Ed Kassler

Edward George Kassler
(Also played under the name Artie Edwards)


Born:
July 21, 1923
New York, NY

Died:
March 7, 2011
Homestead, FL


Career
1942-43 Long Island University (College)
1946-47 Long Island University (College)
1946-47 Cohoes Mastadons (NYSL)
1946-47 Gloversville Glovers (NYSL)
1947-48 Bridgeport Springwoods (EBL-Ct)
1947-48 Mohawk Redskins (NYSL)
1947-48 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)
1947-48 Paterson Crescents (ABL)
1948-49 Mohawk Redskins (NYSL)
1948-49 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1949-50 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1950-51 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1951-52 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1952-53 Scranton Miners (ABL)

1952-53 Wilkes-Barre Aces (EPBL)

1952-53 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1953-54 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1954-55 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1955-56 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1956-57 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1957-58 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1958-59 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1959-60 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1960-61 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1961-62 St. Rose High School - Carbondale, PA (High School) Head coach
1962-63 Oneonta State University (College) Head coach
1963-64 Oneonta State University (College) Head coach
1964-65 Oneonta State University (College) Head coach
1965-66 Oneonta State University (College) Head coach
1966-67 Oneonta State University (College) Head coach
1967-68 Oneonta State University (College) Head coach
1968-69 Oneonta State University (College) Head coach
1969-70 Oneonta State University (College) Head coach
1970-71 Oneonta State University (College) Head coach 

While playing at LIU, Kassler played pro basketball in the New York State League under the name "Artie Edwards." When Coach Bee found out about this in March of 1947, he was kicked off the team permanently.

After a decent ABL career, Kassler, a World War 2 veteran who served in the Pacific, had coaching success first at St. Rose HS and then at Oneonta State.

Ed married Geraldine Dockery in 1947 and they had five daughters and a son.

Source:
https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/sports/local-coaching-legend-eddie-kassler-dies-1.1115760

Stats:

Milt Breenberg

Milton Breenberg


Born:
September 25, 1923
New York

Died:
February 13, 2017
Livingston, NJ


Career
1945-46 CCNY (College)
1946-47 CCNY (College)
1947-48 Jersey City Atoms / Scranton Miners (ABL)
1948-49 Brooklyn Gothams (ABL)

Born to Benjamin and Lena Breenberg, Milt played baseball and basketball at CCNY. He was declared ineligible when it was discovered he played pro baseball. Breenberg would play two seasons in the ABL.

Milton married 1946 or 1947 while in school

Source:


Stats:

1947-48 Jersey City Atoms / Scranton Miners (ABL)

1947-48 JERSEY CITY ATOMS / SCRANTON MINERS
AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE (II)
16-16 .500, 4th place
First Round: Lost to Paterson, 2-0

The Atoms had attendance issues through the first few months, and in the middle of January the team changed its home to Union City, New Jersey, while looking for a more suitable location. After spitting two games as Union City, the 8-9 team moved to Scranton to become the Miners. Red Wallace took over as player/coach and lead the new-look club to a fourth place finish and a spot in the ABL Playoffs.


Head coaches:

• Bernie Fliegel (May 13, 1918 - December 3, 2009) 8-9
• Red Wallace (July 12, 1918 - July 7, 1977) 8-7. Also played. See below.

PLAYERS: 

• Ace (Abbott) Goldstein  (March 20, 1917 - October 8, 1960)

Biography

• Red Allen 

Biography 

• George Babich (December 3, 1920 - February 14, 1981)

Biography

• Milt Breenberg (September 25, 1923 - February 13, 2017)

Biography 

• Saul Cohen (April 22, 1921 - March 14, 2018)

Biography 

• Norm Drucker (July 4, 1920 - February 6, 2015)

Biography

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

Biography

• Bob Fitzgerald (March 14, 1923 - July 23, 1983)

Biography

• Pop Goodwin (December 22, 1920 - May 17, 2005)

Biography

• Tony Karpowich (August 20, 1919 - June 3, 1972)

Biography

• Ed Kassler (July 21, 1923 - March 7, 2011)

Biography 

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

Biography

• Roy Leenig (August 22, 1920 - November 8, 1982)

Biography 

• Artie Lockheed (March 4, 1921 - November 22, 2014)

Biography

• Johnny Macknowski (b. January 7, 1923)

Biography

• Bernard Opper (September 1, 1915 - February 24, 2000)

Biography

• Ben Pagiarolli (November 29, 1921 - April 11, 1985)

Biography

• Red Pasch (August 1, 1920 - November 2, 1997)

Biography 
 

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

Biography

• Lou Simon (February 13, 1916 - December 1973)

Biography

• Sid Tanenbaum (October 8, 1925 - September 4, 1986)

Biography

• Joey Thomas (November 12, 1919 - November 24, 1997)

Biography

• Vince Verdeschi (March 24, 1925 - August 16, 1965)

Biography

• Red Wallace (July 12, 1918 - July 7, 1977)

Biography

• Red Walsh ((March 17, 1924 - March 26, 2002)

Biography

• Tony Zaycek (July 6, 1916 - February 23, 1999)

Biography

Von Derlinde

Von Derlinde or Van der Linden or Vonder Linden


Born:



Died:




Career
(High School)
(College)
1938-39 Effert AA - Brooklyn (Independent) ?? 
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Played one game.

Their was a Leonard Vonder Linden (married to Delphine Krum in 1945) from Union City, New Jersey, who served in the coast guard during World War 2. Not saying he is necessarily the player, because I have no information he was an athlete. But given his name and location, he could be related to the player and is worth digging into. His father is L. Vonder Linden and his cousin is named Russell.

Source:


Stats:

George Syby

George Syby


Born:
November 26, 1915
Jersey City, NJ

Died:
December 27, 2000
Hackettstown, NJ


Career
Long Island University (College) ??
1945-46 Boca Raton Bombers (Military) Head coach / player
1945-46 Dayton Mickeys (Independent)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)
1946-47 Binghamton Triplets / Pottsville Maroons (EPBL)
1947-48 Pottsville Packers (EPBL) Head coach / player
1948-49 Brooklyn Gothams (ABL)

Born to Michael and Anastasia Syby, George served in the U.S. Army during World War 2. He played baseball and basketball while in the military. He played with Jersey City in the ABL in 1946-47 as well as Binghamton and Pottsville in the Eastern League. After a stint as a playing head coach with Pottsville in 1957-48, he joined the Brooklyn Gothams in 1948.

Source:


Stats:

Bernie Rutledge

Bernard James Rutledge


Born:
October 1, 1923
New York

Died:
April 20, 1954
Oyster Bay, NY


Career
1939-40 Chaminade High School - Long Island, NY (High School)
1940-41 Chaminade High School - Long Island, NY (High School)
1941-42 Notre Dame University (College) Freshmen
1942-43 Notre Dame University (College)
1943-44 Notre Dame University (College)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)
1947-48 Utica Olympics (NYSL)

Born to James and Katherine Rutledge, Bernie played football, basketball and track at Chaminade HS on Long Island. His father died when Bernie was six years old, leaving their mother to raise the five children on her own. He went to Notre Dame after high school and entered the U.S. Navy's V-12 program while there. After Notre Dame, he served in World War 2. He played basketball for the Jersey City Atoms after the war.

Rutledge died in 1954 at the age of 30. Not sure what the cause was.

Source:
Notre Dame Scholastic, January 14, 1944, page 14

Stats:

Palmeri

Palmeri


Born:



Died:




Career
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Played one game for the Atoms. First name not known, and I haven't found the box score of his one game yet.

Few possibilities:
Russell "Zot" Palmeri - played football and basketball at Neptune HS in New Jersey, served in the U.S. Army during World War 2. Died suddenly in March of 1947 at the age of 30. This means he died shortly after his only game with Jersey City.
Johnny Palmeri - played American Legion and independent basketball around Monmouth, NJ, in Dec of 1947
Bob Palmeri - played YMCA basketball in Hoboken, NJ, in spring of 1948

Maybe his name is actually spelled "Palmieri."


Source:


Stats:

Vinnie Michaels

Vincent Michaels

born Vincent Anthony Michele

Born:
July 28, 1920
North Bergen, NJ

Died:
July 4, 1994

Dover, NJ


Career
1937-38 Union Hill High School (High School)
1939-40 Seton Hall University (College)
1940-41 Seton Hall University (College)
1941-42 Seton Hall University (College)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Born Vincent Michele but known at Seton Hall as Vincent Michaels. Parents are James and Marjorie Michele. 5'6 and 130 pounds, his college career was interrupted by World War 2.

Source:
Asbury Park Press, April 1, 1989

The Record, April 3, 1991

Stats:

John Marty

John Marty


Born:



Died:




Career
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)



There is a John A Marty from New Jersey (1919-1974) that this player could be.

Source:


Stats:

Herb Maack

Herbert Henry Maack


Born:
April 16, 1917
Union City, NJ

Died:
May 5, 2007
Narragansett, RI


Career
Hun School of Princeton - New Jersey (Prep school)
1939-40 Columbia University (College)
1941-42 Columbia University (College)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

After playing football and basketball at Columbia, Maack entered the U.S. Navy and served in the South Pacific during World War 2. After the war, he played one season of pro football (with the Brooklyn Dodgers in the AAFC) and one season of pro basketball (with the Jersey City Atoms in the ABL). He went into coaching, starting as a line coach for the Columbia football team in 1946. He moved to Bucknell and then the University of Rhode Island before being named the head football coach at URI in 1956. He lead URI for five seasons. During his time at Bucknell, he also coached the wrestling team.

AAFC Stats:
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/M/MaacHe20.htm

Source:


Stats:

Artie Lockheed

Arthur Newman Lockheed


Born:
March 4, 1921
NY

Died:
November 22, 2014
Stockton, CA


Career
1939-40 St. Francis College - Brooklyn (College) Freshmen
1940-41 St. Francis College - Brooklyn (College)
1941-42 St. Francis College - Brooklyn (College)
1942-43 St. Francis College - Brooklyn (College)
1946-47 Saratoga Indians (NYSL)
1946-47 Newark Bobcats / Yonkers Chiefs (ABL)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)
1947-48 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

After starring on the basketball court for four season at St Frances where he mastered the one-handed shot, Lockheed joined the U.S. Army and served in the Air Corps during World War 2. After the war, he played two seasons with the Jersey City Atoms while teaching at St. Francis Prep and earning a Master's Degree in English Literature. In 1948, he moved out to Stockton, California, where he worked as a teacher until his retirement.

Source:
https://sfcathletics.com/hof.aspx?hof=11

Stats:

Frank Licitra

George Francis "Frank" Licitra


Born:
May 7, 1920
NJ

Died:
May 29, 1986
Mount Laurel, NJ


Career
1938-39 Abraham Lincoln High School - Brooklyn (High School)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Haven't found a heck of a lot about Licitra.


Source:


Stats:

Bobby Lewis

Robert Sayre Lewis


Born:
April 28, 1918
New York, NY

Died:
July 2, 2022
Chevy Chase, MD


Career
1937-38 NYU (College)
1938-39 NYU (College)
1939-40 NYU (College)
1940-41 Phillips 66 Oilers (Independent)
1940-41 Ohrbach - Brooklyn (Independent)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Born to Louis (c. 1887) and Fannie Lewis (c. 1893)
Brother Norman (born Dec 1915) was a champion collegiate fencer in the 1930's. Younger brother Harold (1923-2011) was a well-regarded Physics Professor.

An All-American at NYU, Lewis would go on to play some pro basketball before enlisting in the military in March of 1943. After the war, he would play with the Atoms in the ABL.He later became an accountant.

Source:


Stats:

Mel Ginzburg

Melvin "Hands" Ginzburg


Born:
November 30, 1920
Staten Island (West Brighton), NY

Died:
December 17, 2009
Staten Island, NY


Career
1937-38 Curtis High School - Staten Island, NY (High School)
1938-39 Curtis High School - Staten Island, NY (High School)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

His named was spelled "Ginsberg" in other sources. That was why he was so hard for me to find.

The 6'1 Staten Island native graduated from Curtis HS in 1939, and played a lot of basketball along with two brothers and a cousin in a unit known as "The Flying Ginzburgs." He went into the U.S. Army in 1942 and served during World War 2. After the war, he played five games for the Jersey Atoms and would afterwards become a postman. He retired from the USPS in 1975 and would continute to coach and umpire around Staten Island with the youth and Jewish community centers.

He married Marie Schofield and they had one son and one daughter.



Source:
Obituary

Stats:

Pat Finnegan

Patrick Joseph Finnegan


Born:
September 18, 1921
Hoboken, NJ

Died:
March 23, 2001



Career
1940-41 Fordham University (College)
1941-42 Fordham University (College)
1942-43 Fordham University (College)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Played three games for Jersey City, scoring zero points.

I am 90% certain I have indentified the correct gentleman, but I would like some confirmation. The birthplace and military of Finnegan matches up with the gap in time between Fordham and Jersery City.

Source:


Stats:

Hal Dorn

Harold George Dorn


Born:
October 24, 1923
West New York, NJ

Died:
May 4, 2012
New Jersey


Career
1939-40 Memorial High School - West New York, NJ (High School)
1940-41 Memorial High School - West New York, NJ (High School)
1941-42 Memorial High School - West New York, NJ (High School) 
1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Born to John and Amy Dorn and the younger brother of fellow hoopster Bobby Dorn, Hal graduated from Memorial HS n West New York and played pro basketball in the ABL.


Source:


Stats:

Slim Bornemann

Herbert "Slim" Bornemann


Born:
August 22, 1921
NJ

Died:
September 29, 1981
Trenton, NJ


Career
1935-36 Emerson High School - New Jersey (High School)
1936-37 Emerson High School - New Jersey (High School)
1937-38 Emerson High School - New Jersey (High School)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

The 6'7 Bornemann was a high-scorer at Emerson High School in New Jersey. He served in the U.S. Army during World War 2, and then played briefly with the Jersey City Atoms in the ABL.

Source:


Stats:

Tom Baer

Thomas Baer


Born:
May 6, 1918
Brooklyn, NY

Died:
December 15, 1998



Career
1936-37 Erasmus High School - Brooklyn (High School)

1937-38 Erasmus High School - Brooklyn (High School)

1937-38 92nd Street YMHA - Brooklyn (Independent)
1938-39 St. John's University (College) Freshmen
1939-40 St. John's University (College)
1940-41 St. John's University (College)
1945-46 St. John's University (College)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Standing merely 5'5, Baer graduated Erasmus HS in January of 1938 and would play at St John's, with his time there interrupted by military service during World War 2. He would play with the Jersey City Atoms after finishing at St John's after the war.



Source:


Stats:

George Babich

George Babich


Born:
December 3, 1920
New York, NY

Died:
February 14, 1981
Bayonne, NJ


Career
1940-41 Fordham University (College)
1942-42 Fordham University (College)
1942-43 Fordham University (College)
1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)
1946-47 Saint Peter's University - New Jersey (College) Head coach
1947-48 Scranton Miners (ABL)
1947-48 Saint Peter's University - New Jersey (College) Head coach
1948-49 Saint Peter's University - New Jersey (College) Head coach
1948-49 Brooklyn Gothams (ABL)

Babich played both football and basketball at Fordham. He would play basketball in the ABL while coaching at Saint Peter's University, and then was a professional wrestler in the 1950's.

There was another George Babich from DeKalb, Illinois, born in 1918, died in 1984. His obituary says nothing about Fordham, Saint Peter's, football, wrestling or basketball; he lived for years as an electrician in Chicago. Not the same guy, but he is identified as the baseball player on Wikipedia.

Source:


Stats:

1946-47 Jersey City Atoms (ABL)

Coach Lenny Burns

1946-47 JERSEY CITY ATOMS
AMERICAN BASKETBALL LEAGUE (II)
Northern Division
14-22 .389, 2nd place
First Round: Lost to Philadelphia, 2-1

Atoms coach Lenny Burns resigned on January 2, 1947, due to his conflicts with his other as athletic director at West New York High School in New Jersey. Moe Longo, who was the club's general manager, took over until they hired Paulie Adamo to lead the rest of the way.


Head coaches:

• Lenny Burns (c. 1911 - ????) 6-11
• Moe Longo (April 26, 1920 - November 27, 2004) 2-3
• Paul Adamo (January 11, 1907 - February 29, 1972) 9-12

PLAYERS: 

• George Babich (December 3, 1920 - February 14, 1981)

Biography

• Tom Baer (May 6, 1918 - December 15, 1998
  

Biography

• John Borneman (August 22, 1921 - September 29, 1981)

Biography

• Bill Bornheimer (November 25, 1921 - July 2, 1989)

Biography

• Dan Christie (November 19, 1920 - June 15, 1989)

Biography

• Bobby Dorn (June 21, 1920 - December 27, 1979)

Biography

• Hal Dorn (October 24, 1923 - May 4, 2012)

Biography 

• Pat Finnegan (September 18, 1921 - March 23, 2001)

Biography

• Bernie Fliegel (May 13, 1918 - December 3, 2009)

Biography

• Mel Ginzburg (November 30, 1920 - December 17, 2009)

Biography

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

Biography

• Roy Leenig (August 22, 1920 - November 8, 1982)

Biography 

• Bobby Lewis (April 28, 1918 - July 2, 2022)

Biography

• Frank Licitra (May 7, 1920 - May 29, 1986)

Biography

• Artie Lockheed (March 4, 1921 - November 22, 2014)

Biography

• Herm Maack (April 16, 1917 - May 5, 2007)

Biography

• John Marty  

Biography

• Vinny Michaels (July 28, 1920 - July 4, 1994)

Biography

• Palmeri 

Biography

• Bernie Rutledge (October 1, 1923 - April 20, 1954)

Biography

• Charley Schmidli (August 20, 1920 - April 4, 1985)

Biography

• Lou Simon (February 13, 1916 - December 1973)

Biography

• George Syby (November 26, 1915 - December 27, 2000)

Biography

• Nat Volpe (May 15, 1916 - September 8, 1997)

Biography

• Van Der Linden 

Biography