Friday, April 28, 2017

Bill Anton

Basil Steven "Bill" Anton


Born:
September 20, 1917
Bingham, UT

Died:
October 12, 2004
Salt Lake City, UT


Career
1934-35 Cleveland High School - Portland, OR (High School)
1935-36 Williamette University - Salem, OR (College) Freshmen
1936-37 Williamette University - Salem, OR (College)
1937-38 Williamette University - Salem, OR (College)
1938-39 Williamette University - Salem, OR (College)
1946-47 Salem Trailblazers (PCBL)

Born to Greek immigrants Steve (d. 1940) and Katena Anton, the 6'5, 210-pound Anton played baseball and basketball at Williamette. After playing pro basketball with Salem, he moved to Salt Lake City where he operated a nightclub. (1949). Anton served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2, and after moving to SLC, he operated a few business while enjoying time as an actor and singer.

Anton and his wife, Mary, had two sons.

Source:
Salt Lake City Tribune, October 15, 2004

Porky Andrews

George Lloyd "Porky" Andrews


Born:
September 18, 1917
Victoria, BC

Died:
May 26, 1999
Victoria, BC



Career
1934-35 Victoria Blue Ribbons - British Columbia (Amateur)
1939-40 University of Oregon (College)
1940-41 University of Oregon (College)
1941-42 University of Oregon (College)
1942-43 R.C.A.F. Cranes (Military)  
1944-45 Pat Bay Gremlins - British Columbia (Military)
1945-46 Victoria Dominos - British Columbia (Independent) Head coach
1946-47 Vancouver Hornets (PCBL) Head coach / player
1946-47 Portland Indians (World Pro Tournament)
1947-48 Vancouver Hornets (PCBL) Head coach
Port Alberni Athletics - British Columbia (Independent)
1951-52 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1952-53 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1953-54 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1954-55 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1955-56 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1956-57 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1957-58 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1958-59 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1959-60 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1960-61 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1961-62 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1962-63 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1963-64 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1964-65 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1965-66 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1966-67 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1967-68 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach
1968-69 Victoria High School - British Columbia (High School) Head coach

Andrews joined with his Portland rivals to compete in the World Professional Basketball Tournament after the PCBL season. He went on to coach successfully at Victoria HS.

Porky and his wife, Marion, had two sons and a daughter,



Source:
British Columbia Sports Hall of Fame
Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame

Dick Anderson

Richard Everett Anderson


Born:
June 24, 1921
Fresno, CA

Died:
December 15, 2005



Career
1937-38 Olympia High School - Washington (High School)
1938-39 Olympia High School - Washington (High School)
1939-40 Olympia High School - Washington (High School)
1940-41 Olympia Elks - Washington (Independent)
1941-42 St. Martin's College (College)
1945-46 Olympia Elks - Washington (Independent)
1946-47 Olympia Roundtablers - Washington (Independent)
1946-47 Salem Trailblazers (PCBL)
1946-47 Spokane Orphans (PCBL)

Born in California to Lawrence and Zelma Anderson, Richard moved with his family to the Olympia, Washington, area in 1927. He was a high schorer for Olympia HS and attended St. Martin's College before the onset of World War 2. After the war, Anderson (5'10.5, 150 lbs) played more basketball around Olympia before signing with the Salem Trailblazers of the Pacific Coast League around February 3, 1947 and transferred to Spokane when the two clubs merged.


Source:
The Olympian (Olympia, WA), February 25, 1940

Al Akins

Albert George Akins


Born:
June 13, 1921
Spokane, WA

Died:
August 29, 1995
Reno, NV


Career
1935-36 John R. Rogers High School - Spokane (High School)
1936-37 John R. Rogers High School - Spokane (High School)
1937-38 John R. Rogers High School - Spokane (High School)
1942-43 Washington State College (College)
1946-47 Bellingham Fircrests (PCBL)
1947-48 Bellingham Fircrests (PCBL)
1976-77 Southern Oregon State College (College) Head coach, Women's Basketball
1977-78 Southern Oregon State College (College) Head coach, Women's Basketball
1978-79 Southern Oregon State College (College) Head coach, Women's Basketball
1979-80 Southern Oregon State College (College) Head coach, Women's Basketball



Drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the 1944 NFL Draft, Akins played three seasons of pro football in the AAFC from 1946-48. He also played semi-pro baseball around the Pacific Northwest, and was good enough to play one season of minor league baseball in the St. Louis Browns' farm system. He became the head football coach at Southern Oregon from 1956-1969, and later coached their women's basketball team.

Akins died of heart failure in 1995.

Akins married Marilyn Miller in 1948.

AAFC Stats:
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/A/AkinAl20.htm



Minor League Baseball Stats:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=akins-000al-

Source:

1946-47 Yakima Ramblers (PCBL)

1946-47 YAKIMA RAMBLERS
PACIFIC COAST BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Finished: 8-25 .242, 6th place

The Yakima team dissolved on February 14, 1947.

  • Head Coach: Bob Carr (October 25, 1917 - November 13, 1996) Also played. See below.

PLAYERS: 
  • Clipper Carmody (October 23, 1922 - 1997)
Biography

  • Bob Carr (October 25, 1917 - November 13, 1996)
Biography

  • Pat Dorsey (August 17, 1917 - February 28, 1992)
Biography 

  • Emil Drovetto (November 27, 1925 - October 6, 2019)
Biography

  • Jack Jennings (April 2, 1918 - February 8, 1982)
Biography

  • Joe Matanich (February 12, 1922 - May 13, 1986)
Biography

  • John Matanich (May 6, 1923 - November 22, 1998)
Biography

  • Harry Parrish  (July 2, 1921 - December 18, 1993)
Biography

  • Don Sanders (December 2, 1916 - June 27, 1990)
Biography

  • Moose Schlicting (July 21, 1917 - September 29, 2002)
Biography

  • Lyle "Tom" Smith (September 29, 1923 - October 31, 2021)
Biography 

  • Don Sorenson  (May 17, 1919 - July 16, 2007)
Biography 

  • Jack Vaughn (July 5, 1923 - June 25, 2000)
Biography

  • Jim Vernon (May 5, 1921 - October 9, 2000)
Biography 

1946-47 Vancouver Hornets (PCBL)

1946-47 VANCOUVER HORNETS
PACIFIC COAST BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Finished: 24-14 .632, 3rd place
Round Robin Playoffs - Finished 6-6

  • Head Coach: Porky Andrews (September 18, 1917 - May 26, 1999) Also played. See below

PLAYERS: 
  • Porky Andrews (September 18, 1917 - May 26, 1999)
Biography

  • Norm Baker (February 17, 1923 - April 23, 1989)
Biography

  • Arthur Chapman (October 28, 1912 - February 3, 1986)
Biography

  • Reg Clarkson (August 29, 1925 - April 26, 2012)
Biography

  • Ken Lawn (June 26, 1920 - October 19, 2012)
Biography

  • Ritchie Nichol (December 15, 1921 - December 26, 2008)
Biography

  • Stretch Osterhaus (November 12, 1917 - November 28, 1997)
Biography

  • Doug Peden (April 18, 1916 - April 11, 2005)
Biography

  • Gordy Sykes (November 8, 1923 - March 6, 1986)
Biography

  • Jack Vaughn (July 5, 1923 - June 25, 2000)
Biography

1946-47 Spokane Orphans (PCBL)

1946-47 SPOKANE ORPHANS
PACIFIC COAST BASKETBALL LEAGUE

Finished: 1-17 .056, 7th place

Team merged with Salem in early February and became the Spokane Blazers. This newly- merged team would not finish the season.




  • Head Coach: Rufe Fox (September 9, 1912 - September 11, 1985)

PLAYERS: 

  • Wally Beck  (January 4, 1923 - November 25, 1998)
Biography

  • Ron Bowen  (November 16, 1925 - November 24, 2011)
Biography

  • Weyman "Bob" Cotton (December 29, 1920 - March 10, 1999)
Biography

  • Morrie Helser (July 17, 1913 - November 9, 1996)
Biography 

  • Dave Howard  (February 26, 1921 - June 15, 1995)
Biography

  • Ole Johnson (May 3, 1925 - October 29, 1999)
Biography

  • Bill Magruder (January 10, 1924 - February 24, 2007)
Biography

  • Jack Mayne (April 18, 1918 - June 22, 2001)
Biography

  • Dick Oberstaller (February 16, 1926 - May 6, 2002)
Biography

  • Bud Olson (May 23, 1918 - March 19, 2006)
Biography

  • Al Stitt (July 1, 1917 - October 1, 2007)
Biography 

  • Don Stitt (June 9, 1915 - June 18, 2007)
Biography

    • Vince Stroyan (January 26, 1916 - April 9, 1988)
    Biography

    • Curley Weeks 
    Biography 


    POST-MERGER PLAYERS

    • Dick Anderson (June 24, 1921 - December 15, 2005)
    Biography

    • Lowell Doud (October 23, 1922 - March 31, 2016)
    Biography

    • Dale Gentry (July 2, 1917 - June 27, 1968) 
    Biography

      • Gay O'Brink (May 13, 1917 - September 8, 2008)
      Biography

      • Len Yandle (February 6, 1911 - January 16, 2001)
      Biography


      NOTE:  Al McRae (
      July 18, 1921 - December 5, 2014) may have signed with the team in early February of 1947 as they merged with Salem, but whether or not he played is uncertain at this time.
      Biography


      1946-47 Seattle Blue Devils (PCBL)

      1946-47 SEATTLE BLUE DEVILS
      Coach Stan Riddle


      PACIFIC COAST BASKETBALL LEAGUE

      Finished: 18-19 .486, 4th place

      Round Robin Playoffs - Finished 2-10

      Lead by veteran local basketball figure Stan Riddle, The Blue Devils won their first two games over Portland, but then dropped six games in a row. Riddle resigned, citing "business reasons," and was replaced by Steve Antonich. The Blue Devils won seven in a row after Antonich took over, and the team finished in fourth place. They got beaten up in the round robin, only winning 2 of 12 games.


      • Head Coaches: 
      Stan Riddle (January 8, 1893 - October 21, 1960)  2-6
      Steve Antoncich (March 18, 1905 - August 30, 1972) 16-13


      PLAYERS:
      • Bill Chase (May 8, 1918. - May 27, 1987) 
      Biography

      • Norm Dalthorp (August 11, 1919 - April 7, 1974)
      Biography

      • Bill Fleming (May 11, 1919 - January 7, 1999)
      Biography

      • George Glavin (October 17, 1921 - May 18, 1991)
      Biography

      • John Katica (November 5, 1918 - May 5, 2000)
      Biography

      • Wally Leask (April 30, 1921 - July 21, 2004)
      Biography

      • George Logg (June 1, 1913 - October 26, 1987)
      Biography

      • Ernie Maskovich (January 22, 1922 - November 27, 2004)
      Biography

      • Al Maul (November 27, 1923 - September 30, 1997)
      Biography

      • Bob Parsons (June 11, 1915 - March 1, 1985)
      Biography

      • Sig Sigurdson (November 27, 1918 - December 2, 2006)
      Biography 

      • Frankie Watson (September 1, 1918 - July 3, 2007)
      Biography

      1946-47 Salem Trailblazers (PCBL)

      1946-47 SALEM TRAILBLAZERS
      PACIFIC COAST BASKETBALL LEAGUE
      Finished: 8-21 .276, 5th place


      The Salem team was wrought with attendance problems, and by the end of January, were a team looking for a new home. They played in various venues, even giving Tacoma a try before merging with the floundering Spokane franchise in early February. The new team, called the Spokane Blazers, would eventually drop out of the league on February 17.
      • Head Coach: Len Yandle (February 6, 1911 - January 16, 2001) Also played. See Below


      PLAYERS: 
      • Dick Anderson (June 24, 1921 - December 15, 2005)
      Biography

      • Bill Anton (September 20, 1917 - October 12, 2004)
      Biography

      • Wally Beck  (January 4, 1923 - November 25, 1998)
      Biography

      • Bob Burns 
      Biography 

      • Lowell Doud (October 23, 1922 - March 31, 2016)
      Biography

      • Dale Gentry (July 2, 1917 - June 27, 1968) - joined team after merging with Spokane
      Biography

      • Gray 
      Biography

      • Ole Johnson (May 3, 1925 - October 29, 1999)
      Biography

      • John Kaminsky (February 14, 1921 - June 16, 1984)
      Biography

      • Johnny Kolb (September 2, 1917 - May 19, 1989)
      Biography

      • Ernie Maskovich (January 22, 1922 - November 27, 2004)
      Biography

      • Gay O'Brink (May 13, 1917 - September 8, 2008)
      Biography

      • Stretch Osterhaus (November 12, 1917 - November 28, 1997)
      Biography

      • Jack Riggin (December 5, 1927 - June 18, 1998)

      • Frank Shone (June 10, 1917 - December 2, 1949)

        • Don Stitt (June 9, 1915 - June 18, 2007)
        Biography

        • Vince Stroyan (January 26, 1916 - April 9, 1988)
        Biography

        • Dave Teyama (March 18, 1923 - September 18, 2013)
        Biography

        • Jack Vaughn (July 5, 1923 - June 25, 2000)
        Biography

        • Curley Weeks 
        Biography 

        • Len Yandle (February 6, 1911 - January 16, 2001)
        Biography

         
        NOTE:   

        Al McRae (July 18, 1921 - December 5, 2014) may have signed with the team in early February of 1947 as they merged with Spokane, but whether or not he played is uncertain at this time.
        Biography



        1946-47 Portland Indians (PCBL)

        1946-47 PORTLAND INDIANS
        PACIFIC COAST BASKETBALL LEAGUE
        Finished: 33-10 .684, 1st place

        Round Robin Playoffs - Finished 7-5

        The Indians got off to a slow start, losing their first four games. After a 43-42 loss to Seattle on December 8, 1946, they turned their fortunes and ran off 12 wins in a row and 31 of their next 34. They ran into a hot Bellingham team in the round-robin playoffs and lost the championship. John Mandic, who would go on to play in the NBA, was the Indians' top scorer, finishing second in the PCBL with at 15.6 PPG average.

        • Head Coach: Slim Wintermute (July 9, 1917 - October, 1977) Also played. See below.

        PLAYERS: 
        • Jack Butterworth (June 19, 1914 - October 19, 1998)
        Biography

        • Don Durdan (September 21, 1920 - June 28, 1971)
        Biography

        • Mike Hafenecker (September 19, 1924 - January 15, 1984)
        Biography

        • Bob Hamilton (April 22, 1922 - December 7, 1995)
        Biography

        • Dave Howard  (February 26, 1921 - June 15, 1995)
        Biography

        • Frank Mandic (October 10, 1917 - April 28, 2011)
        Biography

        • John Mandic (October 3, 1919 - June 22, 2003)
        Biography

        • Harry Parrish (July 2, 1921 - December 18, 1993)
        Biography

        • Roy Pflugard (December 18, 1916 - January 4, 2012)
        Biography

        • Ted Sarpola (July 28, 1916 - February 11, 1986)
        Biography

        • Lyle "Tom" Smith (September 29, 1923 - October 31, 2021)
        Biography 

          • Bill Taitt (August 24, 1923 - September 1, 2004)
          Biography 

          • Slim Wintermute (July 9, 1917 - October, 1977)
          Biography

          1946-47 Bellingham Fircrests (PCBL)

          1946-47 BELLINGHAM FIRCRESTS
          PACIFIC COAST BASKETBALL LEAGUE
          Finished: 26-12 .684, 2nd place
          Round Robin Playoffs - Finished 9-3

          A decent team with a good core, they really didn't take off until adding Al Akins and Bob Cotton in January. The won 15 of their last 19 to climb into second place, heading into the round-robin that would determine the league champion. They would win the round-robin, and therefore, the first champions of the Pacific Coast Basketball League.
          • Head Coach: Gale Bishop (June 4, 1922 - December 26, 2003) Also played. See below.

          PLAYERS: 
          • Al Akins (June 13, 1921 - August 29, 1995)
          Biography 

          • Gale Bishop (June 4, 1922 - December 26, 2003)
          Biography

          • Weyman "Bob" Cotton (December 29, 1920 - March 10, 1999)
          Biography

          • Bobby Dorr (May 17, 1917 - July 28, 2005)
          Biography

          • Cliff Gaffney (December 30, 1920 - June 13, 2014)
          Biography 

          • Ziggy Marcell (September 1, 1916 - October 10, 1990)
          Biography

          • Bud Olson (May 23, 1918 - March 19, 2006)
          Biography

          • Chuck Patterson (August 2, 1914 - October 1, 1988)
          Biography

          • Arky Simon  
          Biography

          • Lyle "Tom" Smith (September 29, 1923 - October 31, 2021)
          Biography 

          • Don Stitt (June 9, 1915 - June 18, 2007)
          Biography

          • Earl Torgeson (January 1, 1924 - November 8, 1990)
          Biography 

          • Sid Van Sinderen (July 26, 1923 - February 12, 2017)
          Biography 

          • Ray Wark (July 10, 1922 - June 6, 2005)
          Biography 

          Pacific Coast Professional Basketball League (PCBL)

          Right after World War 2, the troops were coming back home to the United States and Canada. The economy was going for war production back to consumer goods.People were generally doing well, and leisure and recreation were being enjoyed in the new America. Baseball and football saw their attendance spike, and professional basketball, still in its infancy for the most part, was all over the landscape, coast to coast. It was during this time that the sport began to centralize into one dominant professional league. By the mid 1950's, only one major professional league stood. But in 1946, The American Basketball League was the longest running league, and the National Basketball League survived the player depletion of the war. They saw new competition with the formation of new professional leagues: The BAA started in major cities in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, Southern League attempting to rise from the land of Dixie, and out west, the Pacific League was formed.

          The fact that a lot of talent was out west was not in question. By 1946, Utah, Wyoming, Stanford and Oregon had all won the NCAA championship, with Oregon winning the first title in 1939. A team from Colorado had grabbed the NIT one year. However, a lot of these players had only AAU and independent teams to play for. They, for the most part, were localized collegiate players and did not want to move to the other side of the country, far away from family and friends, to play a game that really did not pay that much.

          That is where the Pacific Coast Professional Basketball League stepped in.

          Major League baseball had already found the talent pool of the West. The Pacific Coast League for baseball had given the major leagues Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr and the DiMaggio brothers. That PCL was a shade below the major leagues in talent, but produced a higher quality of baseball than any of the minor leagues in the east. It seemed natural the a Pacific League for basketball would easily rival the quality of play in the American or National Basketball Leagues. Seemed logical.

          The PCBL was set to be an eight-team league, with teams in Bellingham, Portland, Salem, Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver and Yakima. Commencing on December 3, 1946, Commissioner Bobby Morris said the league have a 64-game schedule over 16 weeks. The teams would play four games a week, consisting of two two-game series. They hoped at the end of the seasonn, they would meet with the champions of the NBL, BAA and ABL for a playoff to determine the World Champion.

          Lofty goals, all of which would never come to be.

          Spokane and Tacoma had problems right off the start. The Spokane franchise could not get organized in time for the start of the season and began two weeks late. Tacoma failed to get a team together and folded before playing a game. Limping into the new year, the seven-team league began to have schedule and travel issues that hampered the league's viability. Salem was dogged with poor attendance and kept looking at new venues to draw. Spokane's late start didn't help the teams fortune, and neither did their inability to find a sutiable place to play home games. However, not all teams were failing at the gate. Bellingham, for example, drew very well at home. But the troubles with other teams were hard to overcome. Even after Salem dropped ticket prices from $1.50 to $1.00, the team still failed to draw. A mere 150 bothered to show up for a January game in Yakima. It was clearly evident that four teams (Bellingham, Vancouver, Seattle and Portland) in the league were doing well enough to survive. The other three (Salem, Spokane and Yakima) were crumbling fast.

          Late in January, the Salem Trailblazers began looking beyond Salem to find a place to play. They chose to reorganize and become essentially nomads.  They played a home game in Mt. Angel on January 31 before trying to call Tacoma home. (They played as the Tacoma Blazers on February 5 in a 82-58 trouncing at the hands of Bellingham.) Two days later, after a 57-47 loss to Yakima, the team had all but disintegrated.

          As Salem tried their best to survive that first season, the Spokane Orphans were an ill-fated franchise from the beginning. As stated before, they were barely able to start the season, and when they did, they only managed one victory and rarely could keep their schedule obligations, playing all road games (by January 27, they had played on 8 league games while every other team had played 22 gamed or more.)

          Salem, now on the verge of folding, found a lifeline with Spokane. The league approved a merger of the two teams, and they were to finish the season as the Spokane Blazers. Players Dave Teyema, Jack Vaughn, Bill Osterhaus and Ernie Maskovich were released, new players (Dick Anderson, Lowell Doud, Dale Genry, Bob Burns, Jack Riggins and Wally Beck) were brought aboard.

          The league limped through February with six teams. The Blazers team, despite the merger and efforts to stay afloat, last two more weeks before ceasing operations. The Yakima Ramblers, with their 8-25 record and mounting debt and revenue losses, withdrew from the PCL on February 14, 1947. In order to preserve the league and the four remaining teams, Commissioner Morris chose to cut the regular season short and begin the playoffs. Instead of a normal playoff series system, they went with a round-robin format, with each team playing each other four times. The second-place Bellingham Fircrests went 9-3 in these round-robin games, finishing ahead of regular season leader the Portland Indians (7-5), Vancouver Hornets (6-6) and Seattle Blue Devils (2-10) to win the PCBL championship.

          Following the 1946-47 season, the Blue Devils folded, leaving only Bellingham, Portland and Vancouver. Three new teams, the Seattle Athletics, the Astoria Royal Chinooks and the Tacoma Mountaineers, joined for the 1947-48 season. Astoria was unable to finish the season for financial reasons. The Portland Indians won the 1947-48 championship.

          Still optimistic, League President Ray Clark announced  in January of 1948 that plans to expand in the 1948-49 season to include a Southern Division with teams in Sacramento, San Francisco, San Jose, Stockton and either Redding or Long Beach. Additionally, The Astoria club was to be revitalized and would relocate to either Everett or Bremerton in Washington. Unfortunately, during the summer of 1948, Clark decided against trying a third season and the Pacific Coast Professional Basketball League was dead.


          I used the APBR site for initial research, but that page has not been updated in almost 20 years (!) so a lot of the following research will be from scratch.

          Thursday, April 27, 2017

          Milestone #4 - MBC

          That will conclude the initial look into the Midwestern Basketball Conference.

          An attempt at consolidating the larger industrial independent teams of the Midwest in the mid 1930's, the MBC lasted two season before morphing into the National Basketball League, which then merged into the NBA. That is why I found it worth looking into.

          As far as the personnel of the MBC go, here are the numbers.
          But so far, here is the NBL by the numbers:

          Number of MBC players:  188
          Unidentified/unknown whereabouts: 14
          Surviving MBC players: 0. I suppose it is possible that one of the 14 Mystery players could be alive, but they would be at the very least 100 years of age. Statistically, the existence of a surviving MBC player is very very slight. When Frank Worziak died in 2014, he was the last known MBC veteran.

          Longevity:
          Of the 188 players, 12.23% lived to see the age of 90. 3.19% died before the age of 50. It is a smaller sample size than the NBL's players, but those numbers are consistent between the two leagues.





          Monday, April 24, 2017

          Young

          H. (?) Young


          Born:



          Died:




          Career
          1936-37 Chicago Duffy Florals (MBC)

          Not much known here. He is listed as "H. Young" on probasketballencyclopedia, but I found a box score in the Feb 15 1937 edition of the Chicago Tribune that lists "R. Young". Willie Young was also on the Chicago team, which further confuses things.



          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/h-young/

          Vic Yanz

          Victor E. Yanz
          born Nugaletojas Yozonaitis (Yanzanitis)


          Born:
          July 18, 1913
          Chicago, IL

          Died:
          April 21, 2003
          Chicago, IL


          Career
          Massachusetts State (College) ??
          1936-37 Chicago Duffy Florals (MBC)
          1936-37 Chicago Majors (Independent)


          Update 12/20/18

          Originally listed as "Vic Yanze," I couldn't find anything except a reference to playing basketball at Massachusetts State College. And then nothing else. Nothing in Ancestry.com, either.... until today when I revisited him and tried again. This time, I found a reference to "Vic Yanz." No "E" at the end of his name, so that lead me onto a new direction. I found an obituary for "Vic Yanz" in the Chicago Tribune, which lead me back to Ancestry and his widow in the obit. I found that "Yanz" was shortened from Yozonaitis (or Yanzanaitis). Feeling confident, I got confirmation from a family member the this "Vic Yanz" did indeed play basketball, with a Lithuanian team around Chicago in the 30's. We found our guy. Not sure if he ever really did play at UMass or if it is just a mistake in the Sheboygan Press article.


          Born to Stanislovas and Ona Yozonaitis, Yanz worked for the Chicago Police Department for over 30 years. He married Viola Letz in 1940 and they had 5 children.


          Source:
          Sheboygan Press, February 2, 1937
          Chicago Tribune, April 22, 2003


          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/vic-yanze/

          Melvin Windland

          Melvin Ray Windland


          Born:
          December 19, 1912
          Mahoning, OH

          Died:
          November 20, 1992
          Alliance, OH


          Career
          1930-31 Alliance High School - Ohio (High School)
          1933-34 Mt. Union College (College)
          1934-35 Mt. Union College (College)
          1935-36 Mt. Union College (College)
          1936-37 Akron Goodyear (MBC)

          A three-sport star at Mt. Union, Windland served in the Marines during World War 2.


          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/melvin-windland/

          Whitey Wickhorst

          Paul Mitchell "Whitey" Wickhorst


          Born:
          November 1, 1904
          Hammond, IN

          Died:
          October 24, 1992
          Blue Springs, MO


          Career
          Whiting High School - Indiana (High School)
          1923-24 Gary Slickers (Independent)
          1924-25 Chicago Bruins (Independent)
          1925-26 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
          1926-27 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
          1927-28 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
          1928-29 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
          1929-30 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
          1929-30 Fort Wayne Hoosiers (ABL)
          1930-31 Chicago Bruins (ABL)
          1935-36 Whiting Ciesar (Independent)
          1936-37 Whiting Ciesar All-Americans (MBC) Head coach / player
          1937-38 Whiting Ciesar All-Americans (NBL) Head coach
          1938-39 Hammond Ciesar All-Americans (MBC) Head coach

          Whitey played for many seasons for the Bruins in the ABL, and later caught in with Whiting Ciesar first as a player, then player/coach, and then just head coach. He worked at American Maize Company in Roby, Indiana. He eventually found his way to Topeka, Kansas in the 1950's, and died in Missouri in 1002.



          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/whitey-wickhorst/

          George Van Heyde

          George Adams Van Heyde


          Born:
          December 21, 1906
          Columbus, OH

          Died:
          June 2, 1983
          Columbus, OH


          Career
          1926-27 Ohio State University (College)
          1927-28 Ohio State University (College)
          1928-29 Ohio State University (College)
          1929-30 Columbus Robert Lees (Independent)
          1930-31 Columbus Federals (Independent)
          1931-32 Hebron Gassers (Independent)
          1933-34 Coshocton Independents (Independent)
          1933-34 Coshocton Buckeyes (Independent)
          1935-36 Lancaster - Ohio (Independent)
          1936-37 Columbus Athletic Supply (MBC)

          Born in Ohio to Julius and Teresa Van Heyde


          Source:


          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/george-van-heyde/

          Ernie Talos

          Ernest Alex Talos, Sr.


          Born:
          December 23, 1913
          Cleveland, OH

          Died:
          March 24, 1999
          Dayton, OH


          Career

          1933-34 Ohio Wesleyan (College)
          1934-35 Ohio Wesleyan (College)
          1935-36 Ohio Wesleyan (College)
          1936-37 Columbus Athletic Supply (MBC)
          1936-37 Dayton London Bobbies (MBC)

          Born to Hungarian immigrants, Talos grew up in Celveland and played basketball at Ohio Wesleyan where he studied business law before a professional season with both the Columbus and Dayton franchises in the Midwestern League. He played minor league baseball for six seasons, primarily in the Indians' farm system. Talos served his country during World War 2.

          He married Mary Frances Hunt (1914-2016) in 1941 and they had a son and a daughter.

          Minor League Baseball Stats
          http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=talos-001ern

          Source:
          The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois), June 29, 1938


          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/ernie-talos/

          Jack Stewart

          Jesse Arthur "Jack" Stewart


          Born:
          May 30, 1904
          Springfield, OH

          Died:
          November 20, 1961



          Career
          1929-30 Ohio State University (College)
          1930-31 Ohio State University (College)
          1934-35 Bedford High School - Ohio (High School) Head coach
          1936-37 Columbus Athletic Supply (MBC)

          Born to William and Cara Stewart in Springfield, Ohio.

          Stewart married Louise Lulu Canning in 1933.

          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/jack-stewart/

          Friday, April 21, 2017

          Stemki

          Stemki


          Born:



          Died:




          Career
          (High School)
          (College)
          1936-37 Dayton London Bobbies (MBC)

          Identity unknown.

          There is a Charles Stenken who graduated from Covington (KY) Catholic High School in 1934 who wwas the basketball team captain. He played in January 1937 for the Hindmarch team and the Newport Merchants in the Cincinnati Municipal league.


          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/stemki/

          Mel Shaw

          Melville James Shaw


          Born:
          December 21, 1902
          Wapakoneta, OH

          Died:
          January 10, 1993
          Columbus, OH


          Career
          1923-24 Ohio State University (College)
          1924-25 Ohio State University (College)
          1925-26 Columbus Kinners (Independent)
          1926-27 Columbus Kinners (Independent)
          1926-27 Lancaster Mondank Mills (Independent)
          1927-28 Columbus Kinners (Independent)
          1927-28 Columbus Robert Lees (Independent)
          1928-29 Columbus Robert Lees (Independent)
          1929-30 Columbus Robert Lees (NPBL)
          1932-33 Greenfield A.C. - Ohio (Independent)
          1936-37 Columbus Athletic Supplies (MBC)


          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/mel-shaw/

          Will Senchak

          William Senchak


          Born:
          June 18, 1913
          Whiting, IN

          Died:
          June 27, 1995
          Santa Clara, CA


          Career
          1935-36 Whiting Ciesars (Independent)
          1936-37 Whiting Ciesar All-Americans (MBC)
          1937-38 Grand Trunk - Battle Creek (Independent)
          1938-39 Grand Trunk - Battle Creek (Independent) 
          1939-40 Grand Trunk - Battle Creek (Independent)
          1940-41 Grand Trunk - Battle Creek (Independent)





          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/will-senchak/

          Doc Scofield

          William Fletcher "Doc" Scofield


          Born:
          May 2, 1910
          Columbus, IN

          Died:
          January, 1987
          Columbus, IN


          Career
          1931-32 Olsen's Terrible Swedes (Independent)
          1933-34 Reliance - Indiana (Independent)
          1934-35 New Albany CCC (Independent)
          1934-35 Reliance - Indiana (Independent)
          1935-36 Columbus AllStars - Indiana (Independent)
          1936-37 Indianapolis U.S. Tire (MBC)

          Doc's brother Joe also played with him on the Swedes.

          He married Josephine Dale in 1931 and they had one son before their divorce in 1935. He later remarried to Ethel Scott.

          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/doc-scofield/

          Bill Sadler

          William Jefferson Sadler


          Born:
          February 10, 1910
          Martinsville, IN

          Died:
          February 28, 1988
          Hixson, TN


          Career
          1931-32 Central Normal - Danville, IN (College)
          1932-33 Central Normal - Danville, IN (College)
          1933-34 Central Normal - Danville, IN (College)
          1935-36 Noblitt-Sparks - Columbus, IN (AAU)
          1936-37 Indianapolis U.S. Tire (MBC)

          Mistakingly indentified as William Joseph Sadler (1916-1979) in some places. This would have made him 16 years old as a sophomore in college, and 13 as a high school junior. There is a different William J. Sadler who is from Martinsville and is the right age.

          He married Garnet Lane in 1936.

          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/bill-sadler/

          Rowlands

          Rowlands


          Born:



          Died:




          Career
          1936-37 Dayton London Bobbies (MBC)

          Possibly could be Bobbie Rowlands (Robert O. Rowlands 1912-1975), who played semi-pro baseball in Richmond, Indiana with the Richmond Kautskys in 1937.


          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/rowlands/

          Bob Preusse

          Robert Ernest Preusse


          Born:
          February 21, 1910
          New Jersey

          Died:
          July 26, 1973
          Fort Sam Houston, TX


          Career
          1927-28 South High School - Akron, Ohio (High School)
          1933-34 University of Akron (College)
          1934-35 Akron Goodyear (AAU)
          1935-36 Akron Goodyear (AAU)
          1936-37 Akron Goodyear (MBC)

          Preusse went to Akron South High School and then went to UA to study engineering. Despite his height of 6'5, he did not play basketball until his senior year in high school, and was playing intramural hoop at Akron when he finally made the varsity team as a senior. After working for Goodyear, he served in the army during World War 2 and the Korean War. He died in 1973.

          He and his wife, Mary Ellen, had three sons.

          Source:
          Akron Beacon Journal, November 22, 1933


          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/bob-preusse/

          Jim Prather

          James Marvin Prather


          Born:
          March 5, 1916
          Martinsville, IN

          Died:
          September 22, 1988
          Martinsville, IN


          Career
          1932-33 Arsenal Technical - Indiana (High School)
          1933-34 Arsenal Technical - Indiana (High School)
          1935-36 Columbus Bulldogs - Indiana (Independent)
          1936-37 Indianapolis U.S. Tire (MBC)

          A high school teammate of Leroy Edwards, Prather played some pro basketball in Indiana before a carpenter. He died in 1988 following a lengthy illness.

          He married Margaret Lewis (1925-1978) and they had three sons and three daughters.


          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/jim-prather/

          Joe Popeko

          Joseph William Popeko
          (later went by the name Joseph Pope)


          Born:
          March 20, 1910
          Benton, IL

          Died:
          November 16, 1987
          Albany, GA


          Career
          1926-27 Garfield High School - Ohio (High School)
          1927-28 Garfield High School - Ohio (High School)
          1928-29 Garfield High School - Ohio (High School)
          1929-30 Ohio State University (College) Freshmen
          1933-34 Mercer University - Georgia (College)
          1935-36 Akron Goodyear (Independent)
          1936-37 Akron Goodyear (MBC)

          Born to Lithuanian immigrants Alex and Magdelina Popeko, Joe and the family moved to Akron in the 1920's. He worked for many years at Goodyear, and in the 1960's, moved to Georgia.

          He was married to Rose (d. 1985).

          Source:
          Akron Beacon Journal, May 25, 1934
          Akron Beacon Journal, November 19, 1987


          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/joe-popeko/

          Wednesday, April 19, 2017

          Elmer Paul

          Elmer Paul


          Born:
          September 8, 1905??


          Died:
          January 5, 1976 ??



          Career
          (High School)
          1923-24 Butler University ?? (College)
          1933-34 Fort Wayne General Electrics (Independent)
          1934-35 Fort Wayne General Electrics (Independent)
          1935-36 Fort Wayne General Electrics (Independent)
          1936-37 Fort Wayne General Electrics (MBC)

          Bradford, OH

          Not sure that the guy identified by ProBasketballEncyclopedia is the right guy.

          Another option is Elmer Paul (1911-1964) who lived in Indy for a while and was an Indiana state trooper.

          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/elmer-paul/

          Tuesday, April 18, 2017

          Curley Owen

          Carroll Henry "Curley" Owen


          Born:
          April 4, 1915
          Boaz, AL

          Died:
          September 26, 1995
          Columbus, OH


          Career
          1931-32 Columbus North High School - Ohio (High School)
          1933-34 Ohio State University (College)
          1936-37 Columbus Athletic Supplies (MBC)

          Article in the Daily Times refers to a high school basketball player, Curley Owen, who was selected 2nd team All-District. Same article gives us his real name, Carroll. Found a Carroll Owen residing in Columbus that is the right age. Looks like a good match.

          Born to John and Bertie Owen, the family moved from Alabama to Ohio sometime in the 1920's.

          Source:
          Daily Times (New Philadelphia, Ohio), March 21, 1932


          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/curley-owen/

          Johnny Miklozek

          John Edmund Miklozek


          Born:
          September 15, 1912
          Terre Haute, IN

          Died:
          October 12, 1982
          Indianapolis, IN


          Career
          1933-34 Indiana State University (College)
          1934-35 Indiana State University (College)
          1935-36 Indiana State University (College)
          1936-37 Indianapolis Kautskys (MBC)

          Born to Stina and Nellie Miklozek, Miklozek went to ISU, and played briefly with the Kautskys while on his way to becoming a physician, going to med school at Indiana. Dr. Miklozek died in 1982.

          John and his wife had at least two sons, Jack and Mark.

          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/johnny-miklozek/

          Harry Mead

          Harry Louis Mead, Jr.


          Born:
          August 4, 1912
          Springfield (?), OH

          Died:
          May 19, 1974
          Missouri


          Career
          1933-34 Augustana College - Illinois (College)
          1934-35 Augustana College - Illinois (College)
          1935-36 Augustana College - Illinois (College)
          1935-36 Kalamazoo Gazettes (Independent)
          1936-37 Chicago Duffy Florals (MBC)
          1937-38 Moline Turners (AAU)
          1938-39 Moline Turners (AAU)

          Born in Ohio, (the family lived in Springfield at the time of his birth), the Mead family moved to Maywood, Illinois, where Harry grew up. The 6'10 center starred on the hardcourt at Augustana College and played professional basketball around Illinois for a few years.

          Mead married to Marjorie Szekely, whom he met at Augustana, and they had two sons and a daughter.

          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/harry-mead/

          Larry McAfee

          Lawrence R. McAfee


          Born:
          August 3, 1910
          Dayton, OH ??

          Died:
          February 8, 1992
          Dayton, OH


          Career
          1930-31 Wittenberg College (College)
          1931-32 Wittenberg College (College)
          1932-33 Wittenberg College (College)
          1933-34 Dayton Collegians (Independent)
          1934-35 Dayton York Supplies (Independent)
          1935-36 Dayton Pros (Independent)
          1936-37 Dayton London Bobbies (MBC)

          Hometown is Dayton, Ohio.



          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/larry-mcafee/

          Phil Liehr

          Philip Winfield Liehr, Jr.


          Born:
          October 8, 1914
          Indianapolis, IN

          Died:
          January 12, 1999
          Indianapolis, IN


          Career
          1929-30 Technical High School - Indianapolis (High School)
          1930-31 Technical High School - Indianapolis (High School)
          1931-32 Technical High School - Indianapolis (High School)
          1934-35 Indiana University (College) Freshmen
          1935-36 Indiana University (College)
          1936-37 Dayton London Bobbies (MBC)

          Born in Indianapolis to Philip Sr. and Grace Liehr, Liehr was an all-Indiana player at Tech. He played at IU as a freshman and sophomore.

          Liehr owned and operated an insurance company until his retirement in 1980.

          He married Janice Brandt in 1936 and they had one son.

          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/phil-liehr/

          Monday, April 17, 2017

          Al Lauchiksis

          Albert E. Lauchiskis


          Born:
          December 6, 1914
          Illinois

          Died:
          December 20, 1982



          Career
          1933-34 Armour Institute of Technology - Chicago (College)
          1934-35 Armour Institute of Technology - Chicago (College)
          1935-36 Shumacher Shoes - Akron (Independent)
          1936-37 Akron Goodyear (MBC)
          1937-38 Akron Backer Jewelers (Independent)

          Born to Joseph and Anna Lauchiskis

          Albert married Frances in 1936

          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/al-lauchiskis/

          Austin Lambert

          Elzie Austin "Red" "E.A." Lambert


          Born:
          November 13, 1912
          Monrovia, IN

          Died:
          March 6, 1974
          Williamsport, IN


          Career
          1928-29 Monrovia High School - Indiana (High School)
          1929-30 Monrovia High School - Indiana (High School)
          1933-34 Purdue University (College)
          1934-35 Purdue University (College)
          1935-36 Purdue University (College)
          1936-37 Indianapolis Kautskys (MBC)
          1937-38 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Assistant coach
          1938-39 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1939-40 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1940-41 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1941-42 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1942-43 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach 
          1943-44 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1944-45 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1945-46 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1946-47 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1947-48 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1948-49 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1949-50 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1950-51 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach 
          1951-52 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1952-53 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach 
          1953-54 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach
          1954-5 Attica High School - Indiana (High School) Head coach 

          Born to Grover and Lucie Lambert, Austin grew up in Hall, Indiana, and went to school at Purdue. After graduating from Purdue, he taught one year at Boswell HIgh School before moving over to Attica. He coached the basketball team for 17 seasons, and taught agriculture and biology until his death in 1974 of a heart attack.

          Austin married Marjorie Eldridge (1917-1996) and they had one son and two daughters.



          Source:
          Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN), March 7, 1974


          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/austin-lambert/

          Toy Jones

          Toy William Jones


          Born:
          March 5, 1911
          Indiana

          Died:
          October 10, 1981
          Fort Wayne, IN


          Career
          1927-28 Peru High School - Indiana (High School)
          1928-29 Peru High School - Indiana (High School)
          1929-30 Peru High School - Indiana (High School)
          1930-31 Peru High School - Indiana (High School)
          1933-34 Butler University (College)
          1934-35 Butler University (College)
          1935-36 Butler University (College)
          1936-37 Indianapolis U.S. Tire (MBC)

          Toy played basketball and ran track at Peru HS, and attended Butler afterwards.

          Toy married Loraine Long (1911-1990)

          Source:



          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/toy-jones/

          Manny Hyatt

          Mansfield Sharpe Hyatt


          Born:
          December 17, 1916
          Brooklyn, NY

          Died:
          December 10, 1986
          Pittsburgh, PA


          Career
          1932-33 Schenley High School - Pittsburgh (High School)
          1934-35 Braddock Big Five (Independent)
          1935-36 Pittsburgh Preps (Independent)
          1935-36 Pittsburgh University (College) Freshmen
          1936-37 Warren Penns (MBC)
          1937-38 East Liverpool (AAU)
          1938-39 Hyatt Big Five - Pittsburgh (Independent)
          1939-40 Elmira (NYSL)
          1941-42 Pittsburgh Republicans (Pittsburgh Municipal)
          1942-43 Pittsburgh Corbetts (Independent)
          1943-44 Pittsburgh Corbetts (Independent)
          1945-46 Pittsburgh Raiders (Independent)
          1946-47 Pittsburgh Leslies (Independent)
          1947-48 Pittsburgh Gunners (Independent) Manager
          1947-48 Zanesville Pioneers (AABL) Head coach / player


          Served in the U.S. Navy during World War 2.

          Manny's brother Art Hyatt played with him on various teams,.Their older brother Charley was also a basketball player of high reputation. Manny played pro basketball around the Pennsylvania and Ohio for many years, and as a player for the Warren Penns, he quit the team in January of 1937 and returned to Pittsburgh. After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War 2, Hyatt owned the Pittsburgh Raiders and had been the president of the Oshkosh AllStars in the NBL. He was to be the manager for the Pittsburgh Gunners in the All-American League, but the team folded before the season began and he joined Zanesville as a player. He went on to work as a business manager for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, and later as an automoblie salesman and a truck fleet manager. He died of a heart attack in 1986.

          He was married to June and had one daughter, Jacqueline.

          Source:
          Warren Times Mirror, January 6, 1937
          Cumberland Evening Times, November 11, 1947
          Obituary, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, December 12, 1986


          Stats:
          http://probasketballencyclopedia.com/player/manny-hyatt/