Larry Matthews

Frank Lawrence "Larry" Matthews III

Born:
January 12, 1934
Elmira, NY

Died:
October 18, 2005
Chattanooga, TN


Career
1949-50 Horseheads High School - New York (High School)
1950-51 Horseheads High School - New York (High School)
1951-52 Horseheads High School - New York (High School)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1971-72 Notre Dame High School - Elmira (High School)  Head coach - freshmen
1972-73 Notre Dame High School - Elmira (High School)  Head coach - freshmen
1973-74 Notre Dame High School - Elmira (High School)  Head coach - freshmen

Larry Matthews was a prep star from Horseheads, New York, earning 11 letters at Horseheads HS. The football and basketball star played one game for the ABL's Elmira Colonels in November of 1952. After serving in the USAF, he would work for many years as a teacher, coach and administrator. He eventually accepted a post in Nashville, and died in Tennessee in 2005.



Source:


Stats:

Frank Sebest

Frank Michael Sebest


Born:
September 24, 1923
Cliffside Park, NJ

Died:
November 28, 2010
Fair Lawn, NJ


Career
1941-42 Cliffside Park High School - New Jersey (High School)
1942-43 Temple University (College)
1943-44 Cliffside AC - New Jersey (Independent)
1943-44 Bainbridge Naval Station (Military)
1944-45 Cliffside AC - New Jersey (Independent)
1946-47 St. John's University (College)
1947-48 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1948-49 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1948-49 Utica Olympics (NYSL)
1949-50 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1952-53 Jersey City Titans (Independent)

After leaving Cliffside Park HS, Sebest entered Temple but left after a year to serve in the U.S. Navy during WW2. Stationed at Bainbridge, he was able to play basketball with his neighborhood friends at Cliffside AC when on leave. After the war, he enrolled at St. John's and played there. Sebest would play professionally for a few seasons. He would leave basketball and take employment with Hemingway Trucking where he would stay until retiring.

It appears Sebest played under the name "Frank Cobb" in January of 1948 when he first joined the Billies. (re: Sunbury Daily Item, March 1, 1948)

Frank married Christine Capitelli and they had a son and a daughter.


Source:
Obituary, Record/Herald News, November 30, 2010

Stats:

Buck Ross

"Buck" Ross


Born:



Died:




Career
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

According to a newspaper article, he went to school with Hank Rosenstein, so probably from New York City.

Source:


Stats:

Gary May

Gary Lee May


Born:
March 10, 1933
Elmira, NY

Died:
September 7, 1996
Elmira Heights, NY


Career
1947-48 Edison High School - Elmira Heights, NY (High School) JV
1948-49 Edison High School - Elmira Heights, NY (High School)
1949-50 Edison High School - Elmira Heights, NY (High School)
1950-51 Edison High School - Elmira Heights, NY (High School)
1952-53 Area All-Stars - Elmira (Independent)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

May was a three-sport star at Edison, playing baseball, football and basketball. He signed a minor league contract to play baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers, but when his father died, he returned home to ran the family business, May's Dairy. He played basketball for Elmira Colonels in one game, December 20, 1952, failing to score a point. He continued to work hard and run the business until his death from lung cancer in 1996.

He married Rosemarie Bahantka in 1953 and they had three daughters and two sons. Sadly, both of his sons died shortly after birth.

Source:
Star-Gazette (Elmira), September 9, 1996

Stats:

Leo Makovitch

Leo Anthony Makovitch


Born:
May 2, 1923
Elmira, NY

Died:
December 29, 1991
Elmira, NY


Career
1941-42 Elmira High School - New York (High School)
1942-43 Eclipse Machines - Elmira (Independent)
1945-46 YMCA Hawks - Elmira (Independent)
1945-46 Clate's - Elmira (Independent)
1947-48 Union Social Club - Elmira (Independent)
1949-50 Horseheads Merchants - New York (Independent)
1949-50 Knapp's - Elmira (Independent)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

Born to Stanley and Mary Makovitch, Leo served in the U.S. Army during World War 2. He played basketball around Elmira after the ear for various semi-pro clubs.

Source:
Star Gazette, December 30, 1991

Stats:

Tony Kazokas

Anthony Adam Kazokas, Jr.


Born:
October 9, 1930
Mahanoy City, PA

Died:
April 7, 2021
Southampton, NJ


Career
1947-48 Mahanoy City High School - Pennsylvania (High School)
Great Lakes Naval Academy (Military)
1949-50 Harrisburg Senators (EPBL)

1950-51 Harrisburg Caps (EPBL)

1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

1953-54 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1953-54 Horsehead Merchants - New York (Independent)
1954-55 Wilkes-Barre Barons (EBL)
1955-56 Wilkes-Barre Barons (EBL)
1956-57 Wilkes-Barre Barons (EBL)
1957-58 Hazleton Hawks (EBL)

Kazokas was a notable athlete Pennsylvania. He signed with the Milwaukee Hawks of the NBa in 1952, but was sent to Elmira for seasoning. He would play a few years in the Eastern League.


Source:


Stats:

Jack Gushue

Llewellyn Stuart "Jack" Gushue


Born:
December 20, 1924
Buffalo, NY

Died:
July 26, 2012
Horseheads, NY


Career
1946-47 South Park High School - Buffalo (High School)
1948-49 University at Buffalo (College)
1949-50 University at Buffalo (College)
1950-51 Addison High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1951-52 Addison High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1952-53 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1953-54 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1954-55 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1955-56 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1956-57 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1957-58 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1957-58 Carousel - New York (Independent - Black Hawk League)
1958-59 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1959-60 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1960-61 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1961-62 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1962-63 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1963-64 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1964-65 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1965-66 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1966-67 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1967-68 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1968-69 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1969-70 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1970-71 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1971-72 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1972-73 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1973-74 Horseheads High School - New York (High School) Head coach

Born to Stuart and Elizabeth Gushue, Jack was the grandson of Thomas Gushue, who was Admiral' Perry's first mate on the first expedition to reach the North Pole. Jack enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17 at served in combat in the Pacific Theater. He was wounded and honored with the Purple Heart. He was also the first U.S. Marine to capture a Japanese flag, on Bougainville Island. He finished high school after the war and went on to the University of Alabama. After a year at Alabama, he transferred to the University at Buffalo where he was a star on the basketball team. He graduated and move to Addison, New York, where he taught and coached until moving to Horseheads, New York. He would coach basketball for 22 years at Horseheads HS (as well as football, track and cross country) and eventually became the Director of Athleteics for the Horseheads School District. In his retirement, he won a gold medal in the Senior Olympics in racquetball and at one time was ranked number one in the country for his age group.

Jack married Gloria Anderson in 1946 and they had two daughters and a son.

Source:
Elmira Advertiser, December 13, 1957
Obituary, Star-Gazette, July 28-30, 2012

Stats:

Ed Earle

Edwin Graffan Earle


Born:
April 28, 1927
Chicago, IL

Died:
March 26, 2009
Park Ridge, IL


Career
1944-45 Schurz High School - Chicago (High School)
1946-47 Loyola University - Chicago (College)
1947-48 Loyola University - Chicago (College)
1948-49 Loyola University - Chicago (College)
1949-50 Loyola University - Chicago (College)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1953-54 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)

Burn to Harry and Lillian Earle, Edwin entered the U.S. Navy right out of high school, but World War 2 ended shortly afterwards and eh was discharged. He enrolled at Loyola University in Chicago and in three of his four years there, the Ramblers won 20 games. He started playing softball as he finished college. He played basketball in the ABL and NBA, but was a very well-known player in the world of 16-inch softball. He would eventually be inducted into the 16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame. Earle worked in the sales department for Yellow Frieght Systems in Chicago.

Source:
Obituary, Loyola Ramblers, April 2, 2009
16 Inch Softball Hall of Fame
Obituary, Chicago Sun-Times, April 2, 2009

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/e/earleed01.html

Blaine Denning

Blaine Denning
born Blaine Mitchell, Jr.

Born:
September 19, 1930
Fulton, KY

Died:
January 25, 2016
Detroit, MI


Career
1946-47 Northern High School - Detroit (High School)
1947-48 Northern High School - Detroit (High School)
1948-49 Lawrence Institute of Technology - Michigan (College)
1949-50 Lawrence Institute of Technology - Michigan (College)
1950-51 Lawrence Institute of Technology - Michigan (College)
1951-52 Lawrence Institute of Technology - Michigan (College)
1952-53 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1952-53 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)

Denning, whose real name was Mitchell, was born in Kentucky bur moved to live with his aunt and uncle in Pittsburgh when he was 2. He moved with his aunt and uncle to Detroit in 1942, and Blaine starred in basketball while at Northern HS. He briefly attended Central State College in Ohio before transferring to Lawrence Tech in the Detroit suburb of Southfield. After graduating from LIT (now LTU) in 1952, Denning signed on to play with the Harlem Globetrotters. He was drafted by the Baltimore Bullets and played with the ABL's Elmira Colonels before being called up by the Bullets. He scored five points in his only NBA game, and was sent back to Elmira shortly afterwards. Lawrence Tech eventually dropped athletics all together, but in the 2010's. when the school brought back varsity sports, Denning was one of the first people inducted into the school's hall of fame, and his number was retired.

Blaine legally changed his name to Denning in the 60's.




Source:
http://www.statechampsnetwork.com/index.cfm/news/high-school-sports-news/former-globetrotter-detroit-prep-and-lawrence-tech-star-dies/
Obituary, ltuathletics.com


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dennibl01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=dennibl01

Jim Brasco

James J. Brasco


Born:
February 3, 1931
Brooklyn, NY

Died:
March 21, 2014
Huntington, NY


Career
1944-45 Abraham Lincoln High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1945-46 Abraham Lincoln High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1948-49 NYU (College)
1949-50 NYU (College)
1950-51 NYU (College)
1951-52 NYU (College)
1952-53 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1952-53 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1953-54 Hazleton Mountaineers (EPBL)  Head coach / player
1954-55 Hazleton Hawks (EBL)
1955-56 Williamsport Billies (EBL)
1956-57 Williamsport Billies (EBL)
1957-58 Williamsport Billies (EBL) 

Brasco played his college ball at NYU, and he was subpoenaed to give testimony in the point shaving scandal that rocked college basketball in 1951. Brasco was offered money but he refused to accept. After NYU, Brasco would be drafted by the Syracuse Nationals in the 1952 NBA Draft. He was sold to the Milwaukee Hawks a month into the 1952-53 season, and after the the Hawks let him go, he signed with the Elmira Colonels on February 25, 1953. He scored four points in his only appearance with the Colonels. He was signed by the Hazleton Hawks in the Eastern League. In January of 1954, he was promoted to player / coach. He played a few more season in the EBL.

Source:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/newsday/obituary.aspx?n=James-BRASCO&pid=170401553

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/brascji01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=brascji01

Jim Baechtold

James Edward Baechtold


Born:
December 9, 1927
McKeesport, PA

Died:
August 29, 2011
Richmond, KY


Career
1944-45 Moon High School - Coraopolis, PA (High School)
1945-46 Moon High School - Coraopolis, PA (High School)
1948-49 Eastern Kentucky University (College)
1949-50 Eastern Kentucky University (College)
1950-51 Eastern Kentucky University (College)
1951-52 Eastern Kentucky University (College)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1952-53 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
1953-54 New York Knicks (NBA)
1954-55 New York Knicks (NBA)
1955-56 New York Knicks (NBA)
1961-62 Eastern Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1962-63 Eastern Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1963-64 Eastern Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1964-65 Eastern Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1965-66 Eastern Kentucky University (College) Head coach
1966-67 Eastern Kentucky University (College) Head coach

Born in Pennsylvania to Walter and Emma Baechtold, Jim grew up in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, playing football, basketball and baseball in high school. After graduating, he found it difficult to play basketball in college since the college ranks were dominated by returning soldiers from World War 2, so he joined the U.S. Army. Bulking up in the army to 6'4 and 215 pounds, Baechtold was offered an athletic scholorship to play football and basketball at Alabama, but on his way to Tuscaloosa, he stopped off in  Richmond, Kentucky to visit some friends and wound up deciding to go to Eastern Kentucky, instead. In 1952, he was drafted second overall in the NBA draft by the Baltimore Bullets. After some seasoning with the Elmira Colonels, Baechtold joined the Bullets in December of 1952. He was traded after the season to the the New York Knicks where he played for 3 more seasons, averaging just under 10 points for his career. After a knee injury ended his career, he returned to EKU to teach and coach.

Jim died in 2011 after over two years of battling of battling multiple myeloma.

Jim married Shirley in 1954 and they had two sons and two daughters.

Source:
Obituary, WKYT, August 30, 2011

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/baechji01.html

1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

1952-53 ELMIRA COLONELS
AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE (II)
17-11 .607, 3rd place

Semi-Finals: Lost to Wilkes-Barre, 4-3

Despite a decent 1951-52 campaign that saw the new Elmira club have a winning season, and Colonels team in 1952-53 had a drastically different make-up. Mike Novak took over the coaching duties, and only Jerry Fowler and Don Savage were returned. Elmira signed Bill Spivey but in October of 1952, the ABL ruled that players under indictment for point-shaving and game-fixing would not be eligible to play in the league. Elmira and Jersey City dropped out of the league, thus leaving the ABL with six teams and forcing ABL President John O'Brien to cancel the season. Prepared to play the season as an exhibition team, Elmira played a series of exhibition games before relenting and rejoining the ABL without Spivey, thus ensuring another season for the dying league. The 1952-53 Elmira team finished in third place, losing to Wilkes-Barre in the semi-finals.

Head Coaches: 

• Mike Novak (April 23, 1915 - August 15, 1978) 17-11 Also played. See below
• Ed Earle (April 28, 1927 - March 26, 2009) 0-1 Also played. See below

Earle coached the team on February 27, 1953, when Novak was unavailable to.

PLAYERS:

• Jim Baechtold (December 9, 1927 - August 29, 2011)

Biography

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

Biography 

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

Biography

• Ray Corley (January 14, 1928 - February 5, 2007)

Biography

• Blaine Denning (September 19, 1930 - January 25, 2016)

Biography

• Ed Earle (April 28, 1927 - March 26, 2009)

Biography 

• Jerry Fowler (June 20, 1927 - June 15, 2008)

Biography

• John Gozdenovich (March 8, 1924 - July 7, 1997)

Biography 

• Jack Gushue (December 20, 1924 - July 26, 2012)

Biography 

• Joel Kaufman (March 8, 1927 - June 22, 1972)

Biography 

• Tony Kazokas (October 9, 1930 - April 7, 2021)

Biography 

• Bobby Kelly (September 12, 1926 - December 23, 2014)

Biography 

• Leo Makovitch (May 2, 1923 - December 29, 1991)

Biography

• Larry Matthews (January 12, 1934 - October 18, 2005 )

Biography

• Gary May (March 10, 1933 - September 7, 1996)

Biography 

• Mike Novak (April 23, 1915 - August 15, 1978)

Biography

• Hank Rosenstein (June 16, 1920 - February 27, 2010)

Biography

• Buck Ross

Biography 

• Don Savage (April 9, 1928 - January 27, 2010)

Biography

• Frank Sebest (September 24, 1923 - November 28, 2010)

Biography

Joe Tubiolo

Giusto L. "Joseph" Tubiolo


Born:
May 18, 1927
Rochester, NY

Died:
April 23, 2012
Maryland


Career
1950-51 University of Toledo (College)
1951-52 Monroe Collegians - New York (Independent)
1951-52 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

A graduate of the University of Toledo, Tubiolo played for the Elmira Colonels in the ABL in the 1951-52 season. He worked for a a few years as a grammar school teacher. He would go on to manage exhibition baseball tours and was also involve in setting up college football bowls games. He was a masterful promoter, and was an agent of sorts for college football players going into the draft, working with his own company, CIMCO, out of Washington, D.C. Sports leagues were hesitant to working with Tubiolo, likening his company to a players' union. He was one of the sports world's earliest agents, although he disliked that classification.

Joe married Virginia Ridgeway in 1953 and they had one son and three daughters.

Source:


Stats:

Dick Suprunowicz

Richard Suprunowicz


Born:
December 21, 1927
Schenectady, NY

Died:
March 19, 2019
Schenectady, NY


Career
1944-45 Mont Pleasant High School - New York (High School)
1945-46 Mont Pleasant High School - New York (High School)
1946-47 Mont Pleasant High School - New York (High School)
1948-49 Syracuse University (College)
1949-50 Syracuse University (College)
1950-51 Syracuse University (College)
1951-52 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

Born to Makary and Ida Suprunowicz, Dick graduated from Mont Pleasant High School and got a scholarship to Syracuse. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served during the Korean War. He played one game for the Elmira Colonels of the ABL, and worked for many years as a math teacher and assistant principal. He also coached the basketball team (as well as gold, bowling and tennis) for six years at Mont Pleasant High School before moving on to Linton high school where he taught math and eventually became the assistant principal.

His brother, Makary, played at the University of Michigan and later for the Denver Refiners in the NPBL. His younger brother, Walt, played basketball at Holy Cross. His son, Bill, played for Syracuse University in the 1970's.

Dick married Lorraine MIller in 1951 and they had a son and a daughter.

Source:
Orange Hoops
Daily Gazette, December 23, 2014
https://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-sports/article/Hall-to-induct-14-new-greats-6217939.php
Daily Gazette, March 22, 2019

Stats:

Mauro Pannagio

Mauro Pannagio


Born:
January 19, 1928
Rochester, NY ??

Died:
April 11, 2018
Daytona Beach, FL


Career
1943-44 Madison High School - Rochester, NY (High School)
1944-45 Madison High School - Rochester, NY (High School)
1945-46 Madison High School - Rochester, NY (High School)
1946-47 Canisius College - New York (College)
1948-49 SUNY - Brockport (College)
1949-50 SUNY - Brockport (College)
1950-51 SUNY - Brockport (College)
1951-52 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1956-57 Franklin High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1957-58 Franklin High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1958-59 Franklin High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1959-60 Franklin High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1960-61 Franklin High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1961-62 East High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1962-63 East High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1963-64 East High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1964-65 East High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1965-66 East High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1966-67 Rush-Henrietta High School - Rochester, NY (High School) Head coach
1967-68 SUNY - Brockport, New York (College) Freshmen Head coach
1968-69 SUNY - Brockport, New York (College) Head coach
1969-70 SUNY - Brockport, New York (College) Head coach
1970-71 SUNY - Brockport, New York (College) Head coach
1971-72 SUNY - Brockport, New York (College) Head coach
1972-73 SUNY - Brockport, New York (College) Head coach
1973-74 SUNY - Brockport, New York (College) Head coach
1974-75 SUNY - Brockport, New York (College) Head coach
1975-76 SUNY - Brockport, New York (College) Head coach
1976-77 SUNY - Brockport, New York (College) Head coach
1978-79 Rochester Zeniths (CBA) Head coach
1979-80 Rochester Zeniths (CBA) Head coach
1980-81 Rochester Zeniths (CBA) Head coach
1981-82 Rochester Zeniths (CBA) Head coach
1982-83 Rochester Zeniths (CBA) Head coach
1986-87 Quad City Thunder (CBA) Head coach
1987-88 Quad City Thunder (CBA) Head coach
1988-89 Quad City Thunder (CBA) Head coach
1989-90 Quad City Thunder (CBA) Head coach
1990-91 Quad City Thunder (CBA) Head coach
1991-92 Rockford Lightning (CBA) Head coach
1992-93 Rockford Lightning (CBA) Head coach
1993-94 Rockford Lightning (CBA) Head coach
1994-95 Rockford Lightning (CBA) Head coach
1995-96 Rockford Lightning (CBA) Head coach

Pannagio was raised in Rochester and after a year at Canisius, he transferred to SUNY College in Brockport where he lead the basketball team in scoring in each of his three years. After graduating, he played for a season with the Elmira Colonels in the ABL. He coached high school basketball for over a decade, winning various city titles along the way. He returned to Brockport in 1967, first as a freshmen basketball head coach and football assistant coach before taking the reigns of the varsity hoop squad in 1968. Mauro put together a 166-79 record in his nine seasons there, with two appearances in the Division 3 Final Four. He would coach for many years in the CBA, becoming the league's winningest coach.

Mauro died in April of 2018, not a month after his wife, Rita, passed away. They had six children. His son, Dan, was also a coach in the CBA, and when the two faced off against each other in 1992, it made national news.





Source:
Obituary, Democrat and Chronicle, April 11, 2018
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mauro_Panaggio
https://www.lohmanfuneralhomes.com/obituary/mauro-panaggio
https://qconline.com/sports/mauro-panaggio-lived-full-hoops-life/article_88391e73-e5a1-5c56-89db-33c0d1654926.html

Stats:

Sam Lackaye

Samuel William Lackaye


Born:
December 8, 1926
Orange, NJ

Died:
August 25, 2010
Summit, NJ


Career
1946-47 Hillenbach - East Orange, NJ (Independent)
1947-48 Hillenbach - East Orange, NJ (Independent)
1948-49 Seton Hall University (College)
1949-50 Seton Hall University (College)
1950-51 Seton Hall University (College)
1951-52 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

Lackaye joined the army at the tail end of World War 2, and after being discharged, headed to Seton Hall. After graduating from SHU, Lackaye played one season with the Elmira Colonels in the ABL, He moved to Summit, New Jersey, in 1957 and worked as a Claims Adjuster for Hartford Insurance Company, retiring in 1992.

Sam married Carold and they had two sons and two daughters.

Source:
Obituary, Ippolito Funeral Homes

Stats:

John Gozdenovich

John Vincent Gozdenovich (Gvozdenovich)
aka John Goz


Born:
March 8, 1924
North Bergen, NJ

Died:
July 7, 1997
Edgewater, NJ


Career
1941-42 Cliffside Park High School - New Jersey (High School)
1944-45 Long Island University (College)
1948-49 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)
1949-50 Pottsville Packers (EPBL) 
1949-50 Reading Rangers (EPBL)

1949-50 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1950-51 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1950-51 Bristol Tramps (EBL-Ct)
1951-52 Bridgeport Roesslers (ABL)
1952-53 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1952-53 New Jersey Titans (Independent)

Born in New Jersey to Antonio (Anthony) and Vinka Gozdenovich. A football and basketball player in high school, Goz would play a year at LIU before dropping out of school. He tried out with the Wilkes-Barre Barons in fall of 1948, but did not make the team so he signed with the Pottsville Packers. He would play basketball for a few years in the Eastern and American Leagues.

John married Rita Judge and they had at least one son.

Source:


Stats:

Spike Gerwin

Paul John "Spike" Gerwin


Born:
August 10, 1929
Cincinnati, OH

Died:
October 12, 2016
Bonita Springs, FL


Career
Upper Arlington High School - Columbus, OH (High School)
1948-49 Columbia University (College)
1949-50 Columbia University (College)
1950-51 Columbia University (College)
1951-52 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

Gerwin not only played basketball but baseball, also. He played both at Cornell. and after served in the army. He would play with the Elmira Colonels in 1951-52, but moved on to work at Procter and Gamble for 38 years.

Spike married Marie Massey in 1952 and they had two daughters and two sons.

Source:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/cincinnati/obituary.aspx?n=paul-gerwin-spike&pid=184393572&fhid=6126

Stats:

1951-52 Elmira Colonels (ABL)

1951-52 ELMIRA COLONELS
AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE (II)
22-18 .550, 2nd place

Semi-Finals: Lost to Wilkes-Barre, 4-3

Born from the ashes of the Utica Pros from the season before, the Colonels started slowly with a 2-7 record, but the club turned it around and finished in second place behind players like Leo Mogus and Don Savage. They squared up to meet Wilkes-Barre in the playoffs and dropped the first two games before winning the next three to take a 3-2 advantage in the best-of-7 series. However, they lost an overtime thriller in game six and then were drubbed at home by 20 points in the rubber game.

Head Coach: 

• Fuzzy Levane (April 11, 1920 - April 30, 2012) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

• Greek Athas (October 6, 1922 - April 29, 2009)

Biography

• Leroy Chollet (March 5, 1925 - June 10, 1998)

Biograph

• Red Dehnert (January 24, 1924 - September 23, 1994)

Biography

• Jerry Fowler (June 20, 1927 - June 15, 2008)

Biography

• Spike Gerwin (August 10, 1929 - October 12, 2016)

Biography

• Sam Lackaye (December 8, 1926 - August 25, 2010)

Biography

• Fuzzy Levane (April 11, 1920 - April 30, 2012)

Biography

• Al Masino (February 5, 1928 - August 16, 2006)

Biography

• Mike McCarron (March 2, 1922 - October 2, 1991)

Biography

• Leo Mogus (April 13, 1921 - May 31, 1971)

Biography

• Paul Noel (August 17, 1924 - November 16, 2005)

Biography

• Mike Novak (April 23, 1915 - August 15, 1978)

Biography

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Al Masino

Alfred Albert Masino


Born:
February 5, 1928
Richmond, NY

Died:
August 16, 2006
Wesbter, NY


Career
1945-46 East High School - Rochester (High School)
1947-48 Canisius College - New York (College)
1948-49 Canisius College - New York (College)
1949-50 Canisius College - New York (College)
1950-51 Utica Pros (ABL)
1951-52 Elmira Colonels (ABL)
1952-53 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1953-54 Rochester Royals (NBA)
1953-54 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1963-64 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1964-65 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1965-66 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1966-67 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1967-68 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1968-69 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1969-70 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1970-71 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1971-72 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1972-73 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1973-74 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1974-75 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1975-76 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1976-77 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1977-78 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1978-79 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1979-80 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1980-81 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1981-82 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach
1982-83 Eastridge High School - New York (High School) Head coach

Masino, who played basketball at Canisius, played pro basketball in the ABL for two seasons before getting his shot in the NBA. He lasted two season in the NBA, but played on the 1953-54 Syracuse Nationals who lost the NBA Championship to Minneapolis in 7 games. He went on to be a fixture in the Rochester Community, being a long-time coache, teacher and principal at Eastridge High School.  For 35 years, Masino ran a summer basketball camp with Al Cervi. He died of heart failure in 2006.


Al and his wife Lorraine had three children.

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/masinal01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=masinal01