and they had two sons.

Source:
http://obits.nj.com/obituaries/trenton/obituary.aspx?n=frank-frascella-fish&pid=173449714&fhid=16307

Stats:

1947-48 Trenton Tigers (ABL)

1947-48 TRENTON TIGERS
AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE (II)
17-15 .531, 3rd place

Semi-Finals: Lost to Wilkes-Barre, 2-0

Head Coach: 

• Herbie Gershon (October 30, 1916  - September 24, 1997) 4-5 Also played. See below.
• Leroy "Red" Smith (September 21, 1895 - November 27, 1970) 13-10

PLAYERS:

• Eddie Boyle (June 15, 1917 - March 16, 1999)

Biography

• Paul Chadick (May 25, 1918 - December 28, 1999)

Biography 

• Chili Edelstein (March 16, 1923 - March 19, 2003)

Biography 

• Frank Frascella (July 28, 1922 - December 10, 2014)

Biography 

• Herbie Gershon (October 30, 1916  - September 24, 1997)

Biography

• Gorham Getchell (August 14, 1920 - July 7, 1980)

Biography

• Ben Goldfaden (September 6, 1913 - March 25, 2013)

Biography

• Ed Golub (December 25, 1922 - November 3, 2000)

Biography

• Jack Hewson (September 7, 1924 - June 26, 2012)

Biography

• Bob Kelty (July 20, 1921 - November 24, 1991)

Biography 

• Mike McCarron (March 2, 1922 - October 2, 1991)

Biography

• Bill Pless (June 3, 1928 - October 25, 2001)

Biography

• Sam Roth  

Biography

• Al Schneider (April 12, 1918 - April 20, 1978)

Biography

• Virgil Vaughn (May 15, 1918 - February 26, 2007)

Biography

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

Biography

Luke Sapan

Luke Sapan



Born:
December 7, 1920
New York, NY


Died:
August 21, 1977
Great Neck, NY




Career
1938-39 Brooklyn Technical High School (High School)

1939-40 Brooklyn Technical High School (High School)
1940-41 Long Island University (College)
1941-42 Long Island University (College)
1942-43 Long Island University (College)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)
1946-47 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1947-48 Abraham and Strauss (Independent)
1948-49 Utica Olympics (NYSL)
1948-49 Wallingford Veterans (EBL-Ct)

1949-50 Torrington HOwards (EBL-Ct)  

Sapan graduated from LIU and became the athletic director at Manhattan Beach High School but entered the military shortly thereafter.

He married in 1947.



Source:


Stats:

Tony Nitti

Anthony J. Nitti


Born:
April 30, 1921
Italy

Died:
February 11, 1984
Trenton, NJ


Career
1938-39 Trenton Catholic High School - New Jersey (High School)
1945-46 Hazleton (PSL)
1946-47 Trenton Tigers (ABL)

Nitti served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2. He was discharged and played basketball with Hazleton

He and his wife, Agnes, had two children.

Source:


Stats:

Marv Haspil

Marvin N. Haspil
also played under the name Mel Haskell

Born:
February 11, 1924
Manhattan, NY

Died:
October 26, 2004
Miami, FL


Career
1941-42 Monroe High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1942-43 Union Temple - Brooklyn (Independent)
Long Island University (College)

1945-46 Bronx Indians (Independent)

1946-47 Bronx Indians (Independent)

1946-47 Binghamton Triplets / Pottsville Maroons (EPBL)
1946-47 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1946-47 New York Jewels (Independent)
1947-48 Gimbel - New York City (Independent)
1948-49 Brooklyn Gothams (ABL)
1950-51 Philadelphia SPHA's (Independent)

Haspil served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2. After the war, he played with the Trenton Tigers, New York Jewels, and the team sponsored by Gimbel's department store. In February of 1949, he signed with the Brooklyn Gothams and finished the 1948-49 season with them. He played with the Philadelphia SPHA's the year after they left the ABL and became an independent team.


Source:


Stats:

Ed Golub

Edward Golub


Born:
December 25, 1922
Manhattan, NY

Died:
November 3, 2000
Hollandale Beach, FL


Career
1938-39 Boys High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1939-40 Boys High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1939-40 Brooklyn Central YMCA (Independent)
1940-41 St. John's University (College)
1941-42 St. John's University (College)
1942-43 St. John's University (College)
1942-43 Sampson Naval Station (Military)
1944-45 Norfolk Naval Training Station (Military)
1946-47 Troy Celtics (ABL)
1947-48 Twin Cities Celtics (NYSL)
1947-48 Trenton Tigers (ABL)
1948-49 Mohawk Redskins (NYSL)
1950-51 Torrington Howards (EBL-Ct)

The 6'3, 175-pound Golub was born on Christmas Dat 1922 in Manhattan. He went to St John's but left after his junior year to join the Navy to fight in  World War 2. 

Source:
WW2 Draft Card

Stats: