Gene Shue

Eugene William Shue


Born:
December 18, 1931
Baltimore, MD

Died:
April 3, 2022
Marina del Rey, CA


Career
Towson Catholic High School - Maryland (High School)
1951-52 University of Maryland (College)
1952-53 University of Maryland (College)
1953-54 University of Maryland (College)
1954-55 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1954-55 New York Knicks (NBA)
1955-56 New York Knicks (NBA)
1956-57 Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA)
1957-58 Detroit Pistons (NBA)
1958-59 Detroit Pistons (NBA)
1959-60 Detroit Pistons (NBA)
1960-61 Detroit Pistons (NBA)
1961-62 Detroit Pistons (NBA)
1962-63 New York Knicks (NBA)
1963-64 Baltimore Bullets (NBA)
1966-67 Baltimore Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1967-68 Baltimore Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1968-69 Baltimore Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1969-70 Baltimore Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1970-71 Baltimore Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1971-72 Baltimore Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1972-73 Baltimore Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1973-74 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) Head coach
1974-75 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) Head coach
1975-76 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) Head coach
1976-77 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) Head coach
1977-78 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA) Head coach
1978-79 San Diego Clippers (NBA) Head coach
1979-80 San Diego Clippers (NBA) Head coach
1980-81 Washington Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1981-82 Washington Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1982-83 Washington Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1983-84 Washington Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1984-85 Washington Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1985-86 Washington Bullets (NBA) Head coach
1987-88 Los Angeles Clippers (NBA) Head coach
1988-89 Los Angeles Clippers (NBA) Head coach

Not even offered a scholarship at the University of Maryland, Gene Shue worked hard to play for the school and would average over 20 points per game in his junior and senior years. The school had never had a prominent basketball program, but Shue helped push the school into national prominence.

After leaving the University of Maryland, Shue was the 3rd overall pick in 1954 NBA draft, selected by the Philadelphia Warriors. Shue would last less than month with Philly before being sold to the New York Knicks. He would see limited playing time with the Knicks for two seasons and was then traded to the Fort Wayne Pistons in April of 1956 for Ron Sobie. Fort Wayne moved to Detroit the in 1957, and Shue began five straight years as an All-Star, scoring over 22 PPG in 1959-60 and 1960-61. He was traded back o the Knicks in 1962, and a little over a year later was sold to the new Baltimore Bullets.

After the 1963-64 season with the Bullets, he retired as a player but a few years later returned as the team's head coach. Struggling to a 16-40 record in his first season as coach in 1966-67, two years later he lead the Bullets to a divisional title (and unfortunately a quick exit from the playoffs.) In 1971, the Bullets advanced to the NBA Finals but Shue's team was swept by the Milwaukee Bucks. In June of 1973, Shue quit the Bullets with four divisional titles under his belt. He was hired by the Philadelphia 76ers a few weeks after. Shue took a team that had been 9-73 in 1972-73 to the NBA finals four seasons later. He was fired by the Sixers in December of 1977, and a year later would begin his two-season stint coaching the San Diego Clippers. He resigned from the Clippers in May of 1980 to return to the Bullets (now playing in the nation's capitol), but this time the Bullets remained hovering around the .500 mark for all six seasons he was at the helm. After being fired by the Bullets, he returned to the Clippers for a season and a half but didn't fare well, being fired 38 games into the 1988-89 season. He worked for the 76ers in the front office as well as working as a scout in the 90's.

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/s/shuege01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=shuege01

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

Mike Kearns

Michael Joseph Kearns

Born:
June 18, 1929
Trenton, NJ

Died:
January 31, 2009
Hamilton, NJ


Career
1944-45 Trenton High School - New Jersey (High School)
1945-46 Trenton High School - New Jersey (High School)
1946-47 Trenton High School - New Jersey (High School)
1947-48 Princeton University (College) Freshmen
1948-49 Princeton University (College)
1949-50 Princeton University (College)
1950-51 Princeton University (College)
1954-55 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)

Out of Trenton, New Jersey, Mike Kearns would play basketball at Princeton, graduating in 1951. He was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the fifth round of the 1951 draft, but more importantly, he was selected by the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. After the war, he joined the Warriors in February of 1955. He would play in only six games, scoring only a single point.

Mike married Beverly Bronson in 1964 and they had two sons and a daughter.

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/k/kearnmi01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=kearnmi01

George Dempsey

George P. Dempsey


Born:
July 19, 1929
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
October 7, 2017
Cinnaminson, NJ ??


Career
1945-46 Merchantville High School - New Jersey (High School)
1946-47 Merchantville High School - New Jersey (High School)
1948-49 The King's College - New York (College)
1949-50 The King's College - New York (College)
1950-51 The King's College - New York (College)
1954-55 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1955-56 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1956-57 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1957-58 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1958-59 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1958-59 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)

Following a stellar basketball career at King's College in New York where he scored 1316 points in his freshman and sophomore seasons, Dempsey served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. After the war, he would play 5 seasons in the NBA, primarily with the Philadelphia Warriors. After leaving the game, Dempsey worked for the Roosevelt Paper Company for 47 years.

George married Doris Lightcap in 1954 and they had four sons and one daughter.

Source:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/184586623/george-p_-dempsey

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/dempsge01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=dempsge01

Larry Costello

Lawrence Ronald Costello


Born:
July 2, 1931
Syracuse, NY

Died:
December 11, 2001
Fort Myers Beach, FL


Career
1948-49 Minoa High School - New York (High School)
1949-50 Minoa High School - New York (High School)
1950-51 Niagara University (College)
1951-52 Niagara University (College)
1952-53 Niagara University (College)
1953-54 Niagara University (College)
1954-55 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1956-57 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1957-58 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1958-59 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1959-60 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1960-61 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1961-62 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1962-63 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1963-64 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA)
1964-65 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA)
1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA)
1967-68 Philadelphia 76ers (NBA)
1968-69 Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) Head coach
1969-70 Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) Head coach
1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) Head coach
1971-72 Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) Head coach
1972-73 Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) Head coach
1973-74 Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) Head coach
1974-75 Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) Head coach
1975-76 Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) Head coach
1976-77 Milwaukee Bucks (NBA) Head coach
1978-79 Chicago Bulls (NBA) Head coach

Costello hit the ground running at Niagara, helping the freshmen team to an undefeated season in 1950-51. He would lead the varsity team in scoring as a sophomore, and his three years on varsity lead the Eagles to the NIT twice. A tough and physical player, he would play 12 seasons in the NBA with the Philadelphia Warriors and the Syracuse Nationals / Philadelphia 76ers. He retired as a player in 1968 and immediately moved to the bench, being named the head coach for the Milwaukee Bucks. He coached the Bucks to the NBA title in 1971 with players such as Lew Alcindor and Oscar Robertson. He would coach the Bucks for eight full seasons and was fired 16 games into a ninth. Costello was one of the first head coaches to employ a full-time assistant on the bench. He returned to coaching in 1978 with the Chicago Bulls but was replaced by Scotty Robertson after a 20-36 start.

Costello died of cancer in 2001.

Source:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42777375
https://www.buffalosportshallfame.com/member/larry-costello/
NY Times, December 14, 2001

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/costela01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=costela01

Tom Brennan

Thomas Francis Brennan, Jr.


Born:
August 6, 1930
New York, NY

Died:
February 11, 1990
West Haven, CT


Career
1946-47 Fordham Prep - New York (High School)
1949-50 Villanova University (College)
1950-51 Villanova University (College)
1951-52 Villanova University (College)
1952-53 Service All-Stars (Military)
1953-54 Fort Monmouth Signaleers (Military)
1954-55 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)

Graduating from Villanova in 1952, Brennan was selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1952 NBA Draft, but went to serve in the U.S. Army before joining the team for the 1954-55 season.

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/brennto01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=brennto01

1954-55 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)

1954-55 PHILADELPHIA WARRIORS
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Eastern Division
Finished: 33-39 .458, 4th place

The Warriors missed the playoff for the third-straight year, but the team continued to improve. Neil Johnston not only lead the NBA in scoring with 22.7 PPG, but also in rebounding with 15.1 rebounds per game. Along with talent like Paul Arizin, the Warriors were close to a winning combination.

• Head Coach: Eddie Gottlieb (September 15, 1898 - December 7, 1979)

PLAYERS:

• Paul Arizin (April 9, 1928 - December 12, 2006)

Biography

• Tom Brennan (August 6, 1930 - February 11, 1990)

Biography

• Larry Costello (July 2, 1931 - December 11, 2001)

Biography 

• Walt Davis (January 5, 1931 - November 17, 2020)

Biography 

• George Dempsey (July 19, 1929 - October 7, 2017)

Biography 

• Danny Finn (May 29, 1928 - February 18, 2007)

Biography

• Jack George (November 13, 1928 - January 30, 1989)

Biography 

• Joe Graboski (January 15, 1930 - July 2, 1998)

Biography

• Paul Hoffman (May 5, 1925 - November 12, 1998)

Biography

• Neil Johnston (February 4, 1929 - September 28, 1978)

Biography

• Mike Kearns (June 18, 1929 - January 31, 2009)

Biography

• Jackie Moore (b. September 24, 1932)

Biography 

• Ken Murray (April 20, 1928 - June 15, 2008)

Biography

• Gene Shue (December 18, 1931 - April 3, 2022)

Biography

• Zeke Zawoluk (October 13, 1930 - January 9, 2007)

Biography

Jim Phelan

James Joseph Phelan


Born:
March 19, 1929
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
June 16, 2021
Emmitsburg, MD


Career
1945-46 La Salle Collegiate - Philadelphia (High School)
1946-47 La Salle Collegiate - Philadelphia (High School)
1947-48 La Salle College - Philadelphia (College)
1948-49 La Salle College - Philadelphia (College)
1949-50 La Salle College - Philadelphia (College)
1950-51 La Salle College - Philadelphia (College)
1953-54 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1953-54 Pottsville Packers (EPBL)
1953-54 La Salle College - Philadelphia (College) Assistant coach
1954-55 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1955-56 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1956-57 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1957-58 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1958-59 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1959-60 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1960-61 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1961-62 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1962-63 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1963-64 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1964-65 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1965-66 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1966-67 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1967-68 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1968-69 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1969-70 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1970-71 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1971-72 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1972-73 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach 
1973-74 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1974-75 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach 
1975-76 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1976-77 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach 
1977-78 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1978-79 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach 
1979-80 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1980-81 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach 
1981-82 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach 
1982-83 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach  
1983-84 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach 
1984-85 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach  
1985-86 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach 
1986-87 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach  
1987-88 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach 
1988-89 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach  
1989-90 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach 
1990-91 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach  
1991-92 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1992-93 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1993-94 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1994-95 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1995-96 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1996-97 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1997-98 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1998-99 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
1999-00 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
2000-01 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
2001-02 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach
2002-03 Mount St. Mary's College - Maryland (College) Head coach


After starring at La Salle Collegiate, Phelan went on to La Salle College and after graduating served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. After the war, Phelan was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors and appeared in four games before being released. He signed on to play with the Pottsville Packers of the Eastern League. After that season, he was offered the head coaching job at Mount St. Mary's, a small college in Emmitsburg, Maryland. This was the beginning of a legendary tenure at MSM that last 49 seasons. He would lead the school to the NCAA Division 2 Basketball Championship in 1961-62, and over his career would attain a 830-524 record. MSM would eventually move up to Division 1 status and in 1995 the school entered the NCAA tournament for the first time. Known for his signature bowtie as well as his coaching ability, Phelan finally retired in 2003 at the age of 74.

Jim and his wife, Dottie, married in 1954 and they have five children.

Blogger Note:
I anticipate adding "HALL OF FAME" to this page one day. Hopefully it is when Jim is alive to enjoy the honor he deserves.

Source:
Mount Athletics
Washington Post, Februalry 23, 2019

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/phelaja02.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=phelaja02

Norm Grekin

Norman Grekin


Born:
June 22, 1930
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
September 29, 1981
Philadelphia, PA


Career
1947-48 West Philadelphia High School - Pennsylvania (High School)
1948-49 West Philadelphia High School - Pennsylvania (High School)
1949-50 La Salle University - Pennsylvania (College) Freshmen
1950-51 La Salle University - Pennsylvania (College)
1951-52 La Salle University - Pennsylvania (College)
1952-53 La Salle University - Pennsylvania (College)
1953-54 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)

1953-54 Pottsville Seltzer Bolognas (EPBL)

1953-54 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)

Norm Grekin grew up in Philadelphia, but never played basketball until he was approached by his junior high school coach who asked the over-six-foot-tall 14 year old to try out for the school team. With his height and natural athletic ability, he took to the game quickly. He would attend West Philly HS where he was named All-Public. He would play at La Salle, sharing MVP honors for the NIT with fellow Philadelphian Tom Gola.

Grekin was drafted by the Philadelphia Warriors in 1953 and played one minute for the Warriors on opening night in 1953, scoring no points. He was released a short time later. He would leave basketball behind, working in the insurance industry and becoming regional director for Pilot Life Insurance. He also operated Cuyuga 30 Restaurant in Wayne, Pennsylvania, with his brother-in-law. He died of a heart attack in 1981 at the age of 51.

Grekin had one son and one daughter.

Source:
Philadelphia Inquirer, October 1, 1981

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/grekino01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=grekino01

Jack George

John Edward "Jack" George


Born:
November 13, 1928
Swissvale, PA

Died:
January 30, 1989
Fort Myers, FL


Career
1948-49 St. John's Military - Washington, DC (Prep)
1949-50 La Salle University (College) Freshmen
1950-51 La Salle University (College)
1953-54 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1954-55 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1955-56 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1956-57 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1957-58 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1958-59 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1958-59 New York Knicks (NBA)
1959-60 New York Knicks (NBA)
1959-61 New York Knicks (NBA)

Born to John and Jewel George, George played football, basketball and baseball as a youth, earning a scholarship offer to play football at Notre Dame. He decided to so to LaSalle where he played baseball and basketball. He played at La Salle for two years before joining the U.S. Army. After being discharged, he decided to forego his remaining years of collegiate elgibility and play basketball professionally.

George would play over five seasons with the Philadelphia Warriors, twice being named to the All-Star Game. A dependable ball handler, George average 10.7 points per game with Warriors before being traded to the New York Knicks on January 27, 1959, for Guy Sparrow. He played for the Knicks before retiring after the 1960-61 season.

In 1954, he played catcher for the Philadelphia Athletic's Class-B farm team in Lancaster in the Piedmont League.

After leaving the NBA, George moved to Illinois to work as a sales consultant. He would retire in 1986 and move from Winfield, Illinois, to Florida, where he died a few years later at the age of 60.

Minor League Baseball Stats:
https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=george003joh

Some places list his middle name as "Edwin" but his draft application and Social Security data lists  his middle name as "Edward."

Source:
Tyrone Daily Herald (Pennsylvania), October 13, 1953
News-Press (Fort Myers, FL), February 3, 1989

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/georgja01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=georgja01

Walt Davis

Walter Francis "Buddy" Davis


Born:
January 5, 1931
Beaumont, TX

Died:
November 17, 2020
Port Arthur, TX


Career
1947-48 Nederland High School - Texas (High School)
1948-49 Texas A&M University (College) Freshmen
1949-50 Texas A&M University (College)
1950-51 Texas A&M University (College)
1951-52 Texas A&M University (College)
1953-54 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1954-55 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1955-56 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1956-57 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1957-58 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1957-58 St Louis Hawks (NBA)

At the age of nine, Davis was stricken with polio and unable to walk for three years. He would eventually recover and become a star athlete at Nederland HS. Playing basketball and competing on the track and field team, he would get an athletic scholarship at Texas A&M, where he competed in both sports. After graduating in 1952, he would be selected by the Philadelphia Warriors in the 1952 NBA Draft, but before starting a basketball career, Davis would win a gold medal in the high jump in the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. He decided against pursuing a basketball career, focusing on high jumping in the AAU with Ada Oil Company in Houston. Over the year with Ada, he desired to be the first athlete to achieve a 7-foot high jump. He managed to set the World Record in June of 1953 at 6 feet, 11 1/2 inches. Come September, he decided to enter the NBA with the Warriors without attaining that 7-foot jump he had chased.
Davis played 68 games for the Warriors in the 1953-54 season, the beginning of a five-year stretch in the NBA. A solid and physical player, Davis played with Warriors until being traded on January 19, 1958, to the St. Louis Hawks. He finished the season with the Hawks, and was resigned the summer, but in early October decided to retire just two games into the preseason exhibition games. He returned to Nederland to focus on his insurance business.


Source:
https://www.museumofthegulfcoast.org/buddy-davis

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/d/daviswa01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=daviswa01

Ernie Beck

Ernest Joseph Beck


Born:
December 11, 1931
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
December 12, 2024



Career
1947-48 West Catholic High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1948-49 West Catholic High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1950-51 University of Pennsylvania (College)
1951-52 University of Pennsylvania (College)
1952-53 University of Pennsylvania (College)
1953-54 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1955-56 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1956-57 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1957-58 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1958-59 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1959-60 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1960-61 St Louis Hawks (NBA)
1960-61 Syracuse Nationals (NBA)
1961-62 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1962-63 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1963-64 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)  Head coach / player

Beck was one of many stars from Philadelphia in the 40's to make it to the NBA. Beck lead the city in scoring in his senior year at West Catholic before enrolling at Penn. He scored a school-record 1827 points at Penn, with 67e coming in his final year (still the school record for a single season.) He was a territorial draft pick by the Philadelphia Warriors and played 15 games in the NBA in 1953 before having to leave to serve in the U.S. Navy. After two years, he returned to the Warriors and rarely missed a game over the next five seasons.  He helped the Warriors to the NBA title in 1955-56.
Just prior to the 1960-61 season, Beck was traded with Woody Sauldsberry to the St. Louis Hawks for Ed Conlin. He appears in 7 games with the Hawks before being sold to Syracuse, and was let go shortly thereafter.

Out of the NBA, Beck would play a few seasons in the Eastern League with Sunbury. He would start a new career as a high school teacher and coach


Source:
https://www.philly.com/philly/sports/high_school/230939891.html

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/becker01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=becker01

1953-54 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)

1953-54 PHILADELPHIA WARRIORS
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Eastern Division
Finished: 29-43 .403, 4th place

The Warriors went from 12 wins to 29. Still nowhere near the playoffs, but a marked improvement, to be sure. Neil Johnston lead the league in scoring for the second year in a row.

• Head Coach: Eddie Gottlieb (September 15, 1898 - December 7, 1979)

PLAYERS:

• Ernie Beck (December 11, 1931 - December 12, 2024)

Biography

• Walt Davis (January 5, 1931 - November 17, 2020)

Biography 

• Danny Finn (May 29, 1928 - February 18, 2007)

Biography

• Joe Fulks (October 26, 1921 - March 21, 1976)

Biography

• Jack George (November 13, 1928 - January 30, 1989)

Biography 

• Joe Graboski (January 15, 1930 - July 2, 1998)

Biography

• Norm Grekin (June 22, 1930 - September 29, 1981)

Biography 

• Neil Johnston (February 4, 1929 - September 28, 1978)

Biography

• Jim Phelan (March 19, 1929 - June 16, 2021)

Biography 

• George Senesky (April 4, 1922 - June 25, 2001)

Biography

• Paul Walther (March 23, 1927 - December 21, 2014)

Biography

• Zeke Zawoluk (October 13, 1930 - January 9, 2007)

Biography

Zeke Zawoluk

Robert Michael "Zeke" Zawoluk


Born:
October 13, 1930
Brooklyn, NY

Died:
January 9, 2007
Spring Valley, NY


Career
1947-48 Saint Francis Prep - Brooklyn (High School)
1949-50 St. John's University (College)
1950-51 St. John's University (College)
1951-52 St. John's University (College)
1952-53 Indianapolis Olympians (NBA)
1953-54 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1954-55 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1998-99 Lehman College - The Bronx (College) Assistant coach

Standing 6'6, Zawoluk averaged 20.1 points per game and graduated from St. John's with a school-record 1826 points, a mark which stood until broken by Chris Mullin. 65 of those points came against St. Peter's in 1950. An agile big-man, Zeke played in the NBA for three seasons before a knee injury ended his career. His life was filled with high and lows. In 1986, he was fired from his job as a car salesman and retaliated by setting fire to a few of the dealership's cars and rammed his car in 19 others. He pleaded guilty to attempted arson and received probation on the condition he received treatment for his alcoholism. He did not succeed in fighting his alcohol problem, and spiraled into drugs and crack cocaine. He was arrested for shoplifting, but since he was carrying a knife on him at the time, it was considered armed robbery and he served two years in a state prison in New York.

In a late-life attempt to straighten out his life, he managed to get a job as an assistant coach at Lehman College in the Bronx, but was fired after a month when he made would were referred to as "inappropriate" phone calls to other members of the athletic department.

Zawoluk died of a heart attack in 2007 at 76 years of age.

Zeke and his wife, Alice, had four daughters.

Source:
Obituary, N.Y. Times January 18, 2007

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/z/zawolze01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=zawolze01

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

Jim Mooney

James J. Mooney


Born:
July 8, 1930
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
October 29, 2015
Upland, PA


Career
1945-46 Bartram High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1946-47 Bartram High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1947-48 Bartram High School - Philadelphia (High School)
1948-49 Columbia Institute - Philadelphia (College)
1950-51 Villanova University (College)
1951-52 Villanova University (College)
1952-53 Villanova University (College)
1952-53 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1955-56 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1956-57 Sunbury Mercuries (EPBL)
1957-58 Chester Ukrainians - Pennsylvania (Independent)

Mooney went to Villanova after graduating from Bartram High School. He set the Villanova sophomore rebounding record with 455 in 1950-51. He was declared eligible in February of 1953, and immediately joined the Philadelphia Warriors and finished out the 1952-53 season in the NBA, playing in 18 games and averaging 7.5 points. He was drafted in the Marine Corps after the season eneded and served two years in Korea. In September of 1955, he was released from the Marines and re-signed with the Warriors but did not make the final cuts. He would play a couple seasons in the Eastern League with Sunbury as well as a few seasons of semi-pro basketball. He moved to Wilmington, Delaware and would work in sales for many years.

Jim married Joan Cushing in 1956 and they had three children.

Source:
Philadelphia Inquirer, February 8, 1953
Obituary, Wilmington News Journal, Online, November 1, 2015


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mooneji01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=mooneji01

Bill Mlkvy

William Paul Mlkvy


Born:
January 19, 1931
Palmerton, PA

Died:
December 12, 2024



Career
1947-48 Stephen F. Palmer High School - Palmerton, PA (High School)
1949-50 Temple University (College)
1950-51 Temple University (College)
1951-52 Temple University (College)
1952-53 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)

Known during his days at Temple as the "Owl Without A Vowel," Mlkvy  lit up college basketball in his junior year, averaging 29.2 points per game and setting a Temple record with 73 markers in one game against Wilkes College (at one point, he had scored 53 of Temple's points in a row). He finished Temple with over 1500 points, at the time the career record at Temple. He was a territorial draft pick of the Philadelphia Warriors, in 1952, and he played in 31 games for them in the 1952-53 season. Mlkvy was still attending

Temple at this time, going into dentistry. Coach Eddie Gottlieb told Bill he would have to choose between basketball and school. He was going to chose basketball, but when he found out he was going to be drafted into the army if he stayed in basketball, he chose to continue school and delay his entry into the army. When his schooling was finished, he went in as a dental officer. and served six years, most of the time stationed in Korea. When he returned home, he set up a private dental practice and would work there for a quarter of a century.

Bill married Barbara Harper in 1954 and they had three children.

Bill's younger brother, Bob, was also a collegiate basketball player who became a dentist.

Source:
City of Basketball Love, September 23, 2014

Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mlkvybi01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=mlkvybi01

1952-53 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)

1952-53 PHILADELPHIA WARRIORS
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
Eastern Division
Finished: 12-57 .174, 5th place

The Warriors continued their slide, finishing in last place in the East just two years after winning the division. Gottlieb tried many different combinations of line-ups throughout the season, with many roster changes, to no avail. The lone bright spot was center Neil Johnston, who scored a league-high 22.3 points per game in his second season.

• Head Coach: Eddie Gottlieb (September 15, 1898 - December 7, 1979)

PLAYERS:

• Nelson Bobb (February 25, 1924 - December 8, 2003)

Biography

• Danny Finn (May 29, 1928 - February 18, 2007)

Biography

• Jerry Fleishman (February 14, 1922 - June 20, 2007)

Biography

• Joe Fulks (October 26, 1921 - March 21, 1976)

Biography

• Neil Johnston (February 4, 1929 - September 28, 1978)

Biography

• Frank Kudelka (June 25, 1925 - May 4, 1993)

Biography

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

Biography

• Jack McCloskey (September 19, 1925 - June 1, 2017)

Biography 

• Ed Mikan (October 20, 1925 - October 22, 1999)

Biography

• Bill Mlkvy (January 19, 1931 - December 12, 2024)

Biography

• Jim Mooney (July 8, 1930 - October 29, 2015)

Biography 

• Claude Overton (December 16, 1927 - April 29, 1996)

Biography

• Andy Phillip (March 7, 1922 - April 28, 2001)

Biography

• Ralph Polson (October 26, 1929 - May 6, 2022)

Biography

• Moe Radovich (May 5, 1929 - June 18, 2004)

Biography 

• George Senesky (April 4, 1922 - June 25, 2001)

Biography

• Mark Workman (March 10, 1930 - December 21, 1983)

Biography 

Jim Mooney

Moe Radovich

George Lewis "Moe" Radovich


Born:
May 5, 1929
Hot Springs, WY

Died:
June 18, 2004
Las Vegas, NV



Career
1948-49 Northwest College - Powell, WY (College)
1949-50 University of Wyoming (College)
1950-51 University of Wyoming (College)
1951-52 University of Wyoming (College)
1952-53 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)
1952-53 Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL)
1955-56 Sheridan Junior College - Wyoming (College) Head coach
1956-57 Sheridan Junior College - Wyoming (College) Head coach
1957-58 Wayne State Junior College - Nebraska (College) Head coach
1958-59 Wayne State Junior College - Nebraska (College) Head coach
1967-68 University of Wyoming (College) Assistant coach
1968-69 University of Wyoming (College) Assistant coach
1969-70 University of Wyoming (College) Assistant coach
1970-71 University of Wyoming (College) Assistant coach
1971-72 University of Wyoming (College) Assistant coach 
1972-73 Fullerton Junior College - California (College) Head coach
1973-74 University of Wyoming (College) Head coach
1974-75 University of Wyoming (College) Head coach
1975-76 University of Wyoming (College) Head coach

Radovich spent one year at Northwest College before transferring to the University of Wyoming. Moe was drafted in the 4th round by the Philadelphia Warriors, but only played in four games before being sent to the Wilkes-Barre Barons in the ABL. He entered the army and served at the end of the Korean War. When he came back to the U.S., he began a long coaching career that started at Sheridan JC. He would work his way back to the University of Wyoming, first as an assistant and later as head coach. After three consecutive 8th-place finishes, he was let go in 1976.

Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/radovmo01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=radovmo01

Ralph Polson

Ralph Mathewson Polson


Born:
October 26, 1929
Riverside, CA

Died:
May 6, 2022
Spokane, WA ?


 
Career
1948-49 Riverside City College - California (College)
1949-50 Riverside City College - California (College)
1950-51 Whitworth University - Spokane, WA (College)
1951-52 Whitworth University - Spokane, WA (College)
1952-53 Manchester British Americans (ABL)
1952-53 New York Knicks (NBA)
1952-53 Philadelphia Warriors (NBA)

Polson was selected fifth overall in the 1952 NBA draft by the New York Knicks. He played in the first three games of the season for the Knicks, scoring a total of ten points. He was sent down to the Manchester BA's in the ABL for some seasoning, and after scoring 33 points in two games, he was sole to the Philadelphia Warriors back in the NBA, where he played the rest of the season.



Source:


Stats:
https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/p/polsora01.html
https://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=polsora01