Al Zingone

Albert Angelo Zingone


Born:
October 20, 1903
Sicily, Italy

Died:
August 18, 1988
Leeds Point, NJ


Career
1926-27 Paterson Legionaires / Kingston Raiders (NBL)
1926-27 Fort Wayne Hoosiers (ABL)
1927-28 St.Louis Americans (Independent)
1928-29 St.Louis Americans (Independent)

Born in Sicily, Zingone came to the United States with his family, settling in Passaic, New Jersey. He took to athletics, and played basketball for a few years professionally and later would work as an umpire in baseball games around the Mid-Atlantic and Midwestern United States and the AAGPBL. He was best known as a comical basketball player, a drawing card with slapstick antics much like modern-day Globetrotters. He took his comic trade to baseball as well, making a decent living as an entertainer.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/al-zingone/

Paul White

Paul Arnold White


Born:
November 9, 1903
Franklin, IN

Died:
December 2, 1952
Urbana, OH


Career
1919-20 Franklin High School - Indiana (High School)
1923-24 DePauw College - Indiana (College)
1924-25 Huntington Legionaires (Independent)
1925-26 Huntington Legionaires (Independent)
1926-27 Fort Wayne Hoosiers (ABL)

White was a star on the Franklin High School State Champion team in 1920, and would move on to DePaur. He would play pro basketball for a few years while going to Indiana University to study for his masters degree. He would serve as principal and coach at New Haven High School for 16 years before moving to Urbana, Ohio, in 1943. There, he took work as a district manager for Morgan Trailer Company. 

White was shoveling snow in December of 1952 when he suffered a fatal heart attack. He was 49 years of age.

He was married to Waneta Brattin and they had two daughters and a son.

Source:
Franklin Evening Star, December 3, 1952

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/paul-white/

Fritz Wesslock

Frederick L. "Fritz" Wesslock


Born:
October 20, 1905
Staten Island, NY

Died:
March 5, 1972
Morrisville, PA


Career
1926-27 Washington Palace Five (ABL)
1927-28 Philadelphia Warriors (ABL)
1927-28 Carbondale (PSL)
1928-29 Trenton Royal Bengals (ABL)
1928-29 Carbondale (PSL)
1929-30 Syracuse All-Americans (ABL)
1929-30 Carbondale (PSL)
1930-31 Carbondale-Honesdale (PSL)
1930-31 Reading (TCL)

Born to August and Minnie Wesslock, Wesslock played four seasons in the ABL concurrently with four in the Penn State League. Fritz would serve in the U.S. Army during World War 2.

Fritz married Kathryn South (1910-1986)

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/freddie-wesslock/

Bill Vincent

William Edward Vincent


Born:
January 5, 1903
Salisbury, VT

Died:
May 9, 1983
Cohoes, NY


Career
1922-23 Cohoes Cohosiers (NYSL)
1923-24 Cohoes Cohosiers (NYSL)
1926-27 Hudson (Independent)
1926-27 Cleveland Rosenblums (ABL)
1927-28 Hudson (MBL)

Born in Vermont but raised in Cohoes, New York, Bill played basketball for the local Cohoes entry in the New Yprk League for a couple seasons before a brief stint in the ABL.

He married Lillian Rondeau (1910-1952) and they had two sons and four daughters. He later remarried to Edna May Montgomery (1923-1992).

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/bill-vincent/

Barney Varnes

Blair L. "Barney" Varnes


Born:
April 28, 1904
Stoughton, WI

Died:
April 27, 1999
Clinton, IA


Career


1924-25 Chicago YMCA (Independent)
1925-26 DePaul University (College)
1926-27 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
1926-27 Ke-Nash-A Blue Streaks (Independent)
1927-28 Ke-Nash-A Blue Streaks (Independent)
1928-29 Ke-Nash-A Blue Streaks (Independent)
1929-30 Ke-Nash-A Blue Streaks (Independent)
1930-31 Ke-Nash-A Blue Streaks (Independent)
1931-32 St. Patrick High School - Chicago (High School) Head coach


Referred to by George Halas as "a one-man scoring machine," Varnes played pro basketball while working his way through law school. He would practice law around Chicago and would eventually become a circuit court judge in DuPage county in Illinois.

He married Madeline Wardan (d. 1968) in 1933 and they had two sons and two daughters.

Source:
Obituary, Chicago Tribune, April 29, 1999

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/barney-varnes/

Hank Thomas

David George "Hank" Thomas


Born:
July 8, 1896
Pulaski, VA

Died:
September 9, 1982
Edison Township, NJ


Career
1921-22 Gloversville Glovers (NYSL)
1922-23 Schenectady Dorpians (NYSL)
1922-23 Brooklyn Pros (MBL)
1923-24 Schenectady Doprians (NYSL)
1923-24 Kingston Shirtmakers (MBL)
1923-24 Greenpoint Knights of St. Anthony (MBL)
1925-26 Perth Amboy Amboyans (MBL)
1926-27 Philadelphia Quakers (ABL)
1926-27 Baltimore Orioles (ABL)
1926-27 Kingston Colonials (MBL)
1926-27 Paterson Crescents (MBL)


Born to Mathew and Mary Thomas in Pulaski, Virginia, Thomas grew up in Perth Amboy, New Jersey. While playing for Perth Amboy on December 18, 1925, Thomas was punched during a game against Trenton by opposing player Tommy Barlow. Thomas had his jaw broken, and missed most of the season. In early 1926, he filed a $15,000 law suit against Barlow for his injuries and lost wages.

Source:
Central New Jersey Home News, October 11, 1926

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/hank-thomas/

Jerry Sullivan

Jerry Daniel Sullivan


Born:
June 5, 1896


Died:
March 17, 1972
Wantagh, NY


Career
1916-17 New York All-Stars (IBL)
1919-20 Albany Senators (NYSL)
1919-20 Pittsfield (NYSL)
1919-20 Gloversville Glovemakers (NYSL)
1919-20 Paterson Silk Sox (IBL)
1919-20 Springfield Fisk Red Tops (IL)
1919-20 Brooklyn Big Atlantics (Independent)
1919-20 New York MacDowell Lyceum (Independent)
1920-21 Gloversville Glovers (NYSL) Head coach / player
1920-21 Hartford Wyanokas / Turners Falls Athletics (IL)
1920-21 Westfield Whip City AC (IL)
1921-22 Gloversville Glovers (MYSL) Head coach / player
1921-22 Kingston (NYSL)
1921-22 New York MacDowell Lyceum (MBL)
1921-22 Westfield Whip City AC (IL)
1921-22 Ware Wonders (IL)
1921-22 Mt.Vernon Armory Big Five (Independent)
1922-23 Troy Trojans (NYSL)
1922-23 Amsterdam (NYSL)
1922-23 Paterson Legionaires (MBL)
1922-23 New York MacDowell Lyceum (MBL)
1923-24 Amsterdam Flashes (NYSL)
1923-24 Utica Utes (NYSL)
1923-24 Mohawk Indians (NYSL)
1923-24 Greenpoint Knights of St. Anthony (MBL)
1924-25 Greenpoint Knights of St. Anthony (MBL)
1924-25 Tri-Council (PBL)
1924-25 Pottsville Big Five (AnBL)
1925-26 Greenpoint Knights of St. Anthony (MBL)
1925-26 Pottsville Miners (EBL)
1926-27 Greenpoint*Trenton (NLN)
1926-27 Baltimore Orioles (ABL)
1927-28 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
1928-29 Trenton Royal Bengals (ABL)
1929-30 Dayton Kellys (NPBL)
1929-30 Syracuse All-Americans (ABL)
1929-30 Paterson Whirlwinds (ABL)
1930-31 Wilmington (TSBL)
1931-32 Bridgeton Moose (EBL)


After a year in pro basketball, Sullivan served in the U.S. Army during World War 1.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/jerry-sullivan/

Lefty Stern

Hyman "Lefty" Stern


Born:
March 30, 1907
Baltimore, MD

Died:
June 30, 1993
Baltimore, MD


Career

1923-24 Baltimore City College (College)
1924-25 Allied Club - Baltimore (Independent)
1924-25 Baltimore City College (College)
1925-26 Baltimore City College (College)
1926-27 Baltimore Orioles (ABL)
1929-30 Baltimore Pros (Independent)
1931-32 Stonewall Democrats - Baltimore (Independent) 
1933-34 Stephen Seth and Company - Baltimore (Independent)
1934-35 Westenders - Baltimore (Independent)

Stern was a talented athlete who played football, baseball and basketball, plus wrestled. He played for the Baltimore Orioles in the ABL, and also played some pro baseball for Salisbury in the Eastern Shore League. He would later operate an ice delivery business and worked as a taxi driver.

He married Selma Lehem (d. 1974) in 1945 and they had two sons.

Minor League Baseball Stats
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=stern-001---

Source:
Baltimore Sun, July 4, 1993

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/lefty-stern/

Dick Smyth

Richard Joseph Smyth


Born:
March 18, 1894
Manhattan, NY

Died:
September 11, 1967
Far Rockaway (Queens), NY


Career
1912-13 New York Nationals (Independent)
1912-13 Big Atlantics (Independent)
1913-14 Brooklyn Kirkman AA (Independent)
1913-14 Kingston Colonials (NYSL)
1914-15 NewYork Nationals (Independent)
1915-16 De Neri DUddies (EBL)
1915-16 Elizabeth Betsys (IBL)
1915-16 North Hudson Troys (IBL)
1915-16 Brooklyn Trolly Dodgers (IBL)
1916-17 Hazleton Mountaineers (PSL)
1917-18 Hazelton Mountaineers (PSL)
1917-18 Plymouth Shawnees (PSL)
1918-19 Brooklyn Notse Dry Dock (Independent)
1919-20 Plymouth Shawnees (PSL)
1919-20 Brooklyn Dodgers (IBL)
1919-20 Turners Falls Athletics (IL)
1919-20 Brooklyn Knights of St.Anthony (Independent)
1919-20 Brooklyn Van & Schenck (Independent)
1920-21 Amsterdam (NYSL)
1920-21 Wilkes-Barre Barons (PSL)
1920-21 Hartford Wyanokas / Turners Falls Athletics (IL)
1920-21 Westfield Whip City AC (IL)
1920-21 New York Nationals (Independent)
1920-21 Brooklyn Arcadians (Independent)
1921-22 New York MacDowell Lyceum (MBL)
1921-22 Amsterdam (NYSL)
1921-22 New York Celtics (EBL)
1921-22 Holyoke (IL)
1922-23 Paterson Legionaires (MBL)
1922-23 Greenpoint Knights of St. Anthony (MBL)
1922-23 Brooklyn Dodgers (MBL)
1922-23 NewYork MacDowell Lyceum (MBL)
1922-23 Yonkers Chippewas (MBL)
1922-23 Cohoes Cohosiers (NYSL)
1922-23 Greenfield AA Greens (IL)
1922-23 Brooklyn Knights of St.Anthony (Independent)
1923-24 Greenpoint Knights of St. Anthony (MBL)
1923-24 Amsterdam Flashes (NYSL)
1924-25 Paterson Legionaires (MBL)
1924-25 Tamaqua Bengals (AnBL)
1925-26 Newark Mets (MBL)
1925-26 Paterson Legionaires (MBL)
1925-26 Trenton (EBL)
1925-26 Lou Gehrig All Stars (Independent)
1926-27 Ridgewood-Orange (NLN)
1926-27 Brooklyn Arcadians (ABL)
1926-27 Washington Place Five (ABL)



Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/dick-smyth/

Red Skurnick

Harry "Red" Skurnick
born Gershon Skurnick

Born:
July 8, 1905
Warsaw, Poland

Died:
December 18, 1980
Los Angeles, CA


Career
1922-23 Commerce High School- New York City (High School)
1923-24 Commerce High School- New York City (High School)
1924-25 Commerce High School- New York City (High School)

1925-26 Savage School of Physical Education - New York (College)

1925-26 Greenpoint WMHA - New York City (Independent)
1926-27 Akron Wellocks (CBL) Head coach / player

1926-27 Akron Summit News (Independent) Head coach
1926-27 Cleveland Rosenblums (ABL)
1927-28 Cleveland Rosenblums (ABL)
1928-29 New York Hakoahs (ABL)
1928-29 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
1928-29 Cleveland Rosenblums (ABL)
1929-30 Cleveland Rosenblums (ABL)
1930-31 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
1931-32 Chicago Bruins (Independent)
1932-33 Chicago Bruins (Independent)
1932-33 Chicago Duffy Florals (Independent)

1933-34 Whiting Macks - Indiana (Independent)
1933-34 Chicago Duffy Florals (Independent)
1934-35 Halick-Skurnicks Chicagoans (Independent)
1935-36 Original Celtics (Independent)

1937-38 Chicago Hebrews (Independent)

1945-46 Boys Brotherhood Republic - Chicago (Independent)

Note: This account seems to vary from other research groups. I believe this one to be true.

Born in 1905 in Poland, Gershon Skurnick's family came to the United States in 1907. Skurnick took to athletics, and while at Commerce HS in New York City, lead the school to the PSAL Championship. He went to the Savage School of Physical Education, and headed west to Ohio where he joined up with the Cleveland Rosenblums of the ABL. He eventually found himself sold to George Halas' Chicago Bruins and made Chicago his home. He worked at many youth camps in Chicagoland such as the Deborah Boys Club and the Boys Brotherhood Republic. He died in Los Angeles in 1980.

Source:
Naturalization Records

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/red-skurnick/

Reds Sherr

Louis "Reds" Sherr


Born:
February 2, 1905
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
August 4, 1978
Wynnewood, PA


Career
1922-23 South Philadelphia High School - Pennsylvania (High School)
1923-24 Judaic Union - Philadelphia (Independent)
1924-25 University of Pennsylvania (College)
1925-26 University of Pennsylvania (College)
1926-27 Philadelphia Quakers (ABL)
1926-27 Hakoah (PBL)
1926-27 Wildwood (SJL)
1927-28 Philadelphia Warriors (ABL)
1927-28 Philadelphia Elks (PBL)
1927-28 Wildwood (SJL)
1928-29 New York Hakoahs (ABL)
1928-29 Paterson Whirlwinds (ABL)
1928-29 Millville (SJL)
1928-29 Kennett Square (EBL)
1928-29 Philadelphia Sphas (Independent)
1929-30 Paterson Whirlwinds (MBL)
1929-30 Kennett Square (EBL)
1929-30 Wilkes Barre (PSL)
1930-31 Philadelphia Elks-SPHA's (EBL)
1931-32 Philadelphia SPHA's (EBL)
1933-34 Philadelphia Passon (EBL)

Sherr was going to law school at Penn while playing professional basketball. He would play through the mid-30's while continuing to hone his legal skills. He worked for many years as an attorney in the Philly area before his death from leukemia in 1978.

Source:
Philadelphia Inquirer, August 6, 1978

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/reds-sherr/

Johnny Schrey

John Frank Schrey


Born:
December 18, 1906
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
August 3, 1996
Palm Beach, FL


Career
1925-26 Philadelphia Pollock & Hudson (Independent)
1926-27 Philadelphia Quakers (ABL)
1926-27 Quartermaster (PBL)
1926-27 Ocean City (SJL)
1927-28 Philadelphia Elks (PBL)
1927-28 Salem (SJL)
1928-29 Philadelphia Elks (EBL)
1928-29 Salem (SJL)
1929-30 Philadelphia Elks (EBL)
1930-31 Reading Bears (TCL)
1930-31 Philadelphia Elks (EBL)
1931-32 Philadelphia Moose (EBL)
1932-33 Philadelphia Moose (EBL)
1932-33 Philadelphia WPEN (EBL)
1933-34 Philadelphia Moose-Enterprise (EBL)
1933-34 Wilkes Barre (PSL)
1934-35 Germantown (EBL)
1935-36 Germantown (EBL)
1937-38 Philadelphia Jaspers (NBL)
1937-38 Carpenter Steel (TCL)

Shrey was also a minor league baseball player, playing first base for Toronto and Binghamton.

Minor League Baseball Stats
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=schrey001joh

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/john-schrey/

Tony Schiffer

Anthony Louis Schiffer Jr.


Born:
February 17, 1905
Manhattan, NY

Died:
April 25, 1954
Easton, CT


Career
Ridgefield High School - New Jersey (High School)
1926-27 Fort Wayne Hoosiers (ABL)
1927-28 New York (Independent)
1928-29 Cleveland Rosenblums (ABL)
1928-29 Rochester Centrals (ABL)
1928-29 New York Beckman All Stars (Independent)
1929-30 Paterson Whirlwinds (ABL)
1929-30 Syracuse All-Americans (ABL)
1930-31 Paterson Crescents (ABL)
1930-31 Trenton (TCL)
1930-31 Wilmington Cardinals (EBL)
1931-32 Philadelphia Jaspers (EBL)
1931-32 Camden Skeeters (EBL)
1931-32 Long Island Pro-Imps (MBL)
1932-33 Brooklyn Americans (MBL)

Born in Manhattan to Anthony and Gertrude Schiffer, Tony grew up in New Jersey before a seven seasons of professional basketball. He was only 49 when he died in 1954, but I have yet to find a cause of death.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/tony-schiffer/

Sid Sankovic

Sidney R. Sankovic


Born:
December 27, 1903
Detroit, MI

Died:
October 3, 1976
Fort Pierce, FL


Career
Nordstrum High School - Detroit (High School)
1921-22 Rayl Cubs - Detroit (Independent)
1923-24 Rayl Cubs - Detroit (Independent)
1923-24 Studebakers - Detroit (Independent) 
1924-25 Peoples State Bank - Detroit (Independent)
1926-27 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
1927-28 Detroit Cardinals (ABL)
1927-28 Detroit Michigan Centrals (Independent)
1928-29 Toledo Red Men (Independent)
1929-30 Detroit Olympics /Jackson (NPBL)
1929-30 Dayton Kellys (NPBL)
1931-32 Fintex - Detroit (Independent)

1933-34 Detroit Tivoli (Independent)
1933-34 Toledo Crimson Coaches (Independent)
1934-35 Detroit Tivoli (Independent) Head coach / player
1934-35 Our Lady of Lourdes - River Rouge, Michigan (High School) Head coach
1936-37 Catholic Central High School - Detroit (High School) Head coach
1937-38 Catholic Central High School - Detroit (High School) Head coach

The Detroit-area athlete played a lot of pro basketball, but was better known as a sandlot baseball figurehead. For many years he coached and ran sandlot leagues.

Sid married Claire Ryan and they had one son and one daughter. They divorced in 1951, and Sid would remarry to Dorothy.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/sid-sankovic/

Harry Riconda

Henry Paul "Harry" Riconda


Born:
March 17, 1897
New York, NY

Died:
November 15, 1958
Mahopac, NY


Career
1918-19 Staten Island Minesweepers (Independent)
1919-20 Albany Senators (NYSL)
1919-20 Westfield Whip City AC (IL)
1919-20 New York Whirlwinds (Independent)
1919-20 NY MacDowell Lycieum (Independent)
1920-21 Albany Senators (NYSL)
1920-21 Westfield Whip City AC (IL)
1920-21 Brooklyn Arcadians (Independent)
1921-22 Amsterdam (NYSL)
1921-22 Albany Senators (NYSL)
1921-22 Brooklyn Pros (MBL)
1921-22 New York Celtics (EBL)
1921-22 Coatesville Coats (EBL)
1921-22 Easthampton Hampers (IL)
1921-22 Springfield Gunners (IL)
1921-22 Brooklyn Brooklyns (Independent)
1922-23 Albany Senators (NYSL)
1922-23 Brooklyn Pros (MBL)
1922-23 Philadelphia Jewels (EBL)
1923-24 Schenectady Dorpians (NYSL)
1923-24 Kingston Shirtmakers (MBL)
1923-24 Greenpoint Knights of St Anthony (MBL)
1924-25 Kingston Colonials (MBL)
1925-26 Perth Amboy Amboyans / Passiac Mets (MBL)
1925-26 Philadelphia SPHAS (Independent)
1926-27 Paterson Legionaires / Kingston Raiders (NYN)
1926-27 Philadelphia Quakers (ABL)
1927-28 Albany Senators (MBL)
1927-28 Kingston Colonials (MBL)
1928-29 Paterson Whirlwinds (ABL)
1929-30 New York Celtics (ABL)

A notable athlete from New York City, Riconda signed to play the infield for Springfield, Massachusetts, baseball team in 1916, and in 1917 moved on to New Haven. He would enter the U.S. Army in 1917 and served his country in World War 1. After his return from the war, he returned to athletics. He began play pro basketball while continuing to pursue his baseball career. He returned to the diamond in New Haven, and after a 1922 season that saw him bat .335, he was purchased by Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics. Through 1931, he would bounce back and forth between the minors and majors with time on the Pirates, Dodgers, Reds and the Braves. The baseball off-season was very busy for him during this time. He played for various basketball teams each winter around the Mid-Atlantic states.

In 1958, Riconda took a vacation away from his home in New York City at nearby Lake Mahopac. While there, he suffered a fatal heart attack.

Major League Baseball Stats:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/riconha01.shtml

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/harry-riconda/

Phil Rakov

Philip Herman Rakov


Born:
August 23, 1903
NY

Died:
April 10, 2001
Jamesville, NY


Career
1923-24 Syracuse Cultures (Independent)
1924-25 Syracuse University (College)
1925-26 Syracuse University (College)
1926-27 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
1926-27 Rockford Burrs (Independent)
1927-28 Chicago Nationals (Independent)

A member of the Syracuse championship team in 1926, Rakov would get his medical degree at SU and would work as a physician in Syracuse for 60 years. He served as a medic in World War 2.

Rakov died at the age of 97 in 2001.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/phil-rakov/

Buck Pierson

Irving "Buck" Pierson


Born:
January 25, 1904
Rochester (?), NY

Died:
March 20, 1973
Miami, FL


Career
1925-26 Rochester Kodaks (Independent)
1926-27 Rochester Kodaks (Independent)
1926-27 Rochester Centrals (ABL)
1926-27 Rochester Clermonts (Independent)
1927-28 Rochester Kodaks (Independent)
1927-28 Rochester Olds (Independent)
1928-29 Rochester Centrals (ABL)
1928-29 Rochester Olds (Independent)
1928-29 New York Beckman AS (Independent)
1929-30 Syracuse All-Americans (ABL)
1929-30 Rochester Aviators (Independent)
1930-31 Rochester Centrals (ABL)
1930-31 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
1931-32 Rochester Centrals (Independent)
1932-33 Rochester Centrals (Independent)
1933-34 Rochester Centrals (Independent)

The Rochester native put in a lot of time playing basketball for various local outfits for almost a decade. His younger brother William "Bucky" Irving also played pro basketball.

Buck married Mary Goldfarb (1908-1994) and they had one daughter.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/buck-pierson/

Harry Passon

Harry Joseph Passon


Born:
April 1, 1897
Kiev, Russia

Died:
February 16, 1954
Philadelphia, PA


Career
1917-18 De Neri Duddies (EBL)
1917-18 Philadelphia YMCA (ALP)
1918-19 Philadelphia SPHA's (ALP)
1919-20 De Neri Daisies (EBL)
1920-21 Philadelphia SPHA's (ALP)
1921-22 Philadelphia SPHA's (Independent)
1926-27 Philadelphia Elks (PBL)
1926-27 Philadelphia Quakers (ABL) Head coach / player

Passon was born in Kiev, but after the family came to the United States (including fellow future pro baskball players / brother Chick and Nat), Harry took to sports and quickly became on of the larger figures in the semi-pro and pro sports world in Philadelphia. He organized various leagues and tournaments for baseball and basketball, and opened a very successful sporting good store in Philly. Passon owned and managed all-black baseball teams and also worked with other black semi-pro teams in the city. Passons' own team, the Bacarach Giants, competed with the established Negro League Philadelphia Stars and was able to secure fields of play in a time when that was difficult for black-owned sports teams. Passon also fought against the "Blue Laws" in the state, which prevented sports from being played on Sunday. This law was appealed in 1934.

Passon was approached by Cumberland Posey to have his baseball team, the Giants, to join to new National Negro Association being formed. However, the Philly Stars, owned by Ed Bolden and Ed Gottlieb, raised a protest against Passon's team joining. (Gottlieb was both a friend and a rival of Passon. Gottlieb was one of the co-founders of the SPHA's along with Harry.)

On February 16, 1954, Passon was supposed to meet with his brother Nat at a bank conference, but did not show. The next morning, Nat arrived at the store to open for business and intended to turn off the burglar alarm, but since the alarm was not turned on the night before, it went off and the police answered the alarm. Nat thought it was odd the alarm was not turned on, but did not think much of it at the time. Later in the day, with still no sign of his brother Harry and thinking back about the alarm, Nat and his employees began to look around the shop to see if maybe something was wrong. One of his employees found the body of Harry inside the store's gun vault. He had shot himself in the head.

He and his wife, Tillie, had two daughters.

Source:
Courier-Post (Camden, NJ), February 17, 1954
Philadelphia Inquirer, February 17, 1954
SABR.org

Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/harry-passon/

Chick Passon

Herman Charles "Chick" Passon


Born:
May 30, 1900
Kiev, Russia

Died:
February 27, 1989
Philadelphia, PA


Career
1918-19 SPHA's - Philadelphia (ALP)
1919-20 University of Pennsylvania (College) Freshmen
1919-20 SPHA's - Philadelphia (ALP)
1920-21 Philadelphia Phillies (EBL)
1920-21 Philadelphia Nativity (ALP)
1921-22 Philadelphia Phillies (EBL)
1921-22 Philadelphia SPHA's (Independent)
1922-23 Atlantic City Sandsnipers (EBL)
1922-23 Philadelphia Jewels (EBL)
1922-23 St.Peter’s (PBL)
1923-24 Kingston Shirtmakers (MBL)
1923-24 SPHA's - Philadelphia (PBL)
1924-25 Kingston Colonials (MBL)
1924-25 SPHA's - Philadelphia (PBL)
1925-26 Paterson Legionaires (MBL)
1925-26 SPHA's - Philadelphia (EBL)
1926-27 Philadelphia Quakers (ABL)
1927-28 Washington Palace Five (ABL)
1928-29 Paterson Whirlwinds (ABL)
1928-29 Trenton Royal Bengals (ABL)
1928-29 Bridgeton (SJL)
1928-29 Philadelphia SPHA's (Independent)
1929-30 Philadelphia SPHA's (EBL)
1930-31 Philadelphia SPHA's (EBL)
1930-31 Philadelphia Elks (EBL)
1931-32 Philadelphia Moose (EBL)
1931-32 Philadelphia SPHA's (EBL)
1932-33 Philadelphia SPHA's (EBL)
1933-34 Philadelphia Passon (EBL) Head coach / player
1934-35 Philadelphia Phillies (EBL) Head coach
1935-36 Philadelphia Phillies (EBL) Head coach
1936-37 Atlantic City Sandsnipers (ABL) Head coach
1937-38 Consohohocken (NBL) Head coach

Born in Russia, Passon and his family came to the United States in 1906 and settled in Philadelphia. In the 1920's, Passon was a part-owner of one of the largest sporting good stores in Philly, and he also played pro basketball all the while and was a leader and organizer for sports and recreation with the state government as well as the city. His brothers Harry and Nathan also played pro basketball.

Chick was married to Pearl Bader and they had one son and one daughter.

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/chick-passon/

Steve Olszewski

Stephen J. Olszewski


Born:
February 11, 1902
Cleveland, OH

Died:
October 18, 1977
Cleveland, OH


Career
1923-24 Halle Brothers (AAU)
1924-25 Favorite Knits (AAU)
1925-26 Union Trust (AAU)
1926-27 Cleveland Rosenblums (ABL)
1926-27 Union Trusts - Cleveland, Ohio (Independent)
1927-28 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
1928-29 Union Trusts - Cleveland, Ohio (Independent)


Born to John and Anna Olszewski in Cleveland, Steve played some AAU basketball as well as two seasons in the ABL. Steve's younger brother, John, also played with the Union Trusts basketball team, but he played in the early 1930's after Steve quit playing.

Steve never married.

His name sometimes is listed in newspapers as "Olszenski"

Source:


Stats:
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/steve-olszewski/