1946-47 Lancaster Red Roses (EPBL)

1946-47 LANCASTER RED ROSES
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
20-10 .667, 2nd place

Semi-finals: Defeated Hazleton, 2-0

Finals: Lost to Wilkes-Barre, 2-1

Expected to be a league leader, the Lancaster club, coached by Woody Sponaugle,  jumped out to a 3-0 start, but the Wilkes-Barre Barons were also a team expected to challenge for the crown. By mid-January, the Roses and Barons separated themselves from the rest of the league. Despite a stretch of 13 wins in 17 games, Lancaster couldn't catch the Barons and finished second. 

With Whitey Von Nieda averaging 22.7 PPG, Lancaster would meet with Hazleton in the playoffs, and knocked them off in two games. The Barons were their opponents in the championship series, and Lancaster eclipsed the Barons in the opener, 59-54, but would get trounced in game 2, 65-37. The third and deciding game was played at a neutral site (Allentown), and Von Nieda scored 25 but the rest of the team was ineffective as the Barons won, 70-54, to give the title to Wilkes-Barre.

 

Head Coaches:

• Woody Sponaugle (September 24, 1915 -  April 30, 1967)
  

PLAYERS:

Don Markward

Tommy Bell (September 11, 1922 - December 17, 1949)

Max Bishop (June 27, 1915 - August 25, 1991)

Bob Boylan (April 11, 1920 - May 9, 2013)

Norm Butz (September 28, 1919 - March 21, 1999)

Herb Currie (April 23, 1921 - June 18, 2005)

John DeBold (September 18, 1918 - December 26, 2002)

George Ehemann (September 11, 1918 - July 10, 1991)

Johnnie Emich (January 21, 1918 - May 20, 2001)

Walt Funk (October 13, 1922 - January 13, 2015)

Russ Herrmann (September 27, 1914 - July 28, 1976)

Bink Manning (August 29, 1920 - April 7, 1986)

Don Markward (April 2, 1919 - June 14, 1985)

Joe Proksa (June 30, 1914 - October 25, 1999)

Woody Sponaugle (September 24, 1915 -  April 30, 1967)

Whitey Von Nieda (June 19, 1922 - September 7, 2023)

1946-47 Hazleton Mountaineers (EPBL)

1946-47 HAZLETON MOUNTAINEERS
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
21-17 .393, 4th place

Semi-finals: Lost to Lancaster, 2-0

Hazleton, owned by Nate Glassberg and Chic Sacco and coached by Frank Serany, added one of the area's most prolific players in Joe "Bells" Colone three games into the season, but despite Colone's efforts, he had little support to try to lead the team into the playoffs. Three promising players, Bill Brown, Zach Clayton and Tom McCollam, were suspended after two games for playing for another local team, in violation of their contracts. Clayton never returned to the Mountaineers and McCollam didn't return until late February.

Head Coach:

• Frank Serany )May 4, 1911 - April 27, 1982) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

"Bells" Colone

Rex Antinozzi (December 28, 1919 - April 14, 1951)

William "Rookie" Brown - (February 15, 1925 - May 22, 1971)

Art Campo 

George Cheverko (July 29, 1920 - November 14, 1977)

Zack Clayton (April 17, 1918 - November 20, 1997)

Bells Colone (January 23, 1924 - July 1, 2009)

Johnny Danyo (December 2, 1919 - January 11, 1993)

Eddie Deitch (December 1, 1910 - June 20, 1997)

Jimmy Doran (August 10, 1925 - January 9, 2000)

Harry Dorneman (May 15, 1919 - March 12, 1971)

Bernie Griggs (October 1, 1977 - June 27, 2001)

Johnny Isaacs (September 15, 1915 - January 26, 2009)

Billy Kerchusky (October 15, 1919 - August 7, 1997)

Chick Lamonica (May 17, 1928 - October 1, 1999)

Bill Law (September 15, 1916 - May 24, 1989)

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

Eddie McCluskey (January 29, 1926 - March 2, 2016)

Tom McCollam (October 6, 1920 - July 2, 2001)

Red Meinhold (March 29, 1926 - February 23, 2019)

Morrison 

Emil Piestrak (December 19, 1918 - June 7, 2011)

Al Pietkiewicz (November 27, 1923 - August 13, 2019)

Joe Podany (April 18, 1917 - April 8, 1980)

Ossie Prokopic (December 21, 1919 - March 19, 2010)

Frank Serany )May 4, 1911 - April 27, 1982)

Charlie Trinkle (August 2, 1920 - November 3, 2015)

Ed Trubin (September 8, 1920 - April 19, 2004)

Billy Woods (b, 1918 - unknown)

Franny Woods (b. 1916 - unknown)

Pete Yousaitis (September 10, 1917 - December 23, 1995)

1946-47 Binghamton Triplets / Pottsvile Maroons (EPBL)

1946-47 BINGHAMTON TRIPLETS / POTTSVILLE MAROONS
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
7-20, .259, 6th place

The league's only non-Pennsylvanian entry, the Binghamton club of New York was owned by Jimmy (Dennis) Gallagher. After losing their first two games of the season, Gallagher fired the entire team and restocked it with many players from a New York City team, the Bronx Indians. The "new" Triplets would only win once in the next four games before Gallagher surrendered the team back to the league on December 20, 1946.  The franchise was sold  to a new ownership group in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, headed by local sportsman Herwood E. Hobbs. On January 6, 1947, Hobbs and his associates then sold the team to Clarence Messner, operator of the Minserville store chain. Jake Pitler, the GM in Binghamton, would move with the team to Pottsville. The hapless club struggled the rest of the season, save for winning 3 of their last four games.

BINGHAMTON:

Head Coaches:

• Ted Hanauer (January 1, 1924 - October 1, 2013) 0-2  Also played.  See below
• Pete Savio (September 3, 1922 - August 25, 2005) 1-4 Also played.  See below  

PLAYERS:

Joe Bellis (November 30, 1913 - May 27, 1967)

Vic Brandi (October 26, 1922 - July 4, 2002)

John Charno (December 11, 1920 - October 20, 2006)

Danny Murphy

Melvin Flichtenfeld (August 24, 1925 - February 19, 2003)

Moe Goldberg (July 16, 1922 - August 1, 1996)

Ted Hanauer (January 1, 1924 - October 1, 2013) 

Marv Haspil aka Mel Haskell (February 11, 1924 - October 26, 2004)

Carl Kolosna (June 17, 1924 - January 30, 1992)

Tom Larkin  (January 21, 1923 - December 28, 1996)

Bob Morgan  

Dan Murphy  

Reagen 

Pete Savio (September 3, 1922 - August 25, 2005)

Sterling 

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

Jack Walsh (November 11, 1920 - May 9, 1976)

Al Widmar (March 20, 1925 - October 15, 2005)

Jim Zeravich (February 17, 1920 - August 16, 1998)

POTTSVILLE:

Head Coach:

• Hughie Hoke (October 15, 1908 - May 4, 1984)  6-14

PLAYERS:

Jack Collins 

Eddie Deitch (December 1, 1910 - June 20, 1997)

Bob Morris

Ralph Dolgoff (October 24, 1917 - April 20, 2009)

Joe Dougherty 

Jack Gillespie (November 13, 1923 - July 24, 1986)

Habinski  

Marv Haspil aka Mel Haskell (February 11, 1924 - October 26, 2004)

Art Heffner (December 12, 1916 - August 12, 2010)

Bill Law (September 15, 1916 - May 24, 1989)

Dick Maberry (October 15, 1923 - July 18, 2000)

Carl Macur (September 15, 1918 - January 1, 1988)

Eddie McCluskey (January 29, 1926 - March 2, 2016)

Bob Morris (February 17, 1913 - June 1, 1985)

Dan Murphy 

Bogey Rosenberger (July 12, 1923 - October 26, 2000)

Saeger 

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

George Tepo (March 14, 1920 - October 3, 2005)

Charlie Trinkle (August 2, 1920 - November 3, 2015)

Whiteman 

1946-47 Allentown Rockets (EPBL)

1946-47 ALLENTOWN ROCKETS
EASTERN BASKETBALL LEAGUE - PENNSYLVANIA
8-18, .308, 5th place

Owned by Roy Minninger and Johnny Hessinger, the Rockets season started on a positive note, winning their opener and defeated the skilled Lancaster club a week later to record a 2-1 record. The season then slipped away as they lost 3 straight and 9 of their next 12. The club Tommie Bell and  Chick Craig were the bright spots in the line-up, but not much else could be done to change their direction. 

Sporting a 5-10 record following a January 20, 1947, loss to Lancaster, the club was sold to Tommy Loughran, a local pugilist. Jack Carpien, a former player and assistant at CCNY, was named head coach and the team was revamped. Only Tommy Gorman, Chup Leonard  Willie Stellar and Connie Toombs survived the ownership changes, but even with a new look, the team only won 3 games under Carpien and finished in a distant fifth place.

Head Coaches:

• H. Lee Coker (October 26, 1915 - February 16, 2010)  5-10
• Jack Carpien (October 19, 1918 - November 13, 2009) 3-8 Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

Tommy Bell (September 11, 1922 - December 17, 1949)

Bernie Blumenthal (February 24, 1926 - May 16, 1995)

Jack Carpien (October 29, 1918 - November 13, 2009)

Chick Craig (July 23, 1922 - June 21, 2008)

Stan Esko (January 2, 1924 - July 29, 1999)

George Faust aka George Feigenbaum (July 3, 1928 - December 25, 2000)

Tommy Gorman (March 16, 1919 - August 11, 1986)

Dick Gray (May 26, 1921 - December 28, 1973)

Jack Hewson (September 7, 1924 - June 26, 2012)

Bill Hushkek (October 25, 1923 - October 20, 2000)

Hal Korovin (April 19, 1925 - June 5, 2021)

Chup Leonard (September 8, 1918 - March 7, 2004)

Al Mabel  

John Mackin or Makin 

Frankie Majczan (March 24, 1921 - March 30, 2020)

Jiggs Muhleisen (July 4, 1921 - August 14, 1991)

Dimmy Oleinick (August 24, 1921 - November 19, 2004)

Bob Sigholtz (November 4, 1919 - September 2, 2005)

Devon Smith (July 7, 1914 - February 3, 1979)

Willie Stellar (June 5, 1923 - April 22, 2008)

Connie Toomb (September 5, 1922 - May 15, 1987)

1946-47 EPBL

The six-team Eastern Basketball League of Pennsylvania (or Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League) kicked off its inaugural season on December 1, 1946. Despite being based in Pennsylvania, there was a team just across the northern border in Binghamton, New York, The Binghamton team started winnin g only one of its first 7 games and the franchise was transferred to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, by Christmas. The relocation and new personnel didn't help the club's fortunes much as they finished with only 7 wins.

The Wilkes-Barre Barons proved to be the class of the league. Under coach Ed White and lead by Cas OStrowski and the Chanecka brothers, the Barons roared to a 22-5 record with the other team giving them trouble was the Lancaster club, who beat them three times in the regular season and would meet them in the championship series. Reading and Hazleton grabbed the last two playoff spots but wer enever really a threat to Wilkes-BArre or even Lancaster, while Allentown was never really a factor.

In the playoffs, the powerful Barons struggled in their series with Reading, but managed to win both games to advance. Game one saw Reading hold the Barons to 45 points, but only could muster 41 points themselves. Game two saw the Baron's Ostrowski score 14 points along with mid-season addition Earl Craig's identical total to lead to a 62-58 victory and send them to the championship series. Lancaster had a pair of 10+ point wins over Hazleton in their sweep of the best-of-3 series. Ephrata (PA) legend Whitey Von Nieda scored 31 points for the Red Roses in the opening game, while Bink Manning lead the way with 24 points in the second.

The championship series began on March 23, 1947, in Lancaster. The Red Roses shocked the heavily-favored Barons in the opening game with a 59-54 victory. Von  Nieda scored 20 while Tommy Bell, who started the season with Allentown, added 19.  Moving to Wilkes-Barre three days later for game 2, the Barons defense shut down the Lancaster offense, holding them to under 40 points as they rolled to a 65-37 win. After some scheduling issues, the third and deciding game was held on April 1 in Allentown and the Barons rolled again, this time with a 70-54 score, to claim the championship.

• Allentown Rockets
• Binghamton Triplets  / Pottsville Maroons
• Hazleton Mountaineers
• Lancaster Red Roses
• Reading Keys
• Wilkes-Barre Barons

Eastern Basketball League - Pennsylvania (EPBL)

 As World War 2 came to an end and the soldier began to return home and the economy was shifting back from the war effort, the working class turned to sports for recreation more than ever. Professional basketball, which had been growing slowly prior to the war, was beginning to centralize and organize. The NBL, and to a lesser extent, the ABL, were the biggest organized professional leagues, bit in 1946 the BAA was formed in a large part by the owners of 5 NHL teams. The BAA would eventually siphon off the best of the NBL teams and become the NBA, and propel itself into prominence. But on the state level, smaller minor leagues (and largely semi-professional in reality) forme that same fall of 1946. Three leagues named the Eastern League, in based in Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania, commenced and under the umbrella of an Eastern Basketball Association, operated independently but with codified rules and recognizing each other's contracts (with a few disagreements). The Connecticut league and the New York league last a few season before folding. But he Eastern League of Pennsylvania did much better. It would eventually expand out of state and across the nation, becoming the Continental Basketball Association which survived into the 21st century before finally ceasing operations.

There have been some great books and research done on the Eastern League, much better than anything I could ever do. (Robert Bradley and Syl Sobel have both written great books on the subject). But as I try to move forward in the pro basketball timeline, I figured I would at least look at it the same way I did other leagues and maybe fill in a few blanks along the way. I am planning on jumping back and forth between the EBL and the NBA as I move forward.

New updates, identifications, corrections, December 2023

Taking some time and looking back to fill in some holes or close some things out.

DETAILS ADDED:

Lefty Kintzing, ABL - exact date of death added

Leo Malone, ABL: Birth year 1890  not 1895, died April 2, 1960

Hubs McCord, ABL - Added middle name, exact date of death

PROPERLY IDENTIFIED:

Main Rich, ABL - Marion Johnston Rich (1903-1970)

CORRECTED:

Marty Barry, ABL - Date of death November 26, 1983

Hank Baude, ABL - Date of death June 24, 1977

Frank Radice, ABL - Date of death September 28, 1986, not 1987

NEW LEADS UNRESOLVED: