Jack McCloskey

John William McCloskey


Born:
September 19, 1925
Mahanoy City, PA

Died:
June 1, 2017
Savannah, GA


Career
1943-44 University of Pennsylvania (College)
1946-47 Hazleton Mountaineers (EPBL)
1946-47 Wilmington Bombers (ABL)
1947-48 Lancaster Red Roses (ABL)
1947-48 Lancaster Red Roses (EPBL)
1947-48 University of Pennsylvania (College) Freshmen - Head coach
1948-49 Lancaster Red Roses (EPBL)

1948-49 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)

1949-50 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)

1950-51 Cheltenham Aces (Main Line League)
1950-51 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)
1951-52 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1952-53 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1952-53 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1952-53 Collingswood High School - New Jersey (High School) Head coach
1953-54 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1954-55 University of Pennsylvania (College) Freshmen - Head coach

A three-sport star in high school (football, baseball and basketball), McCloskey entered the Navy's V-12 program after high school and was sent to the University of Pennsylvania. He played basketball while there. and after the war would play basketball professionally through the mid 1950's. During this time, he would also coach basketball and played minor league baseball.McCloskey was named the MVP of the Eastern League in 1952-53 and 1953-54 before ending his days on the court. However, his involvement in the game itself remained. He continued to coach and would evenutally move into management. In late 1979, McCloskey was hired as the GM for the then-floundering Detroit Pistons. By the end of the 1980's, he had rebuilt the team into a powerhouse, with two NBA championships and multiple appearances in the Conference Finals. He would later leave the Pistons to work as GM for the Minnesota Timberwolves before retiring.

McCloskey died from complications of Alzheimer's Disease in 2017 at the age of 91.

He was married to Leslie.

Minor League Baseball Stats:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mcclos012---

Source:
Standard Sentinel (Hazleton, PA), June 4, 1954
Obituary, NY Times

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mccloja01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=mccloja01