Friday, April 4, 2025

1942-43 New London Electric Boats (CSL)

1942-43 NEW LONDON ELECTRIC BOAT DIESELS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
11-4, .733, 1st place
(8-4 without New Britain contests; two of those New Britain wins were by forfeit)

Returning with Red Wallace and George Petrovick, the defending champs took advantage of having Bob Calihan and Nick Shaback in the area for military purposes. With those two added, New London would again win the regular season, finishing 11-4. Calihan, a former all-American at the University of Detroit, averaged 17.3 points and Wallace added 12.4 ppg. 

Head Coach:
  • Joe Kane (April 12, 1913 - January 10, 1988) Also played. See below
PLAYERS:

Nello Burian (January 23, 1920 - April 29, 1987)
Bob Calihan  (August 2, 1918 - September 22, 1989)
Perry Carlile (May 19, 1919 - February 11, 1987)
Jack Forrester 
Joe Kane (April 12, 1913 - January 10, 1988)
Ray Kite (September 14, 1918 - December 6, 1993)
George Petrovick (August 23, 1921 - February 10, 2016)
Nick Shaback (September 10, 1918 - January 5, 2010)
Elias Sieger (October 23, 1922 - April 25, 1978)
Eddie Sullivan (February 3, 1919 - May 3, 1987)
Red Wallace (July 12, 1918 - July 7, 1977)

1942-43 New Britain Lutherans (CSL)

1942-43 NEW BRITAIN LUTHERANS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
0-9, .000, 4th place (5 forfeit losses)

The Lutherans were blown out by 33 point in their opener to New London, followed with tan 18 point loss to Bridgeport. After almost beating West Haven at home, they would get drubbed by 29 point at West Haven. After forfeiting their December 10 game with New London, the Lutherans withdrew December 13, citing their inability to keep up with the skill levels of the other club.  They would forfeit 4 more games on the schedule before the league office decided to remove all New Britain games from the official standings.

Head Coach:
  • Dave Schwanke (July 22, 1918 - July 7, 1997) 
PLAYERS:

Ray Alderman (December 6, 1921 - December 7, 1978)
Hal Bradlau (March 11, 1917 - April 8, 1979)
Arnold Cormier (March 29, 1914 - January 24, 1992)
Aldo Fracchia (October 30, 1916 - February 8, 1968)
Stu Holcomb (November 2, 1916 - September 24, 1975)
Whitey Huber (September 22, 1918 - May 17, 1986)
Milt Knowles (July 20, 1922 - September 22, 1945)
Eddie Kozovich (February 2, 1918 - March 15, 2003)
Eddie Markowski (August 2, 1916 - March 18, 1988)
Pat Mazzarella (June 18, 1923 - July 19, 1989)
Alfred Rinas (July 3, 1921 - June 21, 1990)
William Rinas (August 23, 1922 - January 17, 2002)


Thursday, April 3, 2025

1942-43 Bridgeport Springwoods (CSL)

1942-43 BRIDGEPORT SPRINGWOODS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
10-5 .667, 2nd place (7-5 without New Britain contests)

The Springwoods lost some players to the war, so they managed to pick up Jack Mackey, Dennis Conley and Johnny Pyrch from the local Newfields, who failed to field a team this season. The Springwoods home curt, Sokol Hall, was destroyed by fire on December 11, 1942. Al Bike, the team manager, managed to secure Warren Harding High School as their new home court in time for the December 13 game with New London.
Bridgeport was 10-5 when the season was terminated due to the war effort, good enough for second place. New Britain had dropped from the league and all their results, be it a played game or forfeit, were removed from the official league standings. The Springwoods had defeated NB once (60-42 on 12/6) and had been award two forfeit wins, but their overall record was 7-5 after removing those results.
Jackie Bowden averaged 12.4 points in the nine games I found boxes for.

Head Coach:

PLAYERS:

Jackie Bowden (September 7, 1917 - October 4, 1995)
Dennis Conley (May 29, 1921 - January 7, 1973)
Al Crowley  
Jack Mackey (April 18, 1914 - February 5, 1993)
Len Napoli (January 28, 1925 - May 19, 2008)
Joe Oslai (January 27, 1923 - March 10, 1976)
Johnny Pyrch (May 7, 1919 - March 31, 2018)
Steve Salata (August 25, 1923 - June 5, 2012)
Tony Santone (May 30, 1919 - November 15, 1986)
Muzzy Spalluto (February 29, 1920 - June 28, 1997)

Friday, March 21, 2025

1942-43 Connecticut State League (CSL)

The attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into World War 2 at the beginning of the 1941-42 season. By season's end, all resources were being drawn in to the war effort. Almost all semi-pro basketball leagues went into hiatus in the summer of 1942, but the Connecticut State League chose to continue with only four clubs. The plans were for a 32-game season split into halves, but when New Britain withdrew at the end of December, the remaining teams opted to dump the split season and play the remaining games outright. The eastern seaboard and New England turned into a hotbed for military training and development, and there were enough athletes who joined the service who would find themselves stationed in Connecticut and New York. A lot of these players would play with independent teams from their base/station as well as being able to play in off-hours for local teams. Higher-tiered professional basketballers like Bob Calihan and Nick Shaback would play in the CSL while serving stateside, as well as some popular collegiate players from other regions of the country. The league limped to conclusion in late January with no champion crowned. 

  • Bridgeport Springwoods
  • New Britain Lutherans
  • New London Electric Boats
  • West Haven Hull Red Devils

Wednesday, March 19, 2025

1941-42 West Haven Red Devils (CSL)

1941-42 WEST HAVEN RED DEVILS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
11-9, .550, 4th place
Semi-finals: Lost to Hartford, 2-1

West Haven looked good at the start, winning 10 of 14 from the start. They would hit a rough patch in later January, and would only win one of their last 6 games, and that was by forfeit. They managed to pound Hartford, 80-63, in the first game of the league semi-finals, but lost the next two to get eliminated. 

Head Coach:
  • Herky Rubenstein (October 16, 1902 - October 4, 1975)
PLAYERS:
Eddie Mucha


John Blasczyk (April 8, 1919 - January 21, 1984)
George Fasulas (April 20, 1921 - October 23, 2000)
Frank Iwanski (October 11, 1914 - October 29, 2003)
Chubby Malinconico (November 16, 1921 - March 14, 2007)
John McHugh
Eddie Mucha (June 12, 1919 - November 26, 1944)
Rocky Petrafessa (February 22, 1917 - February 6, 2003)
Franny Piascik (May 29, 1918 - October 20, 2013)
Herky Rubenstein (October 16, 1902 - October 4, 1975)
Eddie Sylvia (July 25, 1918 - May 10, 1999)
Spencer  



1941-42 Waterbury West Side Speedboys (CSL)

Bill Oliver
1941-42 WATERBURY WEST SIDE SPEEDBOYS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
5-15, .250, 5th place

Waterbury hope to do better than their 6-10 record last year, but they fared even worse. They lost 13 of their first 14 and two of their 5 wins were by forfeit.


Head Coach:

PLAYERS:

Frank Beauty (June 4, 1913 - August 12, 2000)
Ralph Bradley (August 21, 1916 - March 19, 2007)
John Brady (February 22, 1920 - March 1981)
John Casey (September 16, 1917 - May 4, 1995)
Ted Edelson (December 26, 1916 - September 15, 1995)
Herbie French (March 6, 1921 - April 15, 2000)
Bill Hoystradt (November 21, 1914 - February 15, 1989)
Billy Kalosky (December 21, 1921 - December 11, 2008)
Joe Kalosky (September 3, 1919 - February 3, 2010)
Joe Lynch (March 20, 1922 - March 22, 1983)
Malone   
Pat Mazzarella (June 18, 1923 - July 19, 1989)
Russ McLean (April 23, 1917 - March 1, 2002)
Bill Oliver (November 3, 1914 - July 28, 1992)
Huddie Richard (October 16, 1916 - April 27, 2006)
Jim Roach (May 2, 1923 - May 27, 2033)
Johnny Stollar (April 10, 1917 - June 6, 2003)


Frank Beauty

Joe Lynch



Tuesday, March 18, 2025

1941-42 New London Electric Boats (CSL)

1941-42 NEW LONDON ELECTRIC BOAT DIESELS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Joe Murphy
15-5, .750, 1st place
Semi-finals: Defeated Bridgeport Springwoods, 2-1
Finals: Defeated Hartford, 2-1


New London had a good team the previous year, but the additions of players like Red Wallace and Jackie Goldsmith really bolstered the team (although Goldsmith left the team in January after scoring 120 points in ten game). Wallace would average 15.2 points while Chet Jaworski averaged 9.9. New London won the regular season title and would battle through the Springwoods and Hartford to win the cup.

Head Coach:
  • Joe Murphy (December 10, 1913 - August 2, 1986) Also played. See below
PLAYERS:
Tony Osinski

Joe Brennan (February 8, 1917 - March 18, 2006)
Moe Dubilier (February 20, 1915 - April 22, 2003)
Jackie Goldsmith (January 18, 1921 - October 23, 1968)
Chet Jaworski (November 8, 1916 - October 16, 2003)
Joe Kane (April 12, 1913 - January 10, 1988)
Joe Maryeski (July 3, 1923 - January 6, 2022)
Joe Murphy (December 10, 1913 - August 2, 1986)
Tony Osinski (January 6, 1918 - May 8, 1991)
George Petrovick (August 23, 1921 - February 10, 2016)
Ash Resnick (March 6, 1916 - January 18, 1989)
Eddie Sullivan (February 3, 1919 - May 3, 1987)
Red Wallace (July 12, 1918 - July 7, 1977)

Jackie Goldsmith




Joe Kane
Joe Maryeski
Red Wallace
Moe Dubilier

George Petrovick
Chet Jaworski


Joe Brennan





Ash Resnick