1948-49 Manitowoc Braves (WSBL)

1948-49 MANITOWOC BRAVES

WISCONSIN STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE

1st Half: 10-2, .833, 1st place

2nd Half: 8-4, .667, 2nd place

Finals: Defeated Neenah, 3-1

Ronnie Blomberg

This year the Braves put it all together. The opened the campaign with 7 straight wins and won the first-half title with a 10-2 record. They were 8-4 in the second half, but two losses were nail-biters. The would defeat Neenah in the Championship series in 4 games.

The Braves had a lot of scoring weapons. Kramer, Edinger and Sullivan all averaged over 10 point a game, but University of Wisconsin student lead the team with a 14.0 PPG average

Head Coach:

• Rube Lautenschlager (September 7, 1915 - January 5, 1992) 

PLAYERS:

• Ron Blomberg (December 17, 1927 - December 7, 2015)
• Joe Chavez (June 22, 1922 - October 4, 2014)
• Art Edinger (April 3, 1924 - January 22, 2001)
• Ted Fritsch (October 31, 1920 - October 4, 1979)
• Adolph Gorychka (April 8, 1911 - October 6, 2004)
• Dick John (October 21, 1919 - September 9, 1983)
• Ken Keuper (November 14, 1918 - May 23, 1997)
• Stan Kramer (June 3, 1921 - June 23, 1997)
• Dick Lade (July 25, 1929 - February 10, 2008)

  

  Dick Lade

• Herman Reckelberg (October 24, 1927 - July 19, 2019)
• Bob Sullivan (July 1, 1921 - April 12, 2007)
• Gordy Wotruba (November 19, 1928 - April 6, 1999)

1948-49 Kimberly Papermakers (WSBL)

 1948-49 KIMBERLY PAPERMAKERS

WISCONSIN STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE

1st Half: 3-8, .273, 6th place
2nd Half: 2-7, .222, 6th place

Despite having a high-scoring talent like Alan Dietzler, who averaged around 15 Point per game, Kimberly struggled through the season. The second half was no better than the first, but managed to stay out of last place both halves.

Head Coach:

• Elmer Vander Velden (March 3, 1916 - November 7, 1995) Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

• 

  Pete Valentyne

  Alan Dietzler (b. October 6, 1928)
• Bill Goffard (June 13, 1929 - May 20, 2013)
• Norb Gossens (August 13, 1913 - May 8, 2006)
• Arnie Leaman (February 17, 1919 - October 25, 1998
• Carl Schnese (March 3, 1928 - March 22, 2019)
• Don Schellfout (b. June 6, 1930 )
• Pete Valentyne (March 30, 1930 - August 19, 2019)
• Frank Van Boeckel (May 1, 1929 - April 28, 1995)
• Frank Van Cuyk (July 15, 1924 - May 18, 1987)
• John Van Cuyk (July 7, 1921 - July 10, 2010)
• Elmer Vanden Boogaard (July 20, 1920 - October 2, 2009)
• Carl Vanden Boom (June 29, 1929 - February 8, 2005)
• Jim Vanden Boom (October 7, 1925 - May 30, 1986)
• Elmer Vander Velden (March 3, 1916 - November 7, 1995)
• Francis Vander Velden (January 27, 1922 - February 6, 2008)
• Driek Van Dyke (November 13, 1920 - March 29, 2011)
• Nig Van Dyke (June 6, 1922 - September 3, 1990)
• Red Williams (December 26, 1922 - November 8, 1994)

1948-49 WSBL

 

For the WSBL's second season, they managed to get all 7 teams returning from the inaugural season. Neenah, who joined the WSBL half way into the 1947-48 season, were set to enjoy a full-season of league play. A popular travelling semi-pro team, the Bluejackets, made up largely of police officers and their friends, had a couple rough losses in the first half, but won the second half crown and a birth in the championship series. Manitowoc rolled to a first-half pennant, winning ten of 12, while finishing second half. Check Shepard lead Neenah with 14.4 PPG, while Manitowoc was lead by Ronnie Blomberg (14.0 PPG) and Stan Kraemer (13.7). The rest of the league was fairly evenly balanced in the first half, but in the second half  Kimberly and Sheboygan fell into deep funks while the other five squads fought for the second half title.

Manitowoc and Neenah met of March 9, 1949, for game one of a best-of-five series for the WSBL championship. Manitowoc defending their home court in Game 1, winning by 17 behind Blomberg's 26 points. Manitowoc won game two the next night in Neenah in a hard-fought overtime game, but Neenah staved off elimination in Game 3 with a four-point victory in Manitowoc. Heading back to Neenah for Game 4, Neenah fought hard in the high-scoring affair but fell to the Braves, handing the title to Manitowoc.

Teams
Kimberly Papermakers 
Manitowoc Braves

Neenah Bluejackets 

New Holstein Cheesemakers

North Fond du Lac Tigers

Sheboygan Dicks

Two Rivers Kriseas

1947-48 Two Rivers Krisea's (WSBL)

Vic Gauthier

1947-48 TWO RIVERS KRISEA'S

WISCONSIN STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE

1st Half: 4-8, .333, T-5th place

2nd Half: 5-6, .455, 5th place

Head Coach:

• 
  

Ken Wondrash

PLAYERS:

• Vic Gauthier (February 4, 1922 - January 13, 2001)
• Lewis Hrdina (May 25, 1923 - January 5, 1999)
• Marty Kozlowski (January 6, 1917 - October 6, 1961)
• Ken Kreisa (January 3, 1922 - May 21, 1984)
• Carl Kuehl (b. March 14, 1927)
• Danny LeClair (June 6, 1927 - September 22, 2003)
• Hilary LeClair (December 18, 1918 - September 22, 2003)
• Rube LeClair (September 7, 1923 - January 18, 2009)

• 

  Rube LeClair

  Ernie Lupie (August 19, 1917 - March 23, 1995)
• Francis Rehrauer (April 11, 1921 - December 6, 2009)
• Schaffer   
• Ervin Smogoleski (January 17, 1925 - December 24, 2010)
• George Stangel (May 28, 1924 - March 28, 2009)
• Ken Wondrash (December 11, 1921 - February 14, 1981)

Ervin Smogoleski

Marty Kozlowski

1947-48 Sheboygan Dick's (WSBL)

Don Caan

1947-48 SHEBOYGAN DICK'S 

WISCONSIN STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE

1st Half: 4-8, .333, T-5th place

2nd Half: 1-10, .091, 6th place

Sheboygan expected much at the beginning of the season, but they dropped their first three games and were 2-7 when Bill Schroeder took over as head coach. Bill had joined the team in the week before Christmas when his commitment to the Chicago Rockets football team (of the AAFC) closed. He was named head coach in January but it made little difference. After a poor first half, the team only won one game in the second half.

Head Coaches:

•  
• Bill Schroeder (April 11, 1923 - December 9, 2003) 3-11  Also played. See below

PLAYERS:

• 

  Dick Schoreder

  Don Caan (March 16, 1929 - July 28, 2014)
• Eddie Fessler (November 30, 1921 - August 31, 2000)
• Roger Forsterling (March 22, 1925 - July 25, 1985)
• Harlan Huibregtse (November 29, 1926 - September 14, 2016)
• Hugh Jannsen (January 16, 1922 - March 19, 1990)
• Kenny Kurtz (December 15, 1928 - June 28, 1999)
• Don Lampe (July 5, 1924 - April 20, 2011)
• George Manus (March 8, 1925 - November 11, 1962)
• Dick Primc (August 26, 1926 - January 10, 1992)
• Bill Schroeder (April 11, 1923 - December 9, 2003)
• Dick Schroeder (December 30, 1928 - January 1, 2023)
• Dave Soderberg (November 6, 1922 - November 21, 1990)
• Art Toston (January 12, 1924 - January 29, 1986)
• Buddy Wagner (September 10, 1927 - August 23, 2007)

Kenny Kurtz

Buddy Wagner

1947-48 Plymouth Legion Lions (WSBL)

1947-48 PLYMOUTH LEGION LIONS

WISCONSIN STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE

1st Half: 3-9, .250, 7th place

The Plymouth Legion team suffered through the first half of the season but managed to grab three wins. However, after the conclusion of the first half the Legionnaires withdrew from the league (to be replaced by Neenah)

Roy Bohnoff

Head Coach:

• 
  

PLAYERS:

• Roy Bohnoff (January 4, 1925 - May 11, 2015)
• Ed Fessler (November 30, 1921 - August 31, 2000)
• Steve Galbari (August 18, 1920 - July 17, 1996)
• Lou Gebler (October 23, 1920 - April 7, 1972)
• Gilbert Gilman (March 20, 1923 - January 29, 2014)
• Warren Ladwig (February 18, 1925 - January 4, 1985)

  

  Steve Galbari

• Wesley Ladwig (August 1, 1925 - July 9, 2000)
• Matt Marchiando (December 24, 1922 - January 31, 2001)
• Leonard Moersch (November 26, 1919 - August 2, 1979)
• Robert Mudrow (September 2, 1927 - December 24, 1983)
• Jim Pokel (March 30, 1928 - May 17, 1992)
• Henry Schuette (July 5, 1927 - April 10, 2008)

Gilbert Gilman

Walt Ladwig

1947-48 North Fond du Lac Tigers (WSBL)

1947-48 NORTH FOND du LAC TIGERS

WISCONSIN STATE BASKETBALL LEAGUE

1st Half: 7-5, .583, 3rd place

2nd Half: 6-6, .500, 4th place

North Fondy got off to a promising start, winning their first 3 and 6 of 8, but stumbled at the end of the first half and fell to third place. Hoping for a fresh start in the second half, North Fondy lost 5 of six in a stretch in February and finished in 4th.

Head Coach:

• Pete LePine (November 6, 1884 - April 19, 1963) 

PLAYERS:

• Bernie Anderson (October 23, 1924 - May 14, 2000)
• Dick Clarke (December 6, 1927 - December 18, 1950)
• Bob Detert (March 2, 1928 - December 1, 1974)
• Swede Erickson (August 19, 1920 - October 11, 1999)
• Gordon Giebel (January 11, 1928 - July 13, 1984)
• Gerald Haskett (June 20, 1925 - June 17, 1977)
• Roger Kuehl 
• Bob Laske (January 5, 1926, Died May 28, 2022)
• Bob Mateske (July 26, 1926 - August 31, 2017)
• Stan or Gordon Smith ??
• Darrell Toshner (September 26, 1924 - November 29, 2012)
• Spencer Van Ess (April 30, 1924 - September 16, 1982)
• Chuck Winkler (June 26, 1925 - July 18, 2012)
• Gale Zimmerman (April 7, 1926 - March 24, 1987)