Baker

Baker

Born:



Died:




Career

1948-47 Astoria Chinooks (PCBL)

Played one game for Astoria, scoring one point for Astoria against Bellingham on December 17, 1947. He is not Norm Baker or Jack Baker, who both also played in the PCBL this season.

Source:

Bucky McConnell

Paul Joseph "Bucky" McConnell


Born:
July 1, 1928
Newark, NJ

Died:
April 1, 2019



Career
1948-49 John Marshall College - New Jersey (College)
1948-49 John Marshall College - New Jersey (College)
1951-52 Newark Iron Dukes (Independent)
1952-53 Newark Iron Dukes (Independent)
1952-53 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)

1952-53 Berwick Carbuilders (EPBL)
1953-54 Berwick Carbuilders (EPBL)
1953-54 Jersey Titans (Independent)
1954-55 Carbondale (Independent)
1954-55 Williamsport Billies (EPBL)
1955-56 Hazleton Hawks (EPBL)

McConnell signed with the Milwaukee Hawks on February 16, 1953, and would play 14 games with the Hawks, scoring 68 points. He failed to make the Hawks that fall and was released on October 5, 1953. He signed with the Jersey Titans and would bounce around various teams and leagues in the East for a few more years.

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mcconbu01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=mcconbu01

T.J. Whittaker

Thomas Joseph "T.J." Whittaker, Jr.


Born:
June 30, 1926
New Orleans, LA

Died:
June 15, 1991



Career
1944-45 Jesuit High School - New Orleans (High School)
1948-49 New Orleans Sports (SPBL)

Whittaker made his name in high school on the baseball diamond. The pitcher and infielder would be signed by the New York Giants after leading his Jesuit team to the American Legion tournament in 1945. After being rocked in two appearances with the Giants' farm club in Class-B Trenton, he was shipped down to their Class-D team in Springfield, Ohio. He would win ten games there but would be let go at the end of the season. He would play basketball with the New Orleans Sports in 1948-49, averaging 6.3 points in the 26 games I could find a box score for.

Minor League Baseball Stats:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=whitta001tho

Source:


Stats:

Sterling Scott

Sterling Charles Scott


Born:
June 14, 1920
Mercer, KY

Died:
February 8, 2008



Career
1948-49 New Orleans Sports (SPBL)

Updated 10/31/2025

Sterling, standing 6'8, played basketball at Valparaiso and would wind up playing for the New Orleans Sports in the Southern League.

Source:


Stats:

Rivoli

Rivoli


Born:



Died:




Career
1948-49 New Orleans Sports (SPBL)

Nothing much given except last name in the box score from

Could be Riviello, Rivolo, Revoli... only Rivoli I found from New Orleans of the right approximate age is Rock Rivoli (1921-1987), but as of now, his identity is a mystery.


Source:


Stats:

Jerry Lewis

Jerry Lewis


Born:
December 14, 1926
Brooklyn, NY

Died:
June 9, 1976



Career
1943-44 Seward Park High School - New York (High School)
1944-45 Long Island University (College)
1945-46 Long Island University (College)
1947-48 Long Island University (College)
1948-49 Montgomery Rebels (SPBL)

Lewis, who was 5'11 and 170 pounds, was born to Max and Frances Lewis and played basketball at LIU. 

Source:


Stats:

John Hoffman

John William Hoffman


Born:
November 30, 1923 ??
Buffalo, NY

 :




Career
(High School)
LIU before war?? (College)
1948-49 Birmingham Steelers (SPBL)

Might still be living

Minor League Baseball Stats
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=hoffma003joh

Source:


Stats:

Johnny Casteix

John Joseph Casteix, Jr.


Born:
September 1, 1927
New Orleans, LA

Died:
February 2, 1983
New Orleans, LA??


Career
1943-44 Loyola University - New Orleans (College)
1944-45 Loyola University - New Orleans (College)
1945-46 Loyola University - New Orleans (College)
1946-47 Loyola University - New Orleans (College)
1947-48 Loyola University - New Orleans (College)
1948-49 New Orleans Sports (SPBL)

Born to John and Maude Casteix, Johnny starred on the basketball court at Loyola. He would play Johnny's younger brother Hugh also played basketball at Loyola. John would run for state representative for the Seventh Ward in New Orleans in 1966.

John married Lucille Lussa and they had four children.

Source:
"Fight, Grin and Squarely Play the Game" by Ramon A. Vargas and Peter Finney

Stats:

Back

Back


Born:



Died:




Career
1948-49 Nashville Vols (SPBL)

Played one game for Nashville on February 20, 1949, scoring two points. Not sure who he is. He could be "Beck" or "Bock."

There was a Dale Beck in Nashville who played basketball and football at Howard HS. However, he graduated in 1949 and likely did not play for the Vols while still in HS. He went on to Vanderbilt where he played football. His older brother Dick was an athlete who is a more likely age to be the mystery Beck, but it appears he was strictly a baseball player.


Source:


Stats:

Bob Teubert

Bob Teubert


Born:



Died:




Career
1947-48 Birmingham Vulcans (SPBL)

Appears in the box score as "Toubert." The story refers to him as "Bob Teubert." Could be other variations of spelling his name. Taubert. Tauber. Either way, can't ID him.

Source:


Stats:

Neil Tanner

Neil Tanner


Born:



Died:




Career
1947-48 Birmingham Vulcans (SPBL)

Neil Tanner played in a couple games for the Birmingham Vulcans.

Source:


Stats:

Bob Steger

Bob Steger


Born:



Died:




Career
1947-48 Birmingham Vulcans (SPBL)

An article mentioned his first name is Bob. Beyond that, not sure of who he is. Could be Steger, Stieger, Steiger....

Source:


Stats:

Harpe

Harpe


Born:



Died:




Career
1947-48 Mobile Gulls (SPBL)

Played one game for the Gulls, on February 15, 1948, vs Montgomery. Is it really Harper?

Source:


Stats:

Feldman

Feldman


Born:



Died:




Career
1947-48 Jackson Senators (SPBL)

A player listed as Feldman played one game for Jackson on February 14, 1948.

Source:


Stats:

Tom Davidson

Tom Davidson


Born:



Died:




Career
1947-48 Nashville Vols (SPBL)

He signed with the Vols, but have yet to see a box score showing he played. 6'3 from West Tennessee.

Source:


Stats:

B. Avery

B. Avery


Born:



Died:




Career
1947-48 Bessemer Whiz Kids (SPBL)

Not sure of even the first name of this player for Bessemer. He is not Bartle Avery who played basketball and baseball at Alabama in the early 1940's. Bartle Avery was killed in combat in Germany in April of 1945.

Source:


Stats:

Stivers

Stivers


Born:



Died:




Career
1952-53 Pawtucket Slaters (ABL)

Played one unknown game for Pawtucket.

Source:


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:

Offerman

Offerman


Born:



Died:




Career
1952-53 Scranton Miners (ABL)

Played one game for Scranton, but I have not seen which game.

Source:


Stats:

McGraw

McGraw


Born:



Died:




Career
1952-53 Pawtucket Slaters (ABL)

Played one game for the Slaters. Identity unknown.

Source:


Stats: