1938-39 Bridgeport Springwoods (CSL)

1938-39 BRIDGEPORT SPRINGWOODS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE
1st Half: 4-4, .500, 4th place
2nd Half: 6-2, .750, 2nd place


Lead by Al Bike, who also pitched in the Cardinals' system, The Springwoods lost their first three games before finishing the first have with 4 wins in five games. In the second half, Bridgeport played much better. only dropping two games and finishing in second place behind the perfect Danbury Guards

Head Coach:

• Al Bike (December 20, 1913 - April 25, 2012) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Torvie Holmes

Al Bike (December 20, 1913 - April 25, 2012)

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)

Johnny Onderko (July 12, 1913 - February 28, 2000)

1938-39 Ansonia Blue Devils (CSL)

1938-39 ANSONIA BLUE DEVILS
CONNECTICUT STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE 
1st Half: 3-5, .375, t-5th place
2nd Half: 4-4, .500, t-4th place

The Ansonia Blue Devils had been a successful semi-pro outfit in the Valley League, winning four titles in the early and mid 1930's. They won two of their first three with the only loss being to the West Haven powerhouse. However, despite the scoring prowess of Harry Kelley, who was near the top of the scoring leaders, they stumbled through the rest of the half and finished 3-5. They dropped the first three games of the second half before catching a hot streak and won 4 of five to finish the half at 4-4.

Head Coach:

• 
  

PLAYERS:

Carl Valentine

Larry Fair (February 19, 1912 - December 20, 1991)

Harry Kelley (December 15, 1905 - February 14, 1974)

John Musante (June 3, 1912 - February 7, 1990)

Rosenberg 

Charlie Sepkaski (March 4, 1911 - March 26, 1995)

Ed Skibo (April 19, 1918 - October 7, 1987)

Herb Stocking (February 27, 1913 - March 11, 1994)

Carl Valentine (March 6, 1914 - October 4, 1996)

Skip Woerner (February 22, 1912 - March 18, 2000)

1938-39 Connecticut State League (CSL)

(Sorry to be jumping around again. I hadn't planned on looking into another pre-war play-for-pay circuit, but I hadn't thought that the Eastern League of Connecticut that played in the late 40's and early 50's was actually a renamed and reorganized version of the Connecticut State League that started in 1938 and lasted until World War 2 made it non-viable. So I am backing up a bit to cover it. I will probably to the same with the New York State League at some point, since that was the same situation with the war interrupting business.)

The nine-team Connecticut League kicked off in November of 1938 with nine teams. They would play two-halves with each team playing each other once in each half. At the conclusion, the winner of each half would play for the league's championship trophy. Box scores and game results are hard to come by as of writing, so rosters may be incomplete.

West Haven swept through the first half, winning all eight games. The Danbury Guards would run the table in the second half and then defeat West Haven in the best-of-five championship.

• Ansonia Blue Devils
• Bridgeport Springwoods
• Bristol West Ends
• Danbury Guards
• Meriden Endees
• Naugatuck Keds
• Torrington Full Fashions
• Waterbury Ashleys
• West Haven Hull Red Devils

New updates, identifications, corrections, October 2024

Taking some time and looking back to fill in some holes or close some things out.

DETAILS ADDED:

Bill Bondanza, NYSL - Died March 4, 2021

PROPERLY IDENTIFIED:

Vic Hanson, ABL, EBL-Ct, NYSL

CORRECTED:

NEW LEADS UNRESOLVED:

1953-54 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)

1953-54 WILLIAMSPORT BILLIES
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
20-10, .667, 2nd place
Semi-finals: Defeated Hazleton, 2-1
Finals: Defeated Lancaster, 2-1

Williamsport was ready to defend their title but dropped their first two games and after 13 games there record sat at 6-7. That is when the Billies, now back under coach Hod Springman, added George Feigenbaum and Roy Belliveau and the team fortunes shifted. They won 12 of 13 (with two forfeit wins courtesy of the failed Lebanon franchise) and found themselves on the doorstep of the Sunbury Mercuries. They split their remaining 4 games and fell a single game short of first place. In the President's Cup, they fought they way past Hazleton to face Lancaster in the finals. After winning Game 1 by a score of 99-89, the Billies got pounded at Lancaster by 34 points. In the deciding Game 3, the Billies routed Lancaster, 110-87, to win their second cup in as many seasons and third in team history.

Head Coach:

• Chink Crossin (July 4, 1923 - January 10, 1981) 5-5 Also played. See below
• Hod Springman (August 10, 1915 - August 13, 1996) 15-5 

PLAYERS:

Roy Belliveau (b. April 12, 1929)

Billy Chanecka (April 21, 1924 - January 27, 2010)

Chick Craig (July 23, 1922 - June 21, 2008)

Chink Crossin (July 4, 1923 - January 10, 1981)

Jack Crossin (June 7, 1927 - December 6, 2005)

George Everett (November 3, 1928 - May 7, 1981)

George Feigenbaum (July 3, 1928 - December 25, 2000)

Ed Kassler (July 21, 1923 - March 7, 2011)

Tony Kazokas (October 9, 1930 - April 7, 2021)

Ray Kodish (June 10, 1923 - March 14, 2012)

Jack Leighton (January 25, 1928 - August 2, 1996)

Wes Myers (December 21, 1927 - February 1, 2002)

Bob Smith (October 8, 1930 - April 19, 2018)

Don Strassner (November 14, 1927 - June 29, 2010)

Vince Verdeschi (March 24, 1925 - August 16, 1965)

1953-54 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)

1953-54 SUNBURY MERCURIES

EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
21-9, 700, 1st place
Semi-finals: Lost to Lancaster, 2-0

Once again, Sunbury was the team to beat in the regular season. And once again, they exiting in the tournament for the President's Cup. The Mercuries won 12 of their first 14 and 19 of 24 (including to forfeit wins) behind stars like Bells Colone and Jack McCloskey. However, the Mercuries would limp to the finish line, losing four of 6 including their last two. They couldn't regroup when it came time for the playoffs and were swept out by Lancaster.

Head Coach:

• Stan Novak (April 10, 1923 - October 21, 2006)  Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Andy Maddox

Dick Adair (October 14, 1927 - July 10, 2011)

Bells Colone (January 23, 1924 - July 1, 2009)

Hank Dudek (September 11, 1925 - September 14, 2015)

Dave Fox  (May 24, 1926 - May 9, 1984)

Norm Grekin (June 22, 1930 - September 29, 1981)

Al Guokas (August 7, 1925 - August 2, 1990)

Ed Jones (July 8, 1928 - April 28, 2020)

Dick Koecher (March 30, 1926 - February 4, 2020)

Andy Maddox (November 20, 1933 - August 27, 2006)

Jack McCloskey (September 19, 1925 - June 1, 2017)

Cecil Mosenson (December 11, 1929 - September 6, 2020)

Stan Novak (April 10, 1923 - October 21, 2006)

Jack Ramsay (February 21, 1925 - April 28, 2014)

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

1953-54 Lebanon / Pottsville Seltzer Bologna (EPBL)

Norm Grekin

1953-54 LEBANON / POTTSVILLE SELTZER BOLOGNA

EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA

4-26*, .133, 6th place

* forfeit last ten games

The Seltzer Bologna team struggled last season, and this year would be no different. The team moved to Pottsville to start the season, now playing under veteran coach Cy Kaselman. The Seltzers played it pretty close with their opponents in the first 8 games, winning 3 and only once losing by over ten points. But that us when the wheels fell off.  They dropped six straight games, ending this skid with a triple-overtime win over Lancaster. That was the last good day for the club. At this point, the franchise  moved back to Lebanon for their home games, where they played last season. They dropped another 5 games before folding, forfeiting their last ten games. Norm Grekin lead the team with 225 points (15.0 ppg)

Head Coach:

• Cy Kaselman (May 1, 1909 - July 3, 1971) 4-15
• H. Jack Seltzer (August 12, 1922 - February 28, 2011) 0-1

PLAYERS:

John Brunner

Ed Altieri  (June 2, 1930 - February 27, 2019)

Floyd Becker (February 7, 1922 - March 7, 2008)

Nelson Bobb (February 25, 1924 - December 8, 2003)

Ed Brunner (February 26, 1929 - December 9, 1990)

John Brunner (b. October 10, 1927)

Bill Dougherty  

Bob Gainey (June 29, 1932 - June 9, 2004)

Cal Gardner (December 25, 1926 - December 27, 2016)

Bob Gearhart (May 19, 1932 - December 10, 2020)

Norm Grekin (June 22, 1930 - September 29, 1981)

Leon Miller

Claude Gross (December 19, 1934 - February 17, 2017)

Karl Kauterman (January 4, 1932 - January 15, 1994)

Eddie Krause (October 26, 1926 - March 25, 2011)

Leon Miller (November 23, 1931 - June 14, 2015)

Cecil Mosenson (December 11, 1929 - September 6, 2020)

Jim Phelan (March 19, 1929 - June 16, 2021)

Don Smith (b. January 12, 1927)

Jim Sottile (March 22, 1930 - June 23, 2019)

Ed Wagner (July 5, 1929 - September 7, 2002)

Bob Gearhart