Milestone #3 - PBLA

Milestone #3

I have completed my initial run through the Professional Basketball League of America, and it's 6-week existence in 1947. It was an interesting but forgotten league with large goals that quickly fell apart. (The Houston franchise only lasted two games before closing up shop.)

I will take another little break, and then head to a different era. I might return to the NBA and explore the first post-merger seasons of the early 1950's. Or maybe I will look at another early pro league. Not sure yet.

Here is the personnel of the PBLA by the numbers

Number of PBLA players:  163 (71 of which also played in the NBL, NBA and/or BAA)
Unidentified/unknown whereabouts:  6 (Some have good leads, others are total mysteries.)
Surviving PBLA players: 5, none of whom played in the NBL/BAA.


Longevity:
Of the 163, 12.27% of PBLA players are known to have lived to see the age of 90. 1.23% died before the age of 50. Hall of Famer Bobby McDermott was the first PBLA player to have passed, dying in 1963 at the age of 49. Clint Parmer is the youngest of the former PBLA'ers known to be alive, being just shy of his 91st birthday. His former teammate Philip Moore is the eldest, having turned 96 last fall.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it. Stay tuned for what's next.

Ernie Young

Charles Ernest "Ernie" Young


Born:
December 1, 1925
Willard, MO

Died:
August 31, 1995
Springfield, MO


Career

Drury College - Missouri (College) ??
1947-48 Springfield Squires (PBLA)

Allegedly played college basketball at Drury, but he does not appear on their official records.

Source:


Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=younger01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/ernie-young/

Bill Wright

William Hobart Wright, Jr.


Born:
August 29, 1923
Knoxville, TN

Died:
April 21, 2011
Knoxville, TN


Career
1939-40 Knoxville City High School - Tennessee (High School)
1940-41 Knoxville City High School - Tennessee (High School)
1941-42 University of Tennessee (College) Freshmen
1942-43 University of Tennessee (College)
1943-44 Duke University (College)
1946-47 University of Tennessee (College)
1947-48 Louisville Colonels (PBLA)

One of the better-known athletes to come out of Knoxville in the first half of the 20th century, Wright turned down offers to play baseball out of high school in order to go to the University of Tennessee. He entered the USMC after his sophomore year, and played at Duke University during his military training there. After serving his country, he returned to UT. Aside from playing pro baskbetball with the PBLA's Louisville franchise, he played minor league baseball for the St. Louis Browns' Class C team in Aberdeen. Leading the Northern League in RBI, he contracted tuberculosis which ended his athletic career. After recovering, he returned to UT to finish his bachelor's degree and earned a Master's. He accepted a teaching and coaching job at Knoxville West before becoming an academic advisor for athletes in the SEC while also coaching baseball at Tennessee.

He was married to Theresa.

Minor League Baseball Stats:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=wright012wil

Source:
Obituary

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=wrighbi01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/bill-wright-2/

Ollie White

Oliver Glenn White


Born:
March 27, 1923
Cleveland, OH

Died:
February 25, 2003
Farmington Hills, MI


Career
1939-40 Shaw High School - Cleveland, Ohio (High School)
1942-43 Michigan State University (College)
1945-46 Michigan State University (College)
1946-47 Michigan State University (College)
1947-48 Waterloo Pro Hawks (PBLA)
1947-48 Dayton Metropolitans (AABL)

Oliver served in the U.S. Army during World War 2, and then returned to MSU. One of his teammates on the basketball team his senior year was baseball hall of famer Robin Roberts.

He died in 2003 from Alzheimer's disease.

He had two daughters.

Source:


Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=whiteol01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/ollie-white/

Willie Wells

Cuthreal Lorenza "Willie" Wells


Born:
February 19, 1919
Iola, TX

Died:
August 13, 1999
Houston, TX


Career
1939-40 Sam Houston State - Texas (College)
1940-41 Sam Houston State - Texas (College)
1941-42 Camp Wallace - Galveston (Military)
1945-46 University of Houston (College)
1946-47 University of Houston (College)
1947-48 Houston Mavericks (PBLA)

Born to Victor and Inez Wells in Iola, Texas. Wells went to Sam Houston State, but then entered the U.S. Army where he served through World War 2. After the war, he returned to college, but this time at Houston. After college, he played for the Houston Mavericks.

He was married to Marion (1923-2003)

Source:


Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=wellswi01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/willie-wells/

Bob Webster

Robert Ahrens Webster


Born:
January 2, 1926
Los Angeles, CA

Died:
December 22, 1987
Los Angeles, CA


Career
Oceanside JC - California (College)
1944-45 University of Southern California (College)
1945-46 University of Southern California (College) 
1946-47 University of Southern California (College)
1947-48 Omaha Tomahawks (PBLA)
1952-53 San Bernadino High School - California (High school) Head coach
1953-54 San Bernadino High School - California (High school) Head coach
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach 
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach 
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach  
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach 
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach  
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach 
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach  
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach 
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach  
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach 
1954-55 Pacific High School - San Bernadino, California (High school) Head coach  


Born to Harry and Mary Webster in Los Angeles, Webster played baseball and basketball at USC. After a short run with the Omaha Tomahawks, he went into coach and teaching at high school. After retiring from teach in the late 1970's, he worked as a real estate agent. Bob died of cancer in 1987.

He married Virginia Klose in 1950 and they had four daughters.

Source:
San Bernadino County Sun, March 22, 1987
San Bernadino County Sun, December 30, 1987

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=webstbo01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/bob-webster/

Harmon Walters

Harmon Richard Walters


Born:
November 14, 1921
Ace, TX

Died:
December 5, 1998
Ace, TX


Career
1938-39 Livingston High School - Texas (High School)
1939-40 Livingston High School - Texas (High School)
1941-42 Rice University (College)
1942-43 Fort Benning (Military)
1942-43 Parachute Infantry Spiders (Military)
1944-45 Parachute Infantry Spiders (Military)
1945-46 Rice University (College)
1946-47 Rice University (College)
1947-48 Houston Mavericks (PBLA)
1948-49 Shur-Start Battery - Texas (Independent)

Born in Texas to John and Mamie Walters, Walters was a paratrooper in World War 2. He finished up college at Rice and played for the Mavericks in the PBLA.

Source:


Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=walteha01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/harmon-walters/

Nick Vodick

Nicholas E. Vodick


Born:
July 27, 1922
Flint, MI

Died:
January 8, 2011
Fort Lauderdale, FL


Career
1938-39 Riley High School - South Bend, IN (High School)
1939-40 Riley High School - South Bend, IN (High School)
1942-43 Northwestern University (College)
1943-44 Northwestern University (College)
1947-48 Waterloo Pro Hawks (PBLA)


Born in Flint but raised in South Bend, Vodick played basketball and football at Northwestern.

Source:


Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=vodicni01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/nick-vodick/

Jack Vaughn

Jack Richard Vaughn


Born:
December 18, 1924
Alexandria, LA

Died:
February  1991



Career

1942-43 Texas Tech (College)

1943-44 Texas Christian (College)
1946-47 University of Texas (College)
1947-48 New Orleans Hurricanes (PBLA)

UPDATED: 4/16/22

I THINK I have him properly identified. Given that he was in the V-12 with the Navy, I found an article taking about a Jack Vaughn from Alexandria, Louisiana, who was serving in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific. Article does not mention basketball or any of the Texas schools, but I like the odds. This article mention the name of his father which lead me to the player being Jacques Richard Vaughn.  Not a 100% certainty, but  I like this better than the other possibility I found, Jack Vaughn (b. 4/30/1923 d. 11/4/2008)

Source:


Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=vaughja02
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/jack-vaughn/

Archie Vap

Archie Julius Vap


Born:
January 22, 1924
Spring Ranch, NE

Died:
January 25, 2011
Billings, MT


Career
1940-41 St. Cecilia - Hastings, NE (High School)
1942-43 Hastings College - Nebraska (College)
1943-44 Hastings College - Nebraska (College)
1944-45 Hastings College - Nebraska (College)
1945-46 Hastings College - Nebraska (College)
1947-48 Springfield Squires (PBLA)
Sheridan Exporters (Independent)
Stockman All-Stars - Billings, MT (Independent)

Born to Frank and Celia Vap in Spring Ranch, Nebraska, Archie grew up in nearby Hastings. He attended Cathedral HS in Lincoln before attending Hastings College. He was classified 4-F and therefore excluded from military service. He played professional basketball for the Squires in the PBLA as well as a few pro and semi-pro teams. He moved to Billings to raise a family, and worked at Empire Steel, Saunders Lumber Co., and Roscoe Steel and Culvert Company.

He married Phyllis Anderson in 1948 and they had three daughters and one son. After Phyllis' passing in 1998, he remarried to Betty Ferguson in 2000.

Source:
Obituary in the Billings Gazette, January 28, 2011

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=vapar01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/archie-vap/

George Van Boovan

George Van Boovan


Born:

from Vancouver, BC

Died:




Career
(High School)
(College)
1947-48 New Orleans Hurricanes (PBLA)

Name is most likely spelled VanBooven. No information found except box scores.

Source:
Times-Picayune, Nov 9, 1947

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=vanbo01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/van-boovan/

Joe Trosper

Robert Joseph "Joe" Trosper


Born:
May 11, 1921
Oklahoma City, OK

Died:
September 29, 2011
Oklahoma City, OK


Career
1938-39 St. Gregory - Shawnee, OK (High School)
1939-40 Oklahoma A&M (College) Now Oklahoma State University
1940-41 Oklahoma City University (College)
1941-42 Oklahoma City University (College)
1942-43 Oklahoma City University (College)
1945-46 Kansas City Smokies (AAU)
1946-47 Kansas City Smokies (ABL/AAU)
1947-48 Tulsa Ranchers (PBLA)

Born to David and Mary Trosper, Joe played one year at Oklahoma A&M under Henry Iba before tranferring to OCU. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in history, Trosper served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2. He played some pro basketball after the war before becoming an insurance adjuster as well as a youth coach. Trosper was 90 when he died in 2011.

He was married to Dorothy O'Brien (1921-2001) in 1947 and they had a daughter and three sons.


Source:
Obituary

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=trospjo01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/joe-trosper/

Kite Thomas

Keith Marshall "Kite" Thomas


Born:
April 27, 1923
Kansas City, KS

Died:
January 7, 1995
Rocky Mount, NC


Career
1939-40 Unknown (High School)
1940-41 Unknown (High School)
1946-47 Kansas State University (College)
1947-48 Kansas City Blues (PBLA)

After Thomas graduated from high school, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2. After the war, he attended KSU but signed with the New York Yankees in 1947, assigned to their Joplin affiliate in the Western Assocation. He also played basketball with the Kansas City Blues in the PBLA. An outfielder with decent power, Thomas climbed the minor league ranks until being selected by the Philadelphia Athletics in the Rule 5 draft in November of 1951. He played two seasons in the Major Leagues before returning to the minor leagues. He eventually moved to North Carolina where he operated over 30 Pizza Hut franchises.

Major League Baseball Stats:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/thomaki01.shtml

Source:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Kite_Thomas

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=thomake02
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/kite-thomas/

John Sullivan

John Edward Sullivan

Born:
June 28, 1924
Chicago, IL

Died:
March 3, 1990
Park Ridge, IL


Career
Mc Kinley High School - Chicago (High School)
Loyola University - Chicago (College) ??
1945-46 Berry Field - Tennessee (Independent)
1947-48 Chattanooga Majors (PBLA)
1947-48 Nashville Vols (SPBL)

Sullivan signed with Nashville after the PBLA collapsed, but only last three games with the Vols before being released.

Supposedly played with Loyola, but he does not appear on their all-time roster.

Source:
The Tennessean, November 14, 1945
The Tennessean, November 16, 1947
The Tennessean, December 7, 1947

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=sullijo01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/john-sullivan-2/

Bill Stockman

William Edward Stockman


Born:
March 13, 1921
Malta Bend, MO

Died:
August 25, 1998
Marshall, MO


Career
1941-42 West Texas State University (College)
1942-43 West Texas State University (College)
1945-46 West Texas State University (College)
1946-47 Bartlesville Phillipps 66ers (AAU)
1947-48 Springfield Squires (PBLA)

Bill served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War 2, earning the Flying Cross. In 1949, Stockman signed with the St. Louis Bombers but was released before the season began. Bill's older brother Frank also played at West Texas,



Source:


Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=stockbi01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/bill-stockman/

Jack Spehn

John James "Jack" Spehn


Born:
August 29, 1927
Chicago, IL

Died:
August 8, 1972
Barrington, IL


Career
1944-45 St. Mel High School - Chicago (High School)
University of Detroit (College)
1947-48 Waterloo Hawks (PBLA)

Pretty sure I have properly identified this player.


In 1945, he enrolled at the University of Detroit and played football team.

Source:
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dailyherald/obituary.aspx?pid=172046230

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=spehnja01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/jack-spehn/

Cy Singer

Cyrines Howard Singer


Born:
May 7, 1917
Jasper, IN

Died:
July 1, 1992
Sherman, TX


Career
1936-37 Indiana University (College)
1940-41 Notre Dame (College)
1941-42 Notre Dame (College)
1946-47 Notre Dame (College)
1947-48 St. Joseph Outlaws (PBLA)

Born to Johannes and Louis Signer in Jasper, Indiana. Cy was only 5 years old when his mother died, and eight years later, his father died, too. Served in the military during World War 2.

Source:
Indianapolis Star, September 30, 1936

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=singecy01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/cy-singer/

Julie Silverman

Julius Richard Silverman


Born:
October 20, 1926
St. Paul, MN

Died:
February 27, 2019
Atlanta, GA


Career
Boys High School - Atlanta (High School)
1947-48 Atlanta Crackers (PBLA)
1947-48 Montgomery Rebels (SPBL)
1948-49 Montgomery Rebels (SPBL)
1948-49 New Orleans Sports (SPBL)

Born in Minnesota to Dave and Ida Silverman, Julius and the family moved to Atlanta in 1928. Julie graduated from HS and went straight into the U.S. Army, serving in Guam at the end of World War 2. He returned to the U.S. after duty and played some professional basketball. He signed with the Atlanta Crackes of the PBLA, but when the league folded just a month into the season, he moved over to the Montgomery Rebels in the Southern League. When the Southern League folded after two season, Silverman returned to Atlanta and would start his own business, the Silvex Company. He continued working until 2018 before retiring.

He was married to Edith and they had three daughters.

Source:
Obituary

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=silveju01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/julie-silverman/

Nat Silverberg

John Nathaniel "Nat" Silverberg
also listed as Nat Silver when with Cohoes


Born:
September 6, 1922
New York, NY

Died:
October 8, 1993
New York, NY


Career
James Monroe High School - New York (High School)
1942-43 Long Island University (College)
1943-44 Camden Reds (Independent)
1944-45 Long Island Hellcats (Independent)
1945-46 Baltimore Bullets (ABL)
1946-47 Paterson Crescents (ABL)
1946-47 Cohoes Mastadons (NYSL) 
1947-48 Chattanooga Majors (PBLA)
1947-48 Twin Cities Celtics (NYSL)
1947-48 Cohoes Mastadons (NYSL)
1947-48 Saratoga Indians (NYSL)
1948-49 Glen Falls Commodores (NYSL)
25 years St. Helena High School - The Bronx (High School) Coach

Born to Abel and Sabina Silverberg, sister named Julia.

Pretty sure I have the right guy identified here, but not 100% certain.



Source:
Troy Record, October 31, 1946
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/11/22/sports/garden-salutes-end-of-abdul-jabbar-era.html

Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=silvena01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/nat-silverberg/

Harry Shor

Harold H. Shor


Born:
June 8, 1923
Chicago, IL

Died:
October 15, 1994
Pompano Beach, FL


Career
University of Missouri (College) ??
1947-48 Birmingham Skyhawks (PBLA)
1947-48 Brooklyn Gothams (ABL)
1947-48 Montgomery Rebels (SPBL)



Source:


Stats:
http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=shorha01
http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/harry-shor/