1947-48 Zanesville Pioneers (AABL)

1947-48 ZANESVILLE PIONEERS
ALL-AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Finished: 6-15 .286, 6th place

Zanesville managed to claw their way out to a 5-5 start, but then hit the skids, dropping ten of 11 to finish in a distant last place.

Head Coach:

• Manny Hyatt (December 17, 1916 - December 10, 1986) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

• Harold Augsberger (March 27, 1920 - April 23, 2006)

• Bill Cope (October 24, 1923 - March 21, 2014)

• Bill Feeney (February 7, 1924 - January 31, 1990)

• Whitey Fowle (September 30, 1914 - June 1, 1998)

• Manny Hyatt (December 17, 1916 - December 10, 1986)

• Ed Janicki (November 4, 1918 - July 10, 2011)

• Roger Jorgenson (September 2, 1920 - October 3, 2010)

• John Kolodziek (January 24, 1926 - May 12, 1969)

• Hap Smith (November 12, 1924 - c. 2015-16)

• Ed Strall (January 1, 1919 - October 29, 1996)

• Straw  

• Kenny Walters (April 29, 1922 - February 13, 1992)

• Bill Ziemer (May 8, 1923 - May 22, 2015)

(I know you might think Straw is probably a typo for Strall, but they both played in the Feb 1, 1948 game)

1947-48 Youngstown Cubs (AABL)

1947-48 YOUNGSTOWN CUBS
ALL-AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Finished: 20-8 .714, 1st place

Semi-finals: Defeated Wheeling, 3-1
AABL Finals: Lost to Dayton, 3-1

When the NBL's Youngstown Bears disbanded following the 1946-47, the end of professional basketball in the Ohio town was short-lived. The town was granted a franchise in the smaller All-American League, and the team took the Cubs moniker, aware that the scope of play was smaller than the NBL. Paul Birch, whose 1946-47 season was his first withut playing, had been the coach of the BAA's Pittsburgh Ironmen but he team folded prior to the 1947-48 season, and Birch would head to Youngstown where he would be the head coach for the Cubs, as well as an active player.

The Bears, playing with a lot of NBL/BAA castoffs, rolled to a regular season title and advanced through the semi-finals before falling to the red-hot Dayton Metros in the AABL Championship series.

Head Coach:

• Paul Birch  (January 4, 1910 - June 5, 1982) Also played. See below.

PLAYERS:

• Paul Birch (January 4, 1910 - June 5, 1982) 

• Charlie Butler (August 15, 1920 - October 5, 2014)

• Rudy Debnar (May 9, 1916 - May 29, 1982)

• Ned Endress (March 2, 1918 - June 19, 2010)

• Lou Gabriel (December 13, 1923 - January 4, 1973)

• Bob Henshaw (September 15, 1918- May 29, 2011)

• Charlie Joachim (July 21, 1920 - March 17, 2002)

• Harry Miller (July 28, 1923 - April 18, 2007)

• Leo Mogus (April 13, 1921 - May 31, 1971)

• George Naples (June 6, 1924 - November 26, 1992)

• Fred Paine (December 7, 1925 - October 26, 2004)

1947-48 Wheeling Puritans (AABL)

1947-48 WHEELING PURITANS
ALL-AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Finished: 13-14 .481, 3rd place
Semi-Finals: Lost to Youngstown, 3-1


Wheeling pretty much hovered around the .500 mark all season, making the playoffs but losing to Youngstown in the semi-finals. Jimmy Quinlan was the team's high scorer, averaging 15.5 point in the 14 games I could find stats for.

Head Coach:

• 
  

PLAYERS:

• Irv Barnett (October 19, 1920 - April 18, 1999)

• Joe Baron (October 5, 1919 - May 22, 1991)

• Gene Britt (October 13, 1921 - November 29, 2004)

• Al Campeti (October 7, 1923 - December 10, 1992)

• Albert DeVeechis (October 14, 1925 - October 14, 1995)

• Bob Doughty (November 18, 1925 - December 30, 1983)

• Hank Ellis (August 18, 1921 - October 29, 2015)

• Bill Hall (January 19, 1925 - July 15, 1987)

• Paul Herman (July 5, 1921 - July 20, 1972)

• Roger Jorgenson (September 2, 1920 - October 3, 2010)

• Jim Quinlan (May 29, 1922 - July 13, 2003)

• Joe Rodak (May 24, 1923 - June 19, 1996)

• Jim Ruch (August 15, 1920 - July 2, 1984)

• Lou Spicer (November 12, 1922 - June 23, 1981)

1947-48 Cumberland Dukes (AABL)

Coach Bobby Cavanaugh

1947-48 CUMBERLAND DUKES
ALL-AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Finished: 10-15 .400, 5th place

The Cumberland Dukes were one of the teams in the AABL that did well at the ticket office, but despite a few talented players, they couldn't get it together to make the playoffs.

Head Coach:

• John J. "Bobby" Cavanaugh (November 23, 1903 - January 1984)

PLAYERS:

Lou Bell

• Lou Bell (August 10. 1922 - August 16, 1993)

• Chick Cubbage (January 1, 1917 - June 27, 1994)

• Eddie Diehl (January 13, 1915 - April 1, 2003)

• Gus Frizzell (January 12, 1921 - January 8, 2005)

• George Geatz (January 26, 1924 - March 9, 1995)

• Norm Mason (February 11, 1920 - November 15, 1999)

• Johnny Meyers (August 29, 1917 - February 20, 1998)

• Paul Oberhaus (September 7, 1920 - December 3, 1974)

• Walt Orndorff (December 18, 1921 - August 25, 2019)

• Bob Pence (August 10, 1922 - August 17, 1991)

• Jim Roby (February 7, 1921 - August 31, 2004)

  

  Walt Orndorff

• Joe Wagner (October 1, 1918 - February 26, 2003)

1947-48 Columbus Mariners / Dayton Metropolitans

1947-48 COLUMBUS MARINERS / DAYTON METROPOLITANS
ALL-AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Finished: 16-11 .593, 2nd place
Semi-Finals: Defeated Altoona, 3-0
AABL Championship: Defeated Youngstown, 3-1


After their January 14 win over Zanesville, the Mariners found themselves to deep into the red financially to continue. The league looked to add a team to take their place for the season, and found the Dayton Metropolitans to be receptive. The Mets were a popular barnstorming team at thetime with several flashy players like Sweetwater Clifton and Duke Cumberland. Introduced into league play on January 25, and inheriting the 5-7 record the Mariners had, the Mets won six of their first 8 games (with the only two losses coming at the hands of the front-running Youngstown Cubs). Playing a league schedule while still engaged in a very-full exhibition schedule, the workhorse Mets went 11-4 in the AABL to finish the season at 16-11. Two of the Mets' losses were by a single point.

Rolling into the playoffs, the Mets swept Altoona in the semi-finals to face the powerful Youngstown club in the league championship. Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, the high scorer for the Mets who averaged 16.2 points in regular season league play, lead the Mets to a victory over the Cubs in 4 games.


COLUMBUS: (5-7)

Head Coach:

• Gene Scholz (September 28, 1917 - March 9, 2005) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Harold Augsberger



Willie Garland



Glen Golden

Harold Augsberger (March 27, 1920 - April 23, 2006)

• Bob Clindaniel (May 31, 1922 - June 7, 1988)

Bob Whetstone

• Jim Garland (November 17, 1918 - January 30, 1995)

• Willie Garland (June 9, 1928 - July 19, 1996)

• Glen Golden (February 23, 1919 - July, 1986)

• Earl Kelly (March 26, 1921 - September 5, 1996)

• Babe Mazza (February 6, 1922 - September 12, 2008)

• Gene Scholz (September 28, 1917 - March 9, 2005)

• Vernal "Hap" Smith  (November 12, 1924 - c. 2015 or 2016)

• Bob Whetstone (June 27, 1919 - January 31, 2009)

DAYTON: (11-4)

Head Coach:

• Herb Brown (December 1, 1911 - August 21, 1993) 

Don Blanken

PLAYERS:

• Don Blanken (June 21, 1920 - October 21, 2009)

• Johnny Brown (April 9, 1922 - June 1, 2009)

• Nat Clifton (October 13, 1922 - August 31, 1990)

• Joe Colone (January 23, 1924 - July 1, 2009)

• Duke Cumberland (1913 - October 16, 1974)

• Chris Hansen (February 10, 1919 - April 28, 2002)

• Don Harvey (July 29, 1920 - November 26, 2008)

• Les Pugh (September 18, 1922 - February 25, 1979)

• Ollie White (March 27, 1923 - February 25, 2003)

• Roy Witry (September 28, 1923 - October 6. 2010)

Roy Witry

1947-48 Altoona Edwards / Railroaders (AABL)

Coach Chick Davies

1947-48 ALTOONA EDWARDS / RAILROADERS
ALL-AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Finished: 9-11 .450, 4th place
Semi-Finals: Lost to Dayton, 3-0

Altoona, listed as going by the Edwards and the Railroaders, had some talented players like Dom Asmonga and Mike Bytzura. The finished in fourth place and made the playoffs, but were swept by eventual champions Dayton.

Legendary Duquesne coach Chick Davies was the named the head coach, but it appears in games that were in conflict with his duties at Duquesne, Wy Paris coached. Hard to say when this happened, by Davies is listed as coach in games in the beginning and end of the season, and Paris is mentions as coach in the middle of the season.

Head Coaches:

Bobby Artman

• Charles "Chick" Davies (April 30, 1900 - April 15, 1985)
• Wy Paris (August 5, 1908 - May 21, 2001) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

• Bobby Artman (February 8, 1922 - April 9, 1975)

• Dom Asmonga (February 15, 1928 - January 13, 2014)

• Jim Atkins (August 25, 1924 - March 10, 2012)

• Moe Becker (February 24, 1917 - January 9, 1996)

Jimmy Atkins

• Johnny Beecham (April 13, 1928 - May 4, 2011)

• Mike Bytzura (June 18, 1922 - January 24, 1989)

• Bill DeVenzio (August 2, 1924 - January 1, 1969)

• Don Graham (August 27, 1925 - April 18, 2009)

• Dave Hornstein (August 16, 1922 - September 25, 1997)

• Al Hruska (June 18, 1929 - July 4, 2001)

• Hurd

• Ed Janicki (November 4, 1918 - July 10, 2011)

• Red Manning (November 17, 1928 - April 27, 2005)

• Red Mihalik (September 22, 1916 - October 25, 1996)

• Walt Miller (July 20, 1915 - January 21, 2001)

• Stan Noszka (September 9, 1920 - November 15, 1991)

• Wy Paris (August 5, 1908 - May 21, 2001) 

• Joe Penzelik (January 13, 1921 - May 13, 1970)

• Johnny Stevenson (March 25, 1913 - April 1998)

• Eddie Strall (January 1, 1919 - October 29, 1996)

Stan Wasik

• Bill Vojtko (August 18, 1921 - May 24, 2012)

• Stan Wasik (December 24, 1919 - November 6, 2005)

• Hank Zeller (July 10, 1919 - September 22, 2004)

Joe Penzelik

Ed Janicki

Bill Vojtko

1947-48 AABL

The All-American Basketball League started their inaugural season in the fall of 1947. The Youngstown Cubs, so-named due to their lower status to the NBL's Youngstown Bears who had folded after the previous season, proved to be the team to beat. The Cubs won 19 of their first 22 before a five-game skid allowed them to finish the season 20-8 and .3.5 games ahead of second place. The owners of the second place finish were the Dayton Metros. A team from Columbus, Ohio, called the Mariners, got off to a mediocre start. In mid January, the entire Columbus team was dismissed and the team was expected to be excised from the league, but the leadership was able to coax the Dayton Metropolitans, a popular barnstorming team, to fill in for Columbus for the remainder of the season.  The Metros went 11-4 and climbed into second place at the end of the season.

The Wheeling Puritans, lead by Jimmy Quinlan's 15.5 points per game*, finished in third place, while the Altoona club finished in fourth and became the last team to qualify for the playoffs. The popular Cumberland (MD) Dukes, who drew well, finished in fifth and missed the playoffs despite two of the leagues better scorers in Lou Bell and Bob Pence.The Zanesville team started the season with a respectable 4-4 record after ten games, but then fell into a 10-game losing skid that sent them deep into the cellar for good.

The playoffs kicked of on March 14, 1948, with Dayton drubbing the Altoona Railroaders 68-44. Altoona came back to give Dayton a couple of tough games but lost the final two games by a total of four points and were swept out of the best-of-five semifinal. Meanwhile, regular season champ Youngstown needed 4 games to dispatch Wheeling. Youngstown and Dayton met for the 1948 Championship, and the teams split the first two game in Youngstown before the Metros pounded the Cubs in games 3 and 4 to win the title.

Teams:
Altoona Edwards / Railroaders
Columbus Mariners / Dayton Metropolitans
Cumberland Dukes
Wheeling Puritans
Youngstown Cubs
Zanesville Pioneers


* based on statistics I was able to cull from boxscores I found, not official league stats

All-American Basketball League (AABL)

The All-American Basketball League was formed in the summer of 1947 and was located geographically mainly in the Mid-Atlantic States, from Maryland to eastern Ohio. The league started in the fall of 1947 with six teams. The league never went beyond six teams, but played with only five squads in the 1949-50 season. The Cumberland (MD) Dukes and the Wheeling Puritans / Blues were the more successful franchises in the AABL. The league lasted four seasons before folding in the summer of 1951.

I will not go into great detail here. I am just going to list rosters and teams. I found a good portion of  the box scores, so the rosters should be fairly complete.

Bill Thompson (NBL) Identified

Researcher Shane Holman found a member of Bill Thompson's family to confirm his identity and birth and death dates, and I tracked down the obituary.

Bill Thompson

Bones Spudic Finally Identified

Shane Holmes found his obiutary, so we know who Bones Spudic(h) was.

Bones Spudic

Willis Young (NBL, MBC) Identity Corrected

Thanks to some input from reader Shane Hoimes, I was able to correct the previous identification of Willis Young from Chicago.

Willie Young

Harry Lucas Identified

With help from blog reader Shane Holmes, I was able to confirm the identity of the former Chicago Duffy Florals (MBC) player as the man I had suspected. Harry Lucas is Harry William Lucas (born 1910)

Thank you for the help, Shane!

Harry Lucas