Bill McCleary

William John McCleary


Born:
August 13, 1897
Buffalo, NY

Died:
June 16, 1987



Career
1918-19 Buffalo Wheats - Buffalo (Independent)
1919-20 Buffalo Orioles (Independent)
1920-21 Buffalo Orioles (Independent)
1921-22 Buffalo Orioles (Independent)
1922-23 Buffalo Firemakers (Independent)
1922-23 Buffalo Hewitts (Independent)
1923-24 Buffalo Hewitts (Independent)
1924-25 Buffalo Hewitts (Independent)
1924-25 Fort Wayne Caseys (Independent)
1925-26 Fort Wayne Caseys (ABL)

The 6-foot-tall, 170 pound  McCleary played basketball for many years in and around Buffalo before moving to Fort Wayne to play with the Caseys. McCleary had appendicitis in January of 1925 and missed a lot of the Casey's games that season.

He served in the U.S. Army during World War One, according to an article in the Buffalo Enquirer from January 6, 1919.

PBE has McCleary identified as William F. McCleary, born 1902, dying in 1983. I do not believe this is the correct man, for he would barely be 16 years old when playing for the Buffalo Wheats. Also, he would have been far too young to serve in the War. Plus, a look at ancestry.com doesn't place this man in Indiana, either. There is one article that states he is from Erie, Pennsylvania, but that doesn't help much. 

UPDATED 5/4/22
The obituary for Anna McCleary in 1957 mentions her husband, William J. McCleary,  was a pro basketball player. That confirms one of my two leads as the player in question. 

Bill married Anna Maher (1882-1957) and had three daughters.




Source:
Buffalo Enquirer, January 6, 1919

Wife Anna's Obituary, Buffalo Courier Express, January 3, 1957

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/Bill-McCleary/