1948-49 Manitowoc Braves (WSBL)

1948-49 MANITOWOC BRAVES

WISCONSIN STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE

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

2nd Half: 8-4, .667, 2nd place

Finals: Defeated Neenah, 3-1

Ronnie Blomberg

This year the Braves put it all together. The opened the campaign with 7 straight wins and won the first-half title with a 10-2 record. They were 8-4 in the second half, but two losses were nail-biters. The would defeat Neenah in the Championship series in 4 games.

The Braves had a lot of scoring weapons. Kramer, Edinger and Sullivan all averaged over 10 point a game, but University of Wisconsin student lead the team with a 14.0 PPG average

Head Coach:

• Rube Lautenschlager (September 7, 1915 - January 5, 1992) 

PLAYERS:

• Ron Blomberg (December 17, 1927 - December 7, 2015)
• Joe Chavez (June 22, 1922 - October 4, 2014)
• Art Edinger (April 3, 1924 - January 22, 2001)
• Ted Fritsch (October 31, 1920 - October 4, 1979)
• Adolph Gorychka (April 8, 1911 - October 6, 2004)
• Dick John (October 21, 1919 - September 9, 1983)
• Ken Keuper (November 14, 1918 - May 23, 1997)
• Stan Kramer (June 3, 1921 - June 23, 1997)
• Dick Lade (July 25, 1929 - February 10, 2008)

  

  Dick Lade

• Herman Reckelberg (October 24, 1927 - July 19, 2019)
• Bob Sullivan (July 1, 1921 - April 12, 2007)
• Gordy Wotruba (November 19, 1928 - April 6, 1999)

1948-49 Kimberly Papermakers (WSBL)

 1948-49 KIMBERLY PAPERMAKERS

WISCONSIN STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE

1st Half: 3-8, .273, 6th place
2nd Half: 2-7, .222, 6th place

Despite having a high-scoring talent like Alan Dietzler, who averaged around 15 Point per game, Kimberly struggled through the season. The second half was no better than the first, but managed to stay out of last place both halves.

Head Coach:

• Elmer Vander Velden (March 3, 1916 - November 7, 1995) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

• 

  Pete Valentyne

  Alan Dietzler (b. October 6, 1928)
• Bill Goffard (June 13, 1929 - May 20, 2013)
• Norb Gossens (August 13, 1913 - May 8, 2006)
• Arnie Leaman (February 17, 1919 - October 25, 1998
• Carl Schnese (March 3, 1928 - March 22, 2019)
• Don Schellfout (b. June 6, 1930 )
• Pete Valentyne (March 30, 1930 - August 19, 2019)
• Frank Van Boeckel (May 1, 1929 - April 28, 1995)
• Frank Van Cuyk (July 15, 1924 - May 18, 1987)
• John Van Cuyk (July 7, 1921 - July 10, 2010)
• Elmer Vanden Boogaard (July 20, 1920 - October 2, 2009)
• Carl Vanden Boom (June 29, 1929 - February 8, 2005)
• Jim Vanden Boom (October 7, 1925 - May 30, 1986)
• Elmer Vander Velden (March 3, 1916 - November 7, 1995)
• Francis Vander Velden (January 27, 1922 - February 6, 2008)
• Driek Van Dyke (November 13, 1920 - March 29, 2011)
• Nig Van Dyke (June 6, 1922 - September 3, 1990)
• Red Williams (December 26, 1922 - November 8, 1994)

1948-49 WSBL

 

For the WSBL's second season, they managed to get all 7 teams returning from the inaugural season. Neenah, who joined the WSBL half way into the 1947-48 season, were set to enjoy a full-season of league play. A popular travelling semi-pro team, the Bluejackets, made up largely of police officers and their friends, had a couple rough losses in the first half, but won the second half crown and a birth in the championship series. Manitowoc rolled to a first-half pennant, winning ten of 12, while finishing second half. Check Shepard lead Neenah with 14.4 PPG, while Manitowoc was lead by Ronnie Blomberg (14.0 PPG) and Stan Kraemer (13.7). The rest of the league was fairly evenly balanced in the first half, but in the second half  Kimberly and Sheboygan fell into deep funks while the other five squads fought for the second half title.

Manitowoc and Neenah met of March 9, 1949, for game one of a best-of-five series for the WSBL championship. Manitowoc defending their home court in Game 1, winning by 17 behind Blomberg's 26 points. Manitowoc won game two the next night in Neenah in a hard-fought overtime game, but Neenah staved off elimination in Game 3 with a four-point victory in Manitowoc. Heading back to Neenah for Game 4, Neenah fought hard in the high-scoring affair but fell to the Braves, handing the title to Manitowoc.

Teams
Kimberly Papermakers 
Manitowoc Braves

Neenah Bluejackets 

New Holstein Cheesemakers

North Fond du Lac Tigers

Sheboygan Dicks

Two Rivers Kriseas