1949-50 Cumberland Dukes (AABL)

1949-50 CUMBERLAND DUKES

ALL-AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE

1st Half: 4-8 .333, 4th place

2nd Half: 10-2 .833, 1st place

Finals: Defeated Wheeling, 3-2

With a new coach for the new season, Cumberland looked to improve on their finish the previous season and contend for the AABL title. David Kauffman, a Cumberland-area lawyer who was a huge sports booster and figure in town, was named coach and he added some pieces to accent the returning players. They struggled in the first half of the season, only winning a third of the games and putting Kauffman on the hot seat. Come the second half, though, the club gelled, winning ten of twelve to pit them against first-half champ Wheeling in the championship series.

After losing Game 1 on the road by 53 points, they returned home to split Game 2 and 3, putting them on the brink of elimination. However, they out-scored the potent Wheeling offense in game 4, 112-106, before winning again in the rubber game to give Cumberland the AABL Championship.

George Geatz

Head Coach:

• Dave Kauffman (March 30, 1915 - October 10, 1956) 
  

PLAYERS:

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

• Jim Clevenger (March 16, 1926 - April 10, 2017)  

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

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

• Tom Geatz (September 1, 1926 - May 5, 2003)

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

• Don Lilya (June 24, 1930 - April 25, 2010)

• George Lucia (March 2, 1928 - September 18, 1994)

Jack Thomas

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

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

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

• Bob Snaith (December 5, 1926 - January 28, 2014)

• Jack Thomas (January 20, 1923 - January 18, 2004)

• Jack Wright (July 13, 1920 - May 30, 2000)

Jack Wright

Bob Snaith