Bobby Watson

Robert E. Watson


Born:
March 22, 1930
Central City, KY

Died:
January 31, 2017
Owensboro, KY


Career
1946-47 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School)
1947-48 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School)
1949-50 University of Kentucky (College)
1950-51 University of Kentucky (College)
1951-52 University of Kentucky (College)
1954-55 Minneapolis Lakers (NBA)
1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1957-58 Henderson County High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1958-59 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1959-60 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1960-61 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1961-62 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1962-63 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1963-64 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1964-65 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1965-66 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1966-67 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1967-68 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1968-69 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1969-70 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1970-71 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1971-72 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1972-73 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1973-74 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1974-75 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1975-76 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1976-77 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1977-78 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach
1978-79 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach 
1979-80 Owensboro High School - Kentucky (High School) Head coach

Watson went to Kentucky wher ehe was a member of the 1951 NCAA Championship team. He became the fifth Wildcat to score 1000 points in his career. Watson was drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks in 1952 but served in the U.S. Air Force in the Korean War. He signed with the Minneapolis Lakers in late 1954 and played with the team until February 16, 1955, when he was traded to the Milwaukee Hawks for Lew Hitch. His playing career was shortened by an injury, we would go to coach basketball back at Owensboro High School, winning state titles in 1972 and 1980.

Bobby married Diane Hunt and they had one son and one daughter.

Source:
Obituary, WKYT

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/watsobo01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=watsobo01

Frank Selvy

Franklin Delano Selvy


Born:
November 9, 1932
Corbin, KY

Died:
August 13, 2024
Simpsonville, SC


Career
1948-49 Corbin High School - Kentucky (High School)
1949-50 Corbin High School - Kentucky (High School)
1950-51 Furman University - South Carolina (College) Freshmen
1951-52 Furman University - South Carolina (College)
1952-53 Furman University - South Carolina (College)
1953-54 Furman University - South Carolina (College)
1954-55 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1955-56 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1957-58 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1957-58 Minneapolis Lakers (NBA)
1958-59 New York Knicks (NBA)
1959-60 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1959-60 Minneapolis Lakers (NBA)
1960-61 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
1961-62 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
1962-63 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
1963-64 Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
1966-67 Furman University - South Carolina (College) Head coach
1967-68 Furman University - South Carolina (College) Head coach 
1968-69 Furman University - South Carolina (College) Head coach
1969-70 Furman University - South Carolina (College) Head coach  


On February 13, 1954, Furman was celebrating their favorite senior with Frank Selvy night in a game against Newberry College. Selvy was averaging over 40 point per game, highest in the country. With 4000 fans, including many friends and family members from Kentucky, packed in to Textile Hall, Coach Lyles Ally told his team to get the ball to Selvy and let him do the work on his special night. What wound up happening is Selvy hit 41 of 66 field goal attempts and also scored 18 from the line to score a staggering 100 points, a record that still stands for a Division I team. (Newberry College was not a Division 1 opponent. The record for points in a game by a Division 1 player against a Division I opponent is 72 by Kevin Bradshaw.)

Selvy was the first overall selection in the 1954 NBA draft by the Baltimore Bullets. The Bullets franchise dissolved shortly into the 1954-55 season, and Selvy was selected by the Milwaukee Hawks in the dispersal draft. He would average 19 points per game in his rookie year and was partly into his second season with the Hawks (now in St Louis) when he entered the U.S. Army. He would spend two years in the service and returned to the Hawks in 1958. The Hawks traded him to the Lakers in mid-February of 1958, and joined the New York Knicks for the 1958-59 season. After a year with the Knicks, he was waived on the eve of the 59-60 season. He was claimed by the Nationals and spent about six weeks with Syracuse before being sold back to the Lakers. He spent the rest of his nine year career in Los Angeles before retiring in 1964 as a two-time All-Star. He returned to Furman to coach the team for four seasons.

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/selvyfr01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=selvyfr01

Bob Pettit

Robert Lee Pettit, Jr.


Born:
December 12, 1932
Baton Rouge, LA

 :




Career
1948-49 Baton Rouge High School - Louisiana (High School)
1949-50 Baton Rouge High School - Louisiana (High School)
1950-51 Louisiana State University (College) Freshmen
1951-52 Louisiana State University (College)
1952-53 Louisiana State University (College)
1953-54 Louisiana State University (College)
1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1955-56 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1956-57 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1957-58 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1958-59 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1959-60 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1960-61 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1961-62 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1962-63 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1963-64 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)
1964-65 St. Louis Hawks (NBA)

NATIONAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME, 1971

With a slim 6'9 frame, Bob Pettit went from LSU star to an 11-year career that saw him as one of the most effective scoring threats the NBA has ever seen.

Born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to Robert and Mary Pettit, young Bob didn't take to the sport right away, failing to make the high school team at first. Before his junior year, his dad, formerly the Sheriff of the East Baton Rouge Parish, pushed him to keep working at it. His work ethic, coupled with a growth spurt of five inches, got him on the school team in his junior year and he was named all-City. In his senior year, he lead the school to their first state championship.

Pettit received many scholarship offers, but chose to stay in state and go to LSU. A starter for all three years of varsity basketball, Pettit was twice named All-American as he average just under 28 points per game.  As a senior, he was the second play in major college history to average over 30 points in a season.

Pettit was selected second overall in the 1954 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Hawks. He moved from center to forward, and the hapless Hawks would see their fortunes improve as Pettit would win Rookie of the Year honors. The team moved to St. Louis the following season, and the team kept improving and in 1957 would win their first NBA championship. Pettit was in his prime, finishing regularly near the top of the league in scoring and rebounding and being a thorn in the side of the men he defended against.

Pettit would play 11 seasons with the Hawks, retiring in 1965. He had been named to the All-Star team every season he played, being selected as the All-Star Game MVP four times as well as being named the league's MVP twice. He lead the league in scoring twice, and at his retirement held the career points record with 20,880 (at the time I write this, he is in 43rd place in career points now, but his average of 26.4 points per game for his career is good for 8th place all-time).

After retiring from basketball, Pettit went to work in banking and later as a financial advisor as a co-founder of Equitas Capitol Investors. He was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1971 and was one of the NBA's 50 greatest players selected for the NBA's 50 Anniversary celebration.

Pettit married Carol Crowell in 1965 (d. 2010) and they had three children.

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/pettibo01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=pettibo01

Jackie Moore

John T. "Jackie" Moore


Born:
September 24, 1932
Philadelphia, PA

 :




Career
1947-48 Overbrook High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1948-49 Overbrook High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1949-50 Overbrook High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1951-52 La Salle University (College)
1952-53 La Salle University (College)
1953-54 La Salle University (College)
1954-55 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1954-55 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1954-55 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1955-56 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1956-57 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)

Moore leaded his Overbook HS basketball team to three straight Public League championships before heading to La Salle, where he would be the first black player on the basketball team. He was declared academically ineligibile in spring of 1954 and left school that summer. He signed with the Syracuse Nationals and played one game before being cut on November 3, 1954. He signed with the Milwaukee Hawks, and played one game against the Lakers before being cut again. He found his way to Sunbury in the Eastern League where he caught the attention of the Philadelphia Warriors. Moore signed with the Warriors and played for them for three seasons before a knee injury cut his career short. He was asked to help a young player by the name of Wilt Chamberlain to learn some of the finer points of the game, and Moore gets a lot of credit for helping Wilt to become one of the greatest players the game had ever seen. Moore eventually moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he is a well-respected man of the community, volunteering his time to help with people with substance abuse problems and driving people to medical appointments.

Source:
exnba.com, March 28, 2013
Philadelphia Tribune, January 27, 2014

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mooreja01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=mooreja01

Carl McNulty

Carl Edwin McNulty


Born:
February 14, 1930
Logansport, IN

Died:
January 14, 2020



Career
1946-47 Washington Township High School - Indiana (High School)
1947-48 Washington Township High School - Indiana (High School)
1949-50 Purdue University (College)
1950-51 Purdue University (College)
1951-52 Purdue University (College)
1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1954-55 Rochester High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1955-56 Rochester High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1956-57 Elwood High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1957-58 Elwood High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1958-59 Elwood High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1959-60 Elwood High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1960-61 La Porte High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1961-62 La Porte High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1962-63 La Porte High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1963-64 La Porte High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1964-65 La Porte High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1965-66 La Porte High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach 
1966-67 Warren Central High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1967-68 Warren Central High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach 
1968-69 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1969-70 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1970-71 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1971-72 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1972-73 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1973-74 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1974-75 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1975-76 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1976-77 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1977-78 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1978-79 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1979-80 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1980-81 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1981-82 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1982-83 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1983-84 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1984-85 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
1985-86 Kokomo High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach

Coming out of tiny Washington Township High School, McNulty would move on to Purdue where he who twice be selected the team's MVP and was named All-Big Ten. He would set both single game and season scoring records for the Boilermakers, and once pulled down 27 rebounds in a single game, still the school record as of this blog's publication. McNulty was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1952 NBA Draft. He would play in one game a few years later with the Milwaukee Hawks. He went on to be a successful high school coach in Indiana, leading Kokomo High School to 13 sectional titles. One player he coached at LaPorte HS was future NBA player and MLB pitcher Ron Reed. McNulty was also a great softball player, playing into his 60's and being inducted into the Indiana Softball Hall of Fame.

Source:
Indiana Hoops Hall
Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN), February 5, 2017
Pharos Tribune, February 9, 2017
kokomoperspective.com, February 20, 2018

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mcnulca01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=mcnulca01

Ken McBride

Kenneth Stanford McBride


Born:
May 23, 1929
Centralia, IL

Died:
May 14, 2005
Centralia, IL


Career
1946-47 Centralia High School - Illinois (High School)
1948-49 Maryland State College (College)
1949-50 Maryland State College (College)
1950-51 Maryland State College (College)
1951-52 Maryland State College (College)
1952-53 Camp Gordon (Military)
1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1954-55 Kansas City Stars (Independent)
1955-56 Harlem Magicians (Independent)
1956-57 Harlem Magicians (Independent)

After a stellar career of basketball at Maryland State, McBride was drafted in 1952 by the Syracuse Nationals. However, he served in the U.S. Army prior to continuing on with his professional basketball career. After the army, McBride was released by the Nationals and signed by the Milwaukee Hawks. He started the season on a high note, pouring in 30 points against the Knicks in the Hawks' second game of the season. However, his game was little inconsistent and he by December of 1954 he was farmed out to the Kansas City Stars to polish his game up. He never returned to the NBA, and played a few more seasons with barnstorming independent teams.

Source:
News-Record (Neenah, WI), December 24, 1954

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mcbrike01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=mcbrike01

Phil Martin

Phillip Roger Martin


Born:
April 2, 1928
Jackson, MI

Died:
June 24, 2008
Dallas, TX


Career
1944-45 Jackson High School - Michigan (High School)
1950-51 Michigan State University (College) Freshmen
1951-52 University of Toledo (College)
1952-53 University of Toledo (College)
1953-54 University of Toledo (College)
1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)

Martin graduated from Jackson high School and served two years in the U.S. Navy before heading to college. He went to Michigan State for a year before transferring to Toledo where he would star on the basketball team and was names the best college player in Ohio. Martin was drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks in the 1954 NBA Draft and played with the Hawks for part of the 1954-55 season.

Source:
Toledo Rockets

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/martiph01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=martiph01

Ronnie MacGilvray

Ronald Gordon MacGilvray
born Ronald Gordon Griffith


Born:
July 20, 1930
Poughkeepsie, NY

Died:
February 11, 2007



Career
Sewanhaka High School - Floral Park, NY (High School)
1949-50 St. John's University (College)
1950-51 St. John's University (College)
1951-52 St. John's University (College)
1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)

Confusing life story for Ronnie. I am trying to piece it together.

Ronald Gordon Griffith was born in 1930 to Donald Parkhurst Griffith and Beatrice (Plass). At some point before attending St John's, Ronald took on the name MacGilvray. It appears that Beatrice was later married to a Robert MacGilvray, so I am thinking that Donald Griffith either died or divorced, and when Beatrice remarried, the Ronald and his brother Roger took their step-father's name. (All of this could be way off. I am going with the information I can find.)

MacGilvray played basketball at St. John's University and was selected in the 1952 draft by the Rochester Royals, but he served in the U.S. Army for two years. In fall of 1954, we returned to the Royals but was cut two days before the opening of the 1954-55 season. He was signed by the Milwaukee Hawks and played six games for them before being released. He died in 2007, although as of the date of this blog entry, no one outside of his family seemed to be aware of his passing, even 12 years later.

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/macgiro01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=macgiro01

Fred Diute

Fred Homer Diute


Born:
January 9, 1929
Binghamton, NY

Died:
July 19, 2004
Veru Beach, FL


Career
1945-46 Central High School - Binghamton, NY (High School)
1946-47 Central High School - Binghamton, NY (High School)
1947-48 St. Bonaventure (College) Freshmen
1948-49 St. Bonaventure (College)
1949-50 St. Bonaventure (College)
1950-51 St. Bonaventure (College)

1951-52 2nd Regiment  - Indian Gap, PA (Military)

1952-53 Harrisburg Senators (EPBL)
1953-54 Brockport Monarchs - New York (Semi-pro)
1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)

1954-55 Wilkes-Barre Barons

Born and raised in Binghamton, New York, Diute played at St, Bonaventure before being drafted by the Rochester Royals in the 1951 NBA Draft. He would serve in the army during the Korean War, and after the war was released by the Royals prior to the 1953-54 season opener. He turned down an offer to play in the National Industrial League to stay close to home. After playing some semi-pro basketball, he would sign with the Hawks in November of 1954. He would play in seven games before being released, only scoring 11 points. Out of basketball, he would work for many years for Champion Sports in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Diute died of cancer in 2004.

Source:
https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/pressconnects/obituary.aspx?n=fred-diute&pid=87881199

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/diutefr01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=diutefr01

1954-55 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)

1954-55 MILWAUKEE HAWKS
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Western Division
Finished: 26-46 .361, 4th place

The continuously losing Hawks totally revamped their roster, only bringing back six players. The most exciting addition was future Hall of Fame player Bob Pettit. Pettit would average over 20 points a game for the Hawks and be named Rookie of the Year, but unfortunately the Hawks finished in last place yet again.

Head Coach:

• Red Holzman (August 10, 1920 - November 13, 1998)

PLAYERS: 

• Bill Calhoun (November 4, 1927 - December 17, 2024)

Biography

• Chuck Cooper (September 29, 1926 - February 5, 1984)

Biography

• Fred Diute (January 9, 1929 - July 19, 2004)

Biography 

• Alex Hannum (July 19, 1923 - January 18, 2002)

Biography

• Bob Harrison (August 12, 1927 - March 3, 2024)

Biography 

• Lew Hitch (July 16, 1929 - February 8, 2012)

Biography

• Ronnie MacGilvray (July 20, 1930 - February 11, 2007)

Biography

• Phil Martin (April 2, 1928 - June 24, 2008)

Biography

• Ken McBride (May 23, 1929 - May 14, 2005)

Biography

• Carl McNulty (February 14, 1930 - January 14, 2020)

Biography

• Jackie Moore (b. September 24, 1932)

Biography 

• Bob Pettit (b. December 12, 1932)

Biography

• George Ratkovicz (November 13, 1922 - November 10, 2007)

Biography

• Pep Saul (February 16, 1924 - November 7, 2019)

Biography 

• Frank Selvy (November 9, 1932 - August 13, 2024)

Biography

• Chuck Share (March 14, 1927 - June 7, 2012)

Biography

• Bobby Watson (March 22, 1930 - January 31, 2017)

Biography

Don Sunderlage

Don James Sunderlage


Born:
December 20, 1929
Roselle, IL

Died:
July 15, 1961
Lake Geneva, WI


Career
1944-45 Elgin High School - Illinois (High School) JV
1945-46 Elgin High School - Illinois (High School)
1946-47 Elgin High School - Illinois (High School)
1947-48 University of Illinois (College) Freshmen
1948-49 University of Illinois (College)
1949-50 University of Illinois (College)
1950-51 University of Illinois (College)
1953-54 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1954-55 Minneapolis Lakers (NBA)

Born in Illinois, Sunderlage's father Alfred died suddenly when Don was 2 years old. Don would grow up to play basketball at Elgin HS and then the University of Illinois. He helped the Illini to the 1951 NCAA Championship. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1951 NBA Draft, but military service delayed the start of his professional basketball career. He finally settled with the Milwaukee Hawks, and in his rookie season of 1953-54 scored 11.2 points per game and was named to the All-Star team. In September of 1954, Sunderlage was traded to the Lakers for Pep Saul. His playing time diminished quickly with the Lakers and he was released on February 3, 1955. He returned to Elgin where he would work at an insurance firm.

In July of 1961, Don and his wife Mary were driving in a terrible thunderstorm near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, when their car collided with another, killing both Don and Mary. They left behind a 18-month old son.

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/sundedo01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=sundedo01

Bob Peterson

Robert Peterson


Born:
January 25, 1932
Menlo Park, CA

Died:
July 30, 2011
San Jose, CA


Career
1947-48 Sequoia High School - Redwood City, CA (High School)
1948-49 Sequoia High School - Redwood City, CA (High School)
1949-50 College of San Mateo (College)
1950-51 University of Oregon (College)
1951-52 University of Oregon (College)
1953-54 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
1953-54 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1954-55 New York Knicks (NBA)
1955-56 New York Knicks (NBA)

Born in Menlo Park, California, Peterson went to school in Redwood City before graduating and playing a year at the College of San Mateo. He transferred to Oregon where his basketball prowess would catch the interest of the Baltimore Bullets who drafted him in 1952. He served in the army before being selected again by the Bullets in 1953. After four games he was let go and joined the Milwaukee Hawks. He was signed as a free agent by the New York Knicks in January of 1955 and played for the Knicks for two seasons. His career was on an upswing as he averaged 14.3 points in the 1955-56 season. Sadly, injuries would eventually shorten Big Pete's basketball career,and he returned to California to work in the mortgage and finance industry. After retiring, he started BBQ Boys, a catering company with his son.

Bob married his high school sweetheart Jo in 1953 and they had one son and three daughters

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/peterbo01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=peterbo01

Bob Houbregs

Robert John Houbregs


Born:
March 12, 1932
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Died:
May 28, 2014
Olympia, WA


Career
1948-49 Queen Anne High School - Seattle (High School)
1950-51 University of Washington (College)
1951-52 University of Washington (College)
1952-53 University of Washington (College)
1953-54 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1953-54 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
1954-55 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
1954-55 Boston Celtics (NBA)
1954-55 Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA)
1955-56 Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA)
1956-57 Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA)
1957-58 Detroit Pistons (NBA)

NATIONAL BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME, 1987


The 6'7 center and forward with a sweet hook shot was an All-American was Washington, scoring 1774 points in three years there, scoring 49 of them in one game against Idaho in his senior year. He lead the Huskies to the NCAA Final Four in 1953, and afterwards was drafted in the first round (third overall) by the Milwaukee Hawks in the 1953 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Baltimore Bullets barely a month into the 1953-54. When the Bullets dissolved in the early part of the next season, Houbregs was selected by the Celtics in the Bullets Dispersal draft.  He would go on to play 5 years in the NBA with four different franchises.

Done with playing basketball. he did not leave the sport. He would serve as the Seattle SuperSonics' general manager during their early years from 1969 to 1973. Houbregs would be elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987.

Source:
http://www.hoophall.com

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/houbrbo01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=houbrbo01

Gene Dyker

Eugene Walter Dyker


Born:
February 17, 1930
Chicago, IL

Died:
January 25, 1966 (date approximated)
Chicago, IL


Career
1947-48 St. Patrick High School - Chicago (High School)
1948-49 St. Patrick High School - Chicago (High School)
1949-50 De Paul University (College)
1950-51 De Paul University (College)
1951-52 De Paul University (College)
1952-53 Toledo Mercuries (Independent)
1952-53 Boston Whirlwinds (Independent)
1953-54 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1953-54 Johnny Lattner All-Stars (Independent)


Dyker, a prep star at St. Patrick, went on to De Paul where quickly became an important part of the team. The 6'6 center was one of the top scorers on the team in 1951-52, but was ruled ineligible for his senior season in September of 1952. He tried out for the Milwaukee Hawks of the NBA in the fall of 1953, but did not make the team. However, in December of that year, he would sign with the club to take the place of Bob Peterson. He played in 11 games for the Hawks before being released at the end of the month, scoring 16 points in limited play. Dyker also played basketball for the Toledo Mercuries, who toured with the Harlem Globetrotters.

Gene Dyker died suddenly in 1966 at the age of 35.

Gene married Margaret Keane and they had three sons and two daughters.

Source:
Chicago Tribune, January 27, 1966

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dykerge01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=dykerge01

Irv Bemoras

Irving Bemoras


Born:
November 18, 1930
Chicago, IL

Died:
November 1, 2007
Buffalo Grove, IL


Career
1947-48 John Marshall High School - Chicago (High School)
1948-49 John Marshall High School - Chicago (High School)
1950-51 University of Illinois (College)
1951-52 University of Illinois (College)
1952-53 University of Illinois (College)
1953-54 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1956-57 St. Louis  Hawks (NBA)

Born to Turkish immigrants, Bemoras helped Marshall High School to the City Basketball championship in 1948. He went on to the University of Illinois, where his defensive prowess helped the Illini into two Big Ten titles and a Final Four appearance. After playing three years at Illinois, Bemoras was drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks in the third round of the 1953 NBA Draft. After playing one year with the Hawks, averaging 7.4 points per game in 69 games. He served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956, and returned to the Hawks in 1956, although by this time the Hawks have moved to St. Louis. He left the game in 1957 and would run his own insurance company in the Chicago area.

Irving married Sally Lapedus in 1957 and they had two sons and a daughter.

Source:
Jews In Sports
Chicago Tribune, November 30, 2007




Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bemorir01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=bemorir01

1953-54 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)

1953-54 MILWAUKEE HAWKS
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Western Division
Finished: 21-51 .292, 4th place

The Hawks had avoided the cellar in 1952-53 thanks to an even-worse Indianapolis club. However, with the Olympians gone, the cellar was wide open for the Hawks. They started the season with a stunning victory against the Minneapolis Lakers on the defending champion's home floor. Feeling optimistic, the Hawks luck turned and they went on to lose 10-straight and returned deep into the cellar where they would remain all season. On February 1, 1954, Coach Fuzzy Levane was replaced by veteran player Red Holzman. Holzman, who also played in 51 games with the Hawks that season, fared slightly better bu the Hawks would finish the season winning six fewer games. For Holzman, it was the beginning of a lengthy coaching career that would eventually see him win to NBA title with the Knicks en route to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Until then, though, he was mired in Milwaukee.

Head Coaches

• Fuzzy Levane (April 11, 1920 - April 30, 2012) 11-35
• Red Holzman (August 10, 1920 - November 13, 1998) 10-16

PLAYERS:

• Irv Bemoras (November 18, 1930 - November 1, 2007)

Biography

• Bill Calhoun (November 4, 1927 - December 17, 2024)

Biography

• Gene Dyker (February 17, 1930 - January  1966)

Biography

• Bob Harrison (August 12, 1927 - March 3, 2024)

Biography 

• Lew Hitch (July 16, 1929 - February 8, 2012)

Biography

• Red Holzman (August 10, 1920 - November 13, 1998)

Biography

• Bob Houbregs (March 12, 1932 - May 28, 2014)

Biography

• Bob Lavoy (June 29, 1926 - December 18, 2010)

Biography

• Don Lofgran (November 8, 1929 - June 17, 1976)

Biography

• Jack Nichols (April 9, 1926 - December 24, 1992)

Biography

• Bob Peterson (January 25, 1932 - July 30, 2011)

Biography

• George Ratkovicz (November 13, 1922 - November 10, 2007)

Biography

• Chuck Share (March 14, 1927 - June 7, 2012)

Biography

• Don Sunderlage (December 20, 1929 - July 15, 1961)

Biography

• Dick Surhoff (November 16, 1929 - May 1, 1987)

Biography 

• Bill Tosheff (June 2, 1926 - October 1, 2011)

Biography

• Rabbit Walthour (August 25, 1930 - September 10, 1977)

Biography

• Max Zaslofsky (December 7, 1925 - October 15, 1985)

Biography

Mark Workman

Marcus Cecil Workman


Born:
March 10, 1930
Logan, WV

Died:
December 21, 1983
Bradenton, FL


Career
1945-46 Charleston High School - West Virginia (High School)
1946-47 Charleston High School - West Virginia (High School)
1947-48 Charleston High School - West Virginia (High School)
1949-50 West Virginia University (College)
1950-51 West Virginia University (College)
1951-52 West Virginia University (College)
1952-53 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1952-53 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1953-54 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)

Workman was born and raised in Logan, West Virginia, but the family eventually moved to Charleston where Workman was a basketball and track star. At 6'8, we not only lead Charleston HS to the state title in his junior year, he also threw shotput, discuss and javelin. Receiving an athletic scholarship from West Virginia University, he averaged over 20 points per game and graduated with 1553 points, 50 of them coming in one game against Salem College in 1951. He was drafted in the first round by the Milwaukee Hawks. He played overseas, touring with the Harlem Globetrotters, and would play one season with the Philadelphia Warriors and another with the Baltimore Bullets. He eventually would leave the game and go into sales, and would work with Brunswick Bowling and helped bring the game to the Far East like Japan and China. He retired and moved to Florida, where he died in 1983.

Mark was married to Jane.


Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/workmma01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=workmma01

Dick Surhoff

Richard Clifford Surhoff, Jr.


Born:
November 16, 1929
Union City, NJ

Died:
May 1, 1987
Harrisburg, PA


Career
1946-47 Grover Cleveland High School - Queens, NY (High School)
1947-48 Grover Cleveland High School - Queens, NY (High School)
1948-49 John Marshall College - Jersey City, NJ (College)
1949-50 John Marshall College - Jersey City, NJ (College)
1950-51 Long Island University (College)
1951-52 Long Island University (College)
1952-53 New York Knicks (NBA)
1953-54 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)

Born to Richard and Eleanor Surhoff, Dick went to John Marshall and LIU before playing two seasons in the NBA. He would become an avid softball player in Long Island and would work for the town of Rye, New York, in their recreation department. He died in 1987 following a short illness

Dick married Nancy Dowling in 1960 and the had four sons and two daughters. One son is B.J. Surhoff, who played major league baseball with the Milwaukee Brewers, and another son, Rich, pitched for Philadelphia and Texas. 

Source:
The Journal News (White Plains, NY), May 3, 1987

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/surhodi01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=surhodi01

Mike O'Neill

Charles Michael "Mike" O'Neill


Born:
August 11, 1928
Berkeley, CA

Died:
March 24, 1993
Mill Valley (?), CA


Career
1944-45 Lowell High School - San Francisco (High School)

1946-47 San Francisco Community College (College)
1948-49 University of California (College)
1949-50 Oakland Nuggets (Independent)

1949-50 Oakland Biitners (AAU)
1950-51 Oakland Blue and Gold Brewers (Independent)
1951-52 Oakland Engineers (Independent)
1952-53 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1952-53 Young Men's Institute - San Francisco (Independent)
1953-54 Young Men's Institute - San Francisco (Independent)
1954-55 Presidio of San Francisco (Military)
1954-55 San Francisco Olympic Club (Independent)
1955-56 Presidio of San Francisco (Military)


The 6'3.5 O'Neill was signed by the Minneapolis Lakers and trained with the team prior to the 1952-53 season but was sold to the Hawks on December 28, 1952, and played four games for Hawks. He went into the U.S. Army after the season. He played a lot of AAU basketball around the Bay Area through the 1950's, and would become a real estate salesman and bartender in Mill Valley, California.

In 1965, O'Neill was indicted by a Federal Grand Jury on charges of running a bookmaking ring in San Mateo County.  He was charged with conspiracy, tax evasion and failing to report a wagering tax. He, along with seven others, were found guilty in an October 1966 trial.

Source:
Oakland Tribune, June 11, 1965

San Francisco Examiner, March 26, 1993

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/o/oneilmi01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=oneilmi01

Eddie Miller

Edwin B. Miller


Born:
June 18, 1931
New Rochelle, NY

Died:
April 9, 2014
Boca Raton, FL


Career
1945-46 New Rochelle High School - NY (High School)
1946-47 New Rochelle High School - NY (High School)
1947-48 New Rochelle High School - NY (High School)
1949-50 Syracuse University (College)
1950-51 Syracuse University (College)
1951-52 Syracuse University (College)
1952-53 Milwaukee Hawks (NBA)
1952-53 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
1953-54 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)

Born to Herman and Ruth Miller, the 6'8 Miller was basketball star at New Rochelle HS in New York. He would attended Syracuse, and on December 1, 1951, he became the first Orangeman to score 40 points in a game. Eddie was drafted by the Milwaukee Hawks in 1952, but was traded to the Baltimore Bullets a mere 10 games into the season. During the next season, the Bullets dissolved in mid-season. Miller was selected by the Boston Celtics in the dispersal draft, but he would never play an NBA game with the Celts. He left basketball to start a career in the toy industry, eventually forming a partnership, Miller-Sperber Inc. He retired after 40 years in the toy business, and died in Florida in 2014.

Ed married Helaine Miller in 1970 and they had one son.


Source:
New York Times, April 13, 2014

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/milleed01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=milleed01