1952-53 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)

1952-53 WILLIAMSPORT BILLIES

EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
13-7, .650, 2nd place
Semi-finals: Defeated Lancaster, 1-0

Finals: Defeated Berwick, 2-1

Local sports figure Hod Springman was brought in to coach the Billies, and the stumbled to a woeful 2-6 start. Floundering near the bottom of the standings in early January, the team was revamped, adding Billy Chanecka, Jack Leighton and Chink Crossin (who were available following the dissolution of the Wilkes-Barre Aces). Williamsport would win 11 of the remaining 12 games and climb all the way into second place. They met Lancaster in the semi-finals and after winning game 1 of the scheduled best-of-three series, they wer edeclared winner after Lancaster failed to find a home court. Facing Berwick (who had just upset Sunbury) in the finals, Williamsport lost the opener by a basket at home, but would rebound to win the next two to claim the Presidents Cup.

Head Coach:

• Hod Springman (August 10, 1915 - August 13, 1996) 

PLAYERS:

Billy Chanecka (April 21, 1924 - January 27, 2010)

Chick Craig (July 23, 1922 - June 21, 2008)

Chink Crossin (July 4, 1923 - January 10, 1981)

Jack Crossin (June 7, 1927 - December 6, 2005)

Joe Gallagher (May 25, 1928 - April 10, 2013)

Ed Jones (July 8, 1928 - April 28, 2020)

Ray Kodish (June 10, 1923 - March 14, 2012)

Jack Leighton (January 25, 1928 - August 2, 1996)

Marty McKibbin (August 24, 1927 - December 6, 2009)

John Rusinko (March 1, 1925 - October 23, 2013)

Bob Smith (October 8, 1930 - April 19, 2018)

Perk Stabley (January 24, 1925 - September 25, 1994)

1952-53 Wilkes-Barre Aces (EPBL)

1952-53 WILKES-BARRE ACES

EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
1-3, .250

The Packers, the defending champions of Pottsville, moved to Wilkes-Barre for the 1952-53 season. They would defeat Berwick in the opener, but then lose their next three games on the road. Unable to find a secure place for home games, they kept moving and rescheduling games until realizing that their viability was just not there and the team dropped after Christmas. Having played only four contests, their games were removed from the official league record.

Head Coach:

Bob McGrane

• Chink Crossin (July 4, 1923 - January 10, 1981) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Billy Chanecka (April 21, 1924 - January 27, 2010)

Chink Crossin (July 4, 1923 - January 10, 1981)

Hank Dudek (September 11, 1925 - September 14, 2015)

Ed Kassler (July 21, 1923 - March 7, 2011)

Jack Leighton (January 25, 1928 - August 2, 1996)

Bob McGrane (September 28, 1929 - October 6, 1967)

Cas Ostrowski (July 24, 1924 - March 2, 2000)

Bob Patton (July 19, 1928 - October 17, 2012)

Art Spector (October 17, 1918 - June 18, 1987)

1952-53 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)

1952-53 SUNBURY MERCURIES
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
17-3*, 850, 1st place
Semi-finals: Lost to Berwick, 2-1

* doesn't include victory over Wilkes-Barre Aces

Stan Novak's Sunbury Mercuries scored 200 points combined in their first two games of the season, both lopsided victories over Lebanon before being stunned at Harrisburg. From that point on, the Mercuries were essentially unstoppable. They rattled off 11-straight wins (not including a vacated win over Wilkes-Barre) before falling at Lancaster over 2 months after their Harrisburg loss. They won another four before losing the last game of the year to the Williamsport Billies. Their 17-3 record was a whole four games ahead of the second-place Billies, and the Mercuries were poised to roll through to the cup but were upset by the underdog Berwick club. Veteran star of the state Jack McCloskey averaged 20.5 points, with Jack Ramsay (15.7), Hank Dudek (13.8) and Jerry Rullo (13.7) contributing a large share of points.

Head Coach:

• Stan Novak (April 10, 1923 - October 21, 2006)  Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Art Nazigian

Bart "Jabbo" Adams 

Hank Dudek (September 11, 1925 - September 14, 2015)

Dave Fox  (May 24, 1926 - May 9, 1984)

Dick Koecher (March 30, 1926 - February 4, 2020)

Herb Lyon (August 4, 1927 - October 21, 1966)

Jack McCloskey (September 19, 1925 - June 1, 2017)

Art Nazigian (March 24, 1930 - December 21, 2014)

Stan Novak (April 10, 1923 - October 21, 2006)

Jack Ramsay (February 21, 1925 - April 28, 2014)

Jerry Rullo (June 23, 1922 - October 21, 2016)

John Weglicki (August 13, 1928 - September 4, 1985)

Dave Werther (December 4, 1928 - October 24, 1997)

John Weglicki

1952-53 Lebanon Seltzers (EPBL)

1952-53 LEBANON SELTZERS
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
5-15, .250, 6th place

Frank Shupper

Joining the Eastern League from the town of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, the over-matched Seltzers lost their first 8 games en route to a last place 5-15 finish. Floyd Becker lead the team averaging 19.6 PPG white Eddie Krause shipped in 14.6 PPG.

Head Coach:

• Frank Shupper (January 14, 1923 - February 25, 2012) 

PLAYERS:

Frankie Ail (April 6, 1933 - February 18, 2021)

Eddie Frazier

Floyd Becker (February 7, 1922 - March 7, 2008)

Bob Bowman (August 17, 1928 - August 9, 2005)

John Brunner (b. October 10, 1927)

Hank DiJohnson (May 18, 1924 - September 21, 2003)

Eddie Frazier (May 30, 1926 - November 24, 2008)

Cal Gardner (December 25, 1926 - December 27, 2016)

Jimmy "Honey Boy" Harris (January 29, 1934 - September 5, 1994)

Frank Keath (August 4, 1927 - January 5, 2016)

Nels King (March 15, 1928 - August 11, 2010)

Eddie Krause (October 26, 1926 - March 25, 2011)

Jeb Stewart (November 15, 1924 - January 10, 1993)

Jack Welsh (August 21, 1925 - December 17, 2007)

Chuck Zimmerman (June 11, 1927 - December 11, 2004)

John Brunner

Floyd Becker

Bob Bowman

Honey Boy Harris

Hank DiJohnson

Ed Krause

Chuck Zimmerman

Cal Gardner

1952-53 Lancaster Rockets (EPBL)

1952-53 LANCASTER ROCKETS
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
9-10* .474, 3rd place
Semi-finals: Lost to Williamsport, 1-0

Coached by the popular Whitey Von Nieda, who would also average 7.8 points per game, HArry Donovan and Eddie Lyons contributed over 10 points all season long, helping Lancaster off to a 6-3 start. They didn't play well in the second half of the season, but finished in third place. They were to face Williamsport in the semi-finals and got crushed in the first game of the series, 90-64. Unfortunately, Lancaster could not secure a home court to host game two and the league declared Williamsport the victor based on the one game played.

 

Head Coaches:

• Whitey Von Nieda (June 19, 1922 - September 7, 2023) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Don Keener

Dick Adair (October 14, 1927 - July 10, 2011)

Eddie Donovan (September 3, 1925 - May 7, 1999)

Harry Donovan (b. September 10, 1926)

Tom Frein (September 20, 1926 - February 4, 2006)

Al Guokas (August 7, 1925 - August 2, 1990)

Jack Haggerty (July 6, 1926 - December 19, 2010)

Bill Hoover (September 27, 1920 - October 17, 1999)

Don Keener (b. June 23, 1930)

Ed Lyons (July 1, 1926 - October 28, 2011)

Frank Martello (b. March 11, 1926)

Whitey Von Nieda (June 19, 1922 - September 7, 2023)

1952-53 Harrisburg Senators (EPBL)

1952-53 HARRISBURG SENATORS

EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
7-12*, .368, 4th place

* doesn't include win over Wilkes-Barre Aces

Harrisburg bolted out to a 6-1 start (7-1 if you count the vacated win over Wilkes-Barre). Walt Hirsch, star from the University of Kentucky helped the team to its solid start, as well as Kermit Weiske and player-coach Joe Cackovic. Following the team's second loss of the season at Sunbury, Hirsch got into an altercation with a referee after the game and punched him. He was suspend by the league for the remainder of the season and Harrisburg fell into a tailspin. They went 1-10 after Hirsch's suspension and fell out of the playoff chase. 

Head Coach:

• Joe Cackovic (February 21, 1923 - December 16, 1984)  Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Rags Furjnic

Ed Brunner (February 26, 1929 - December 9, 1990)

Joe Cackovic (February 21, 1923 - December 16, 1984)

Leo Corkery (February 7, 1930 - January 3, 2011)

Harry DeFrank (January 27, 1926 - January 26, 2007)

Fred Diute (January 9, 1929 - July 19, 2004)

Jim Furey (March 28, 1928 - February 20, 1985)

Rags Furjnic (August 8, 1910 - July 4, 1991)

Harper 

Wally Hatkevich (November 7, 1924 - June 10, 2006)

Hedrick 

Jimmy Hernjak (June 10, 1927 - December 27, 1980)

Walt Hirsch (July 15, 1929 - May 10, 2022)

Bill Hoffer (b. November 17, 1931)

Cecil Mosenson (December 11, 1929 - September 6, 2020)

Art Richards  

Kermit Weiske (May 18, 1929 - March 17, 2016)

Mike Yovic (July 23, 1923 - July 19, 2001)

Zimmerman 

Bill Zlogar (February 21, 1928 - November 12, 2013)

1952-53 Berwick Carbuilders (EPBL)

1952-53 BERWICK CARBUILDERS
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
8-12*, .400, 5th

Semi-finals: Defeated Sunbury, 2-1

Finals: Lost to Williamsport, 2-1

* doesn't include loss to Wilkes-Barre Aces

Back in the league after a year absence, the could only manage 3 wins in the ir first 11 games. They rallied and went 5-4 the rest of the way but didn't climb into the playoffs. Brooks Ricca averaged 14.2 PPG before leaving the team in late January. Bells Colone took his spot on the roster and averaged 13.2 PPG in 9 games.

Head Coach:

• Paul Stenn (Stenko)  (July 12, 1918 - August 2, 2003) Also played. See below.

PLAYERS:

Henry Goodman

Bill Byham (December 12, 1928 - May 30, 2017)

Bells Colone (January 23, 1924 - July 1, 2009)

Henry Goodman (November 22, 1930 - November 24, 2023)

Ted Hanauer (January 1, 1924 - October 1, 2013) 

Joe Hannon (September 18, 1926 - April 7, 1982)

Lockland  

Johnny Mazur (June 17, 1930 - November 1, 2013)

Bucky McConnell (July 1, 1928 - April 1, 2019)

Bob Moroski (June 15, 1930 - January 3, 2011)

Andy O'Donnell (March 10, 1925 - April 22, 2019)

Cas Ostrowski (July 24, 1924 - March 2, 2000)

Shy Raiken (October 29, 1928 - January 16, 2009)

Brooks Ricca (April 22, 1827 - January 28, 2000)

Art Spector (October 17, 1918 - June 18, 1987)

Paul Stenn (Stenko)  (July 12, 1918 - August 2, 2003)

Leroy Watley (March 11, 1925 - January 15, 1996)

Leo Wolf (September 25, 1926 - November 27, 2006)

Gene/Judy Woodlock  

Mike Zedalis (January 5, 1927 - April 25, 2017)

Brooks Ricca

1952-53 EPBL

Defending champion Pottsville relocated to Wilkes-Barre for the 1952-53 Eastern League season and became the Aces, but the new locale didn't work out and the team dropped four games into the season. The Sunbury Mercuries, last years runner-up, rolled off an 18-3 record and ran away with the regular season crown. Williamsport finished a distant second. The Berwick Carbuilders returned to the league after a year absence and slipped past Harrisburg for the final spot in the playoffs. The Harrisburg Senators, in what would be their only year in the league, finished a half-game out of the playoffs. The new entry from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, the Seltzers, dropped their first 8 en route to a last-place finish.

In the playoffs, Berwick shocked Sunbury, beating them in 3 games in the semi-finals. Lancaster was unable to secure a home court for the playoffs, so their series with Williamsport was converted to a single game, which the Billies won. Williamsport dropped the opening game to Berwick in the best-of-three championship series before Williamsport won games 2 and 3 to win the title.

• Berwick Carbuilders
• Harrisburg Senators
• Lancaster Rockets 
• Lebanon Seltzers
• Sunbury Mercuries
• Wilkes-Barre Aces
• Williamsport Billies