November 27

## 1946

**Syracuse Herald Journal**- Nationals Battle Toledo At Armory On Holiday Night

5,000 Can See Battle Upon Court; Orange Supplies Needed Seats

The Syracuse Nationals professional basketball team is looking forward to playing before one of the largest crowds of the season here tomorrow night when it entertains the second place Toledo five in a league game at the Jefferson Street Armory. A new seating arrangement will be in use for tomorrow night’s game as the University has moved in its bleachers making it possible to accommodate a crowd of over 5,000 persons. The public address system has been renovated so as to be more clearly audible in all parts of the drillshed and a new price range will prevail. Starting time of the main game has been advanced to 9 P.M. with the preliminary slated for 7:15 P.M. Toledo defeated Syracuse in the opening game of the national League season at the Ohio city earlier this month with a last period spurt that gave then a 57 to 43 edge. Since that time the Jeeps have dropped only one game, a loss to Anderson. Julie Rivlin, player coach of the Jeeps, was the high scorer in the Syracuse game with 17 points but it was five quick baskets by John Schick, former Big Ten center, late in the game that spelled defeat for the Nationals in that game. Like Syracuse, Toledo is a new entrant in the league, but one of its members has already set a season’s mark as George Sobek, six-foot forward, dropped in 22 points against Anderson in a losing cause for the best individual effort to date. The home game of Syracuse against Youngstown and Buffalo were both crowd pleasers abetted no end by fourth period rallies on the part of the homesters. The only league victory of the Syracuse team was scored on the Armory floor against Youngstown which it defeated 67 to 64. Buffalo took a 45 to 43 decision from the Nationals. Leading the Nationals in scoring for the year is Jerry Rizzo, pint-sized ex-Fordham player, who has tallied 62 points in six games for an average of 10 and one-third points per game. John Gee, elongated center, who plays in only part of the Syracuse games while continuing his school teaching duties, has a higher average than Rizzo but has only scored 46 points. Gee has started in four league games and averaged 11½ point per game. Lou Possner, a recent addition to the Borgmann coached five, has been showing well in practice sessions and exhibition games this week and may take over a starting position, while Les Rothman who starred at Long Island University seems to have found his scoring eye after looking weak all season. Monday night Rothman led Syracuse in scoring with 13 points against the Dow Chemical five in an exhibition game and tallied 10 against Detroit last night. Coach Benny Borgmann has indicated he will start a combination of John Chaney, Chick Meehan, John Gee, Jerry Rizzo and Bill McCahan with Possner, Rothman and Nugent heading the reserves in an attempt to haul the Jeeps down in the standings.

Detroit Quint Takes Syracuse Into Camp

The Rochester Royals tightened their hold on the National Basketball League’s eastern division leadership today and boasted their fourth consecutive victory after trouncing the Buffalo Bisons, 78-57, at Rochester last night. Bob Davies, former Seton Hall standout, led the Royals with 14 points as Rochester toyed with the Bisons after the first half. Bill Holzman aided Rochester’s cause with 13 points and teammates George Glamack and Al Cervi each scored 12 points. At Detroit, the Detroit Gems, paced by Paul Campbell, who accounted for 15 points, defeated Syracuse 61-54 to emerge from the western division basement. The victory was Detroit’s first of the season, while Syracuse suffered its fifth setback and fell dangerously close to the eastern division cellar. In the only other league game, Indianapolis topped Sheboygan, 55 to 51 on Herm Schaefer’s goal and free throw in the last minute.
DETROIT: McCarthy, f (0-1-1), O’Conner, f (3-1-7), Latter, c (5-3-13), Jutinen, g (3-0-6), Campbell, g (6-1-13), Dykstra, c (5-3-13), Pary, g (2-0-4), Waddell, g (1-0-2), Laranger, g (1-0-2) TOTALS (26-9-61). SYRACUSE: Chaney, f (4-1-9), Erban, f (0-0-0), Meehan, c (1-1-3), Zeravich, c (0-3-3), McCahan, c (5-1-11), Possner, g (3-1-7), Rizzo, g (4-3-11), Rothman, g (4-2-10) TOTALS (20-14-54).
Score at half-time- Detroit 39, Syracuse 32. Free throws missed- Detroit: Later 2, Parry, O’Conner 2. Syracuse: Meehan, McCahan, Possner 4, Rizzo, Rothman 2.

## 1954

**Syracuse Herald Journal**- Nats Land Connie Simmons

Big Fellow Is Welcome Addition

The Baltimore Bullets after consideration by the board of governors of the National Basketball Association at a meeting in New York Hotel Statler decided to suspend operations for the remainder of the season. The eight remaining members selected Baltimore players by methods of draft based upon league standings, as of midnight Thursday, Nov. 25. Milwaukee with first draft choice selected Frank Selvy, former Furman University star who was the nation’s top scorer in his senior college year and is presently leading the pro cage circuit in point production. Rochester selected Don Henriksen, New York and Boston were tied for third and in the ensuing flick of a coin, New York took the third draft choice and selected Paul Hoffman. Bob Houbregs was the Boston choice. Syracuse was then able to select Connie Simmons who had been their predicting selection. Fort Wayne took Al Rogers, Minneapolis selected Bob Leonard, now in the army and first place Philadelphia drafted Ken Murray, ex-St. Bonaventure ace. Simmons will join the Nats in New York for their Madison Square Garden game tonight against the Knicks. The 6-foot-8 inch former New York athlete is a welcome addition to the Nats injury riddled lineup. Wally Osterkorn did not make the trip to New York and is probably out of action for the next 10 days at least. Dolph Schayes will see limited service with a severely bruised right heel and a strained right knee. Simmons is 29. This is his ninth campaign as a pro. Originally he entered the pay for play ranks with the Boston Celtics without college experience. He was traded to Baltimore in 1948 and after two seasons with the Bullets he moved to New York where he was an important member of Joe Lapchick’s Knickerbockers. Earlier this year Simmons returned to the Bullets along with Al McGuire in a deal that sent Ray Felix and Chuck Grigsby to the Knicks. In 1953-54 the towering Simmons tallied 153 points against Syracuse and on two occasions scored 27 and 23 points respectively to lead New York to victories over the Nationals.