1953-54 Hazleton Mountaineers (EPBL)

1953-54 HAZLETON MOUNTAINEERS
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA

15-15, .500, t-3rd place
Semi-finals: Lost to Williamsport, 2-1

Ed Warner

Hazleton started the season under George Feigenbaum and only won two of their first 8 before replacing Feigenbaum with Jim Brasco. By the end of January, the team climbed back to within a game of .500 with a record of 7-8 before hitting a four-game skid. Desperate for a change, the Mountaineers dropped a large portion of their squad and brough on the core of the travelling Jersey City Titans. The Titans had been a member of the defunct American Basketball League the prior season before the league disintegrated. The Titans had players like Sherman White who was implicated in the point-shaving scandals the wrecked the college game a few years prior. Under Paul Zeitin, the Jersey City coach now at the helm of the new Mountaineers, they would win 8 of their last 11 to grab a playoff spot. However, they were defeated by Williamsport in the semi-finals.

Abe Becker

Head Coach:

• George Feigenbaum (July 3, 1928 - December 25, 2000) 2-6  Also played. See below
• Jim Brasco (February 3, 1931 - March 21, 2014) 5-6  Also played. See below
• Paul Zeitlin (February 13, 1919 - May 1, 1974 ) 8-3

PLAYERS:

Abe Becker (d. October 7, 2018) 

Bill Berens 

Jim Brasco (February 3, 1931 - March 21, 2014)

Sherman White

Tommy Breslin (July 2, 1929 - February 25, 1962)

Nick Bruckner (August 20, 1930 - March 30, 1984)

Gerry Calabrese (February 4, 1925 - April 13, 2015)
Neil Cusate (November 2, 1933 - September 11, 1995)

Jim Davis (b. April 22, 1932)

Mike DeNoia (April 24, 1927 - May 27, 2009)

George Feigenbaum (July 3, 1928 - December 25, 2000)

Jack Hageman (July 14, 1931 - July 12, 2007)

Buddy Hatchett (September 10, 1927 - October 14, 2011)

Lou Hill (March 22, 1936 - October 13, 2009)

Bob McDonald 

Johnny O'Boyle (March 7, 1928 - March 30, 1984)

Henry Singleton (March 24, 1925 - July 4, 2010)

Jack Stein (December 30, 1929 - May 21, 2015)

Rabbit Walthour (August 25, 1930 - September 10, 1977)

Ed Warner (July 5, 1929 - September 7, 2002)

Leroy Watkins (October 3, 1925 - September 23, 2008)

George Wenz (May 30, 1930 - August 30, 2018)

Charley Whiteman  

Sherman White (December 16, 1928 - August 4, 2011)

Jim Davis

Jack Hageman

Charley Whiteman