1939-40 Danbury Guards (CSL)

1939-40 DANBURY GUARDS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 5-3, .625, t-3rd place
2nd Half: 6-2, .750, t-1st place
Lost in Round Robin 2nd Half Tie-breaker

The defending champions, Danbury, started the first half on a high-note, and after 6 games were 5-1 and in the hunt. Unfortunately, they would drop the last two games of the half to Bridgeport and Meriden. 

They would play strong in the second half, finishing 6-2 and part of the three-way tie for first place. The Guards would eventually lose the round-robin.

Head Coach:

• Dr. Edward Fisher (September 27, 1904 - June 11, 1976)

PLAYERS:

Doc Milvid

Reg(?) Ketcham  

Jack McGuirk (November 8, 1915 - February 13, 1996)

Jim McNally (March 19, 1913 - May 11, 1979)

Tidy Millen (January 5, 1913 - March 4, 1983)

Doc Milvid (September 5, 1916 - May 10, 1990)

Joe Polcha (February 24, 1917 - March 27, 1959

Ken Ritchel (August 28, 1914 - October 1, 1988)

Norm Ritchel (January 28, 1919 - March 9, 1971)

Eddie Sadlon (February 5, 1920 - December 16, 1993)

Dutch Seifert (October 9, 1919 - August 13, 2012)

Dick Tuckey (September 29, 1913 - December 25, 1974)

Nat Volpe (May 15, 1916 - September 8, 1997)

Stan Wilson (September 6, 1917 - February 6, 1995)

1939-40 Bridgeport Springwoods (CSL)

1939-40 BRIDGEPORT SPRINGWOODS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 5-3, .625, t-3rd place
2nd Half: 6-2, .750, t-1st place
Lost in Round Robin 2nd Half Tie-breaker

Looking to improve on the last season, under new coach Eddie Reilly, the Springwoods dropped their first two games before winning five of the last six games to finish in third place in the first half. They played better in the second half of the season, finishing in a three-way tie for first. Sadly, they would lose in the round-robin tie-breaker and their season would end without the championship

Johnny Norko

Head Coach:

• Eddie Reilly  (March 26, 1886 - December 4, 1964) 

PLAYERS:

Zeke Fazekas (February 29, 1920 - October 1, 1998)

Torvie Holmes (March 19, 1914 - December 11, 1993)

Joe Hudak (May 10, 1916 - August 26, 1988)

Ernie Izzo (May 10, 1913 - June 9, 1989)

Slim Kurimsky (February 1, 1919 - October 8, 2006)

Frank Macey (December 21, 1914 - July 7, 2000)

Steve Nemergut (September 22, 1915 - June 22, 1996)

George Norko (January 20, 1916 - October 10, 2000)

Johnny Norko (April 16, 1916 - March 28, 2010)

Jule Olah (October 11, 1919 - October 29, 2008)

George Norko

1939-40 Connecticut State League (CSL)

Still a nine-team league in the CSL's second season, but only Bridgeport, Danbury and West Haven stayed on board. The New London Electric Boats, a popular touring team, joined the league, as did New Britain Cremos, the Hartford Super 5, the Stamford Holy Names and the Willimantic Aces. With the Endees dropping out, Meriden would be represented by the Silverworkers of Insilco. Once again, the season was split into two eight-game halves.  They would play two-halves with each team playing each other once in each half. Box scores and game results were still a little difficult to locate for a good portion of the games, so rosters may be incomplete.

The first half ended with Meriden and Stamford finishing tied atop the league with 6-2 records. A quick best-of-three series to determine the first half champion saw Meriden beat Stamford in two straight games.

The second half would also end in a tie, but this time, it was a three-team deadlock with New Britain, Bridgeport and Danbury (the defending champions.) A round-robin tie-breaker was scheduled, and it would take almost a month for New Britain to be the victors of the round robin. 

In the finals for the President's Cup, New Britain down Meriden, 42-41, in the opener of the best-of-five series. Meriden would roar back to win Games Two and Three to put New Britain on the ropes. However, backed by Glownia's 19 points, New Britain would even the series with a narrow 46-43 win leading to a deciding game in Meriden. New Britain would defeat the Silverworkers in Game 5, 53-47, to claim the President's Cup.

• Bridgeport Springwoods
• Danbury Guards
• Hartford Super 5
• Meriden Insilco Silverworkers
• New Britain Cremos
• New London Electric Boats
• Stamford Holy Names
• West Haven Hull Red Devils
• Willimantic Lounsbury Aces

1938-39 West Haven Red Devils (CSL)

1938-39 WEST HAVEN RED DEVILS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 8-0, 1.000, 1st place
2nd Half: 4-4, .500, t-4th place

Championship: Lost to Danbury, 3-1

One of the more well-known independent teams in Connecticut, West Haven did exactly what was expected of them: they ran the table in the first half, with Freddie Ferrie leading the way. In the second half, though they ran into trouble and would split their games. Having won the first half title, they clashed with the Danbury Guards for the Preident's Cup, but would lose in the best-of-five series in four games.

Head Coach:

• Herky Rubenstein (October 16, 1902 - October 4, 1975)
  

PLAYERS:

Ernie Collins (January 17, 1916 - January 3, 2001)

Steve Collins (May 2, 1915 - September 30, 1990)

Freddie Ferrie (April 2, 1917 - April 14, 1995)

Dick Ferriter (October 21, 1916 - April 23, 1993)

Frank Iwanski (October 11, 1914 - October 29, 2003)

John McHugh 

Milt Northrop (June 14, 1912 - January 18, 2004)

Rocky Petrafessa (February 22, 1917 - February 6, 2003)

Herky Rubenstein (October 16, 1902 - October 4, 1975)

Joe Semenkovitch (July 15, 1917 - April 24, 1986)

Steve Collins

John McHugh

1938-39 Waterbury Ashleys (CSL)

1938-39 WATERBURY ASHLEYS / SPEEDBOYS

Paddy Damelio

CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 3-5, .375, t-5th place
2nd Half: 0-7, .000, 9th place

Waterbury was represented by the Ashleys and despite poor offensive output, managed to split their first four games. At this point, however, the Ashleys were replaced with the West Side Speedboys, a local semi-pro club lead by Henny Carrington. Despite what was thought to be a boost to Waterbury's fortunes, the Speedboys would only win one league game, finishing the first half with a 3-5 record and then getting swept out in the second half, failing to win a single contest. Bobby Ray was the only Ashley who was kept on when the clubs changed personnel.

Head Coach:

• uncertain 2-2
• Henny Carrington (March 27, 1901 - December 21, 1980) 1-10 Also played. See below.

PLAYERS:

Mike Baran (December 4, 1914 - February 18, 2002)

Sunny Bowler (July 31, 1913 - August 5, 1988)

Bradley 

Henny Carrington (March 27, 1901 - December 21, 1980)

Paddy Damelio (February 21, 1914 - November 26, 1999)

John Grebauskas (September 23, 1911 - March 2, 1979)

Harry Grey  

Sid Himmelstein (September 29, 1914 - January 15, 1982)

John Grebauskas

Slugger Mannion (February 2, 1916 - June 26, 1990)

Charlie Paddock (April 28, 1915 - June 16, 1982)

Bobby Ray (August 28, 1918 - March 20, 1989)

Seeley 

Henry Slepski (August 19, 1913 - January 26, 1996)

Johnny Stollar (April 10, 1917 - June 6, 2003)

Freddie Sullivan (October 21, 1916 - January 22, 2013)

Wally Utke (August 11, 1914 - March 31, 1988)

Elton Wilmot (September 22, 1915 - April 18, 1997)

Charlie Paddock

Bobby Ray

Henry Slepski

1938-39 Torrington Full Fashions (CSL)

1938-39 TORRINGTON FULL FASHIONS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 2-6, .250, t-8th place
2nd Half: 2-5, .286, 8th place

Fay Baccei

Light on talent, Torrington made little impact in the league, only winning a couple of games in each half and finishing in 8th place. Twice the Full Fashions failed to score 30 points in a game.

Head Coach:

• Carl Bozenski (December 26, 1915 - October 13, 1986)

PLAYERS:

Fay Baccei  

Frank Beauty (June 4, 1913 - August 12, 2000)

Joe Boley (August 27, 1915 - January 1, 2000)

Hugh Cannon (March 14, 1914 - August 11, 1995)

Al Dankin (February 10, 1916 - February 4, 2008)

Frank Dranginis (March 24, 1916 - November 4, 1993)

Joe Joyce (March 19, 1915 - March 26, 2013)

Del Knox (December 27, 1913 - November 23, 2001)

Whip McLaughlin (August 17, 1917 - July 23, 2998)

Charlie Miller (August 14, 1915 - November 25, 1993)

Huddie Richard (October 16, 1916 - April 27, 2006)

Andy York (March 19, 1914 - March 10, 2002)

Frank Dranginis

Al Dankin

Del Knox

Joe Boley

Joe Joyce

1938-39 Naugatuck Keds (CSL)

1938-39 NAUGATUCK KEDS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 2-6, .250, t-8th place
2nd Half: 3-5, .375, t-6th place

Babe Sweeney

Sponsored by U.S. Rubber in Naugatuck and coached Heimie Rabinovich, an engineer with the company who was a star athlete in high school and college, Naugatuck struggled off the start, losing their first four and finishing the first half tied for the cellar. They would also lose their first four of the second half, too, not many any impact on the league chase.

Head Coach:

• Heimie Rabinovich* (May 11, 1908 - December 23, 2002)

PLAYERS:

John Balinski (September 22, 1917 - April 7, 1985)

Henry Cieslewski (November 4, 1908 - October 24, 1999)

Tom Edmonds (January 29, 1919 - October 2, 1970)

Ed Enamait (September 14, 1915 - February 28, 2003)

Bob Gair (April 13, 1910 - August 10, 1992)

Ziggy Korowotny (May 30, 1919 - February 5, 1999)

Henry Loman (December 27, 1916 - January 26, 2003)

Red Mariano (March 13, 1920 - May 9, 1994)

Butch Sterniak (August 11, 1916 - May 30, 2017)

Babe Sweeney (July 1, 1917 - September 9, 1979)

Cliff Swirski (July 1, 1914 - June 9, 2001)

Russ Weaving (March 7, 1917 - June 5, 1993)

* - later changed his name to Henry Robbins

Ed Enamait

Bob Gair

Ziggy Korowotny

Butch Sterniak