October 10

## 1954

**Syracuse Herald American**- Nats Oppose Knicks At Poughkeepsie

Pro Court Foes Play Early Tilt; 7 Exhibitions For Syracusans

Seven pre-season exhibition games have been booked by the Syracuse Nationals basketball team, the first against the New York Knicks at Poughkeepsie Saturday. Only one of the exhibitions is carded at the War Memorial. Two weeks from today the Cervi-men will oppose the College All-Americans to usher in the home campaign. Another nearby exhibition game will be staged at Oneida on Oct. 21. The league issued its complete schedule last night and it finds the Nats in action for three televised games on foreign courts during the season. Milwaukee, Rochester and Boston will be Syracuse TV rivals on the road, with Milwaukee and Fort Wayne due to appear in video games originating in Syracuse. Initial loop action for the Syracusans is at Baltimore, Oct. 30. The following night the Minneapolis Lakers invade the War Memorial for the first NBA game here. In all, the Syracusans will compete in 72 scheduled frays, 32 at the War Memorial and 40 on the road. The squad will participate in eight double-headers away from home. Games are scheduled on neutral floors with Baltimore at Richmond, Va. and with Fort Wayne at Elkhart, Ind. Prior to opening the campaign, the Nats will play three games with New York, two with Philadelphia and one with Baltimore in addition to the clash with the All-Americans. The Baltimore exhibition has been booked at Jim Neal’s home town in Spartansburg, S.C. Thanksgiving Day, Milwaukee is scheduled to play in Syracuse while on Christmas the Nats face New York in Madison Square Garden.

## 1955

**Niagara Falls Gazette**- From Knocks And Boosts by Mike Quinlan

Syracuse Nats Running Into Rugged Rivals In College All-Stars

A good amateur team never should beat a good professional team, but sometimes they do. It could happen in Syracuse a week Saturday when the Syracuse Nationals, the champions of professional National Basketball Assn. last season, meet an all-star array of ex-collegians who are now making their bids for berths in professional lineups. Syracuse still has a great team to put on the floor, but if "big" names from college ranks mean anything, Coach Al Cervi's Nats will be hard pressed to win. Niagara Falls will have a bit more than casual interest in the contest for Eddie Fleming, great scoring ace with Niagara's Purple Eagles, will be with the Stars. Ed currently is earning himself a spot with the Rochester club and will be one of two players the Royals will nominate for the game. The other will be Maurice Stokes, St. Francis' 6-6 ace. Along with this pair will be Jim Luscotoff, Oregon State's gift to the Boston Celtics; Notre Dame's Jack Stephans, and Duquesne's Dick Ricketts, both with the St. Louis Hawks; Art Devlin from George Washington from the Fort Wayne team; Dick Garmaker of Minnesota and now with the Minneapolis Lakers; Ken Sears of Santa Clara with the New York Knicks and Tom Gola, the LaSalle luminary who will play his pro ball with Philadelphia's Warriors. So strong does Cervi rate the opposition that he's on the point of detouring his own Ed Conlin, Fordham graduate, from the All-Stars and retaining him in the Nats' array.