1945-46 Worcester Nortons / Lynn Americans (NEBL)

1945-46 WORCESTER NORTONS / 

Lyle Bullard

LYNN AMERICANS

NEW ENGLAND BASKETBALL LEAGUE
4-11, .267, 7th place

The Worcester Nortons started the season good enough, winning two of their first three games. In late January, the franchise was shifted to Lynn. The newly-minted Americans would only win two more games as they stumbled to a 4-11 finish, setting them well into last place. 

Head Coach:

• Fink Rea (March 12, 1902 - March 14, 1974)
  

PLAYERS:

Bob Allen (December 11, 1922 - September 15, 2011)

Anderson 

Eddie Bell

Lyle Bullard (December 16, 1916 - September 6, 1970)

Joe Sheehan

Frank Cochran (May 10, 1922 - February 10, 1968)

Frank Collins (Oftring) (June 4, 1924 - October 4, 1982)

Ike Creeden (April 15, 1919 - July 12, 2003)

Frank (?) Crowley 

Fred Cruickshank (December 31, 1920 - January 6, 2020)

Jack Earl (April 19, 1927 - July 5, 2012)

Whitey Klevas (December 9, 1915 - November 6, 1980)

Soph Kritikos (November 25, 1919 - April 25, 2014)

Warren Lewis (November 21, 1924 - July 17, 1976)

Mike Mello 

Rocky Mitchell (May 29, 1919 - May 18, 2006)

Peters 

Horace Raimo (January 12, 1919 - February 4, 1998)

Abe Russell (February 16, 1920 - December 22, 1995)

Joe Sheehan (January 18, 1921 - June 30, 1959)

Jim Stuart (or Stewart) 

Therman  

George Vangel (October 6, 1916 - August 17, 2018)

Teddy Wollerscheid (January 15, 1918 - February 25, 2000)

Sophocles Kritikos

1945-46 Portland Millionaires (NEBL)

1945-46 PORTLAND MILLIONAIRES

Lou Belanger

NEW ENGLAND BASKETBALL LEAGUE
10-11, .476, 2nd place
First Round: Lost to Clinton, 2-1

Lead by players like Ziggy Strzelecki (16.4 ppg), Speedy Houpt (11.7 ppg) and player-coach Lou Belanger (11.0 ppg), Portland had started 6-2 before stumbling down the stretch to finish below .500. Despite the losing record, the Millionaires did finish in second place before losing to the upstart Clinton team in the first round of the playoffs.

Head Coach:

• Lou Belanger (June 11, 1917 - April 3, 2006) Also played. See below.

PLAYERS:

John "Beaner" Balsavich (August 6, 1919 - April 25, 2007)

Lou Belanger (June 11, 1917 - April 3, 2006)

Hank Brenner (November 23, 1918 - July 2, 2012)

Ed Buckley (July 2, 1920 - September 15, 1993)

Bobby Curran (September 29, 1921 - October 18, 1977)

Tiffy Denton (June 14, 1920 - January 20, 2013)

Joe or Bob Dexter 

Jim Hegan (August 3, 1920 - June 17, 1984)

Art Hillhouse (June 12, 1916 - October 27, 1980)

Speedy Houpt (February 1, 1919 - July 24, 1991)

Fred Katin (May 12, 1924 - March 3, 2011)

(Ed?) Makowski 

Ziggy Strzelecki (January 19, 1919 - February 1, 1988)

Ted Wollerscheid (January 15, 1918 - February 25, 2000)

Eddie Buckley

Ziggy Strzelecki

Dexter

1945-46 Pawtucket Collegians (NEBL)

1945-46 PAWTUCKET COLLEGIANS

Morris Fabricant

NEW ENGLAND BASKETBALL LEAGUE
7-10, .412, 6th place
First Round: Lost to Hartford, 2-0

Pawtucket got off to a poor start, dropping their first 3 games. They played .500 ball the rest of the season to finish in 6th place and the last playoff slot. Hartford  would knock them out in two games, including a 73-45 lopsided loss to end the season.

Head Coach:

• Morris Fabricant (April 21, 1914 - July 8, 2011) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Lyn/Len Anderson 

Glenn Bailey (March 12, 1919 - October 25, 1961)

Bill Barlow (July 7, 1922 - August 19, 1990)

Jim Brown 

Cotton Cowan  

Currie 

Morris Fabricant (April 21, 1914 - July 8, 2011)

Joe Milosz

Steve Fallon (March 20, 1918 - January 25, 2003)

Dave Gifford 

Ed Glancy (January 13, 1917 - August 21, 1990)

Joe Hardy (September 13, 1916 - December 2004)

Walter Johnson 

Joe Kline 

March 

Ted McConnon (November 28, 1919 - January 25, 1998)

Joe Milosz (October 15, 1917 - December 31, 1999)

Jim O'Brien 

Harry Platt (January 3, 1918 - April 6, 1997)

Bill Rutledge (June 30, 1920 - December 22, 2003)

Bob Sims (July 3, 1915 - May 17, 1994)

Hank Soar (August 17, 1914 - December 24, 2001)

Bill Thomas (January 5, 1918 - July 25, 1996)

Don Wehr (August 23, 1921 - October 13, 1989)

1945-46 Hartford Pros (NEBL)

1945-46 HARTFORD PROS

Jack O'Brien

NEW ENGLAND BASKETBALL LEAGUE
9-9, .500, 2nd place
First Round: Defeated Pawtucket, 2-0

Semi-finals: Lost to Clinton, 2-0

After some debate by the management, the Hartford Pros joined the NEBL and although running hot and cold all season, they finished 9-9 and a distant second place behind the Fitchburg club. In the playoffs, Hartford blew out Pawtucket in 2 games before losing to Clinton in the semi-finals. George Pajak lead the team with 10.6 PPG. 

Head Coach:

• Jack O'Brien (July 25, 1916 - June 18, 1994) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Frank Bores

Larry Bernabeo (November 7, 1916 - January 25, 1984)

Frank Bores (October 15, 1920 - January 7, 1982)

Jerry Bussell (October 17, 1919 - October 2, 1995)

Clark  

Wee Dinnie (March 17, 1923 - March 13, 2015)

Moe Dubilier (February 20, 1915 - April 22, 2003)

Bob Ermisch (July 12, 1924 - December 10, 1994)

Bernie Fisher (December 23, 1925 - December 6, 2014)

Frido Frey (October 26, 1921 - May 16, 2000)

Leo Gottlieb (November 28, 1920 - August 16, 1972)

Bob Harfst (April 12, 1921 - December 1, 2001)

Art Hillhouse (June 12, 1916 - October 27, 1980)

Charley Hoefer (September 16, 1921 - June 12, 1983)

Al Howard (March 11, 1915 - January 10, 1984)

Ralph Kaplowitz (May 18, 1919 - February 2, 2009)

Joe Keating (December 28, 1919 - February 25, 1995)

Jerry Kelly (June 14, 1918 - July 23, 1996)

Don Kotter (December 29, 1920 - November 11, 1985)

Tony Krygier (September 25, 1915 - November 5, 2010)

Joe Noce (August 30, 1920 - November 3, 2002)

Jack O'Brien (July 25, 1916 - June 18, 1994)

George Pajak (August12, 1916 - June 26, 2011)

Pete Sevetz (September 8, 1919 - November 9, 2004)

Jigger Sitarz (November 24, 1919 - September 21, 2005)

Virgil Vaughn (May 15, 1918 - February 26, 2007)

Barney Wilk (June 7, 1920 - April 25, 1993)

Tony Krygier

George Pajak

Leo Gottlieb

1945-46 Fitchburg PAMCO's (NEBL)

1945-46 FITCHBURG PAMCO's

Lou Pick

NEW ENGLAND BASKETBALL LEAGUE
18-5, .783, 1st place
First Round: Defeated Boston, Fitchburg, 2-0

Semi-Finals: bye

Finals: Defeated Clinton Irish-Americans, 2-1

Lou Pick's team was expected to be the front-runner of the league, and the PAMCO's did not disappoint. After jumping off to a 4-0 start, they hit a slight rough patch that saw them lose 3 of four games, including 2 to Portland. At that point, Fitchburg rattled of 12 straight win and finished the season 18-5, far ahead of any other competitor. The playoffs had a strange lay-out, with Fitchburg getting a bye in the semi-finals after defeated the Boston Goodwins in the first round. Facing the upstart Clinton club in the finals, Fitchburg was upset in the first game before winning the last two to claim the Cup. Ted Bokina and Mutt Johnson both averaged over 13 points per game.

Head Coach:

• Lou Pick (February 7, 1908 - April 25, 1984) Also played. See below
  

PLAYERS:

Red Allen (b. 1922)

Mutt Johnson

Mike Anderson 

Russ Anderson (October 27, 1911 - January 11, 2002)

Albert Bellos (June 28, 1920 - July 9, 2001)

Gerry Belliveau (November 11, 1916 - July 20, 1992)

Ted Bokina (January 12, 1922 - December 5, 2011)

Frank Bores (October 15, 1920 - January 7, 1982)

Ed Buckley (July 2, 1920 - September 15, 1993)

Butler 

Frank Collins (Oftring) (June 4, 1924 - October 4, 1982)

Dobeck  

Johnny Dobrutsky (January 27, 1922 - March 1, 1996)

Mutt Johnson (June 9, 1910 - February 18, 1991)

Bill Kasper (April 8, 1902 - December 2, 1986)

Bill Kasper

Bob Kitterman (April 2, 1923 - November 14, 2000)

Walt Kresge (September 25, 1920 - August 14, 2000)

John Long  

Clarence Lynch (May 1, 1920 - April 14, 2001)

Bill Mackie (December 20, 1914 - January 13, 2016)

Lou Pick (February 7, 1908 - April 25, 1984)

Hal Potrina  

Joe Rusenas (November 9, 1916 - April 28, 1999)

Scott

Jim Stuart (or Stewart) 

Jack Swenson (Laffey) (February 24, 1924 - November 24, 1989)

John Utke (October 12, 1922 - November 24, 1986)

White 

Bill Mackie