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)