November 25

## 1946

**Syracuse Herald Journal**- Nats Play At Detroit Wednesday

Midlands, Mich- The Syracuse Nats of the National Professional Basketball League will face the strong Dow basketeers here tonight in an exhibition contest before moving into Detroit for their next league road game Wednesday night. After the game in Detroit, the Nats will return home to face Toledo Thursday night in Syracuse. Indianapolis will follow Toledo to Syracuse for a Saturday night battle with the Nats. Borgmann indicated that Lou Possner, latest acquisition to the club, will be given a starting assignment. Possner, a former DePaul star, was recently discharged from the service and saw brief action in a substitute role against Buffalo in the last game in Syracuse.

## 1954

**Syracuse Herald Journal**- Hawks Face Nats Tonight At Memorial

MacGilvray, Saul Join Milwaukee; Bob Pettit Has 18.7 Average

Milwaukee which has broken even in two previous games with Syracuse this season provides the opposition for the Syracuse Nats at the War Memorial tonight. Although the Hawks are occupants of the Western Division cellar, they have been strengthened this week by the addition of Ron MacGilvray and the return of Frank “Pep” Saul. Saul, an adept set shot specialist, was obtained in a summer trade with Minneapolis, but injured his knee in the opening game of the season and returned to play only last week. MacGilvray has been in service two years. He was a leading draft choice of the Rochester Royals in 1952 after graduating from St. John’s of Brooklyn, but the Royals waived rights to his services. At St. John’s, MacGilvray was chosen as the outstanding player in the New York area and ranked as second best in the NCAA tournament listings. He is a backcourt specialist. Five Hawks have averaged 10 or more points per game this season. Bob Pettit is the leader with an 18.7 average followed in order by Chuck Cooper, Chuck Share, Ken McBride and Bob Harrison. Syracuse, winner of its last four league starts, appeared to reach peak form in trimming the Boston Celtics Sunday. It marked the first time the club had surpassed the 100 point mark in scoring. Proceeds of tonight’s game will be turned over to the Pioneer Golden Age Workshops. John Conzelman is general chairman of the benefit fray aided by Elmer Beasley, president of the citizen’s committee and Mrs. Carleise Pike, director of the Workshops.

Lenox Hoopmen Take Nationals Over Hurdles

Paced by Francis Mahoney, former Boston player, the Lenox five downed the Syracuse Nationals, 93-87, in an exhibition basketball game before 1,200 here last night. Mahoney netted 19 points. The victory was the second for the Lenox team over a National Basketball Association opponent, the club having beaten the Boston Celtics. The Rochester Royals whipped Mahoney and Co. twice. Dolph Schayes was high scorer as he tossed in 27 points in a losing Syracuse cause.

LENOX: Harrell (5-6-16), Mahoney (6-7-19), Surhoff (5-7-17), Nach’kin (5-1-11), Kubachka (2-2-6), Calabrese (2-1-5), Sinicola (2-3-7), Knight (2-8-12) TOTALS (29-35-93). SYRACUSE: Kenville (4-1-9), King (3-0-6), Schayes (10-7-27), Rocha (2-1-5), Kerr (4-4-12), Farley (2-4-8), Seymour (6-1-13), Osterkorn (1-3-5), Lloyd (1-0-2) TOTALS (33-21-87).

Score at halftime- Lenox 46, Syracuse 39.

Highlighting Sports By Jack Slattery

Tomorrow at this time the National Basketball Association will be one member less. The Baltimore Bullets are expected to be no more as of Nov. 26. And for the first time in years there will be a scramble for the talent on the Baltimore club. Before the Milwaukee Hawks battle the Syracuse Nats on the War memorial floor tonight Leo Ferris , Danny Biasone and Al Cervi will meet to discuss what member of the Bullets the Nats most would like to have in Syracuse livery. Just how the disposal of the Bullet players will be achieved is not known at the moment. Ferris said two methods have been used in the past. At one time there was a list arranged and the clubs drew from it according to the standings of the teams in the league. The other method is the grab bag method. Here the club representatives draw from a hat. The Nats will be represented at a meeting of the N.B.A. officials tomorrow at 2 o’clock in the Hotel Statler in New York to get the mostest the firstest.

Nats Are Hitting Long Ones

There are many issues involved in exactly whom they would choose. Early in the season when the Nats were in the throes of a slump the reason given for the nose dive was inability to hit from the outside. It was said that the opposition detected weakness in shooting ability from the outside and were falling off of several Nat players, allowing them to shoot freely and playing the boards for the rebounds. Ferris contends that unfortunate situation has dissolved due to the comeback of Earl Lloyd. During the past few weeks Lloyd’s percentage from the floor has been close to 40 percent. Too, Dolph Schayes’ consistency, with 38.6 from the floor, and Paul Seymour’s steadiness have improved the Nats. Ferris pointed out that when Billy Gabor was sidelined because of ill health he was enjoying a 27 percent average from the floor. Now that the Nats are hitting well and their attack is balanced the choice has come down to these four Bullets: Connie Simmons, Frank Selvy, Ken Murray and Don Hendriksen. Ferris guessed that the Natss top choice would be Simmons with Ken Murray in the second spot. The whys for the choice of Simmons are his height, approximately 6-9, his fine outside shooting ability, his strength on the boards and his experience in the league. A negative point might be his age. But the particular goal at hand is to win the league championship this year.murray, the former St. Bonaventure University ace, would be selected because of his excellent ability to hit on sets from the outside. The reason he might be passed up is because of a lack of height. The point in favor of choosing Hendriksen is his strength around the boards, his ability to get the rebound.

Why Selvy Wouldn’t Be The First

“Why,” I asked Ferris, “would you pass up Frank Selvy, the league’s sensational rookie who is averaging about 22 per game?” Leo had the answer, Selvy’s getting 22 per game because he’s playing about 40 minutes of every game with the Bullets. It is highly improbable that, as a small man, Selvy could keep Paul Seymour, George King or Billy Kenville on the bench. And in order to play Selvy enough to make him that worthwhile would he would have to bench one of these three time-tested and play-proven players. Leo remarked that in the last player grab selection, when the Chicago Stags folded, the Boaston Celtics landed Bob Cousy. New York picked Max Zoslofsky and the Philadelphia warriors got Andy Phillip. The intention of my call to Ferris in the first place was to discuss the speculation someone passed to me that because of the 24-second rule in effect in the N.B.A. this year there was a stronger premium on outside shooting than ever before. And that because the Nats couldn’t find the range they dropped some games at the start of the season. I wanted to ask his reasons, if the speculation was true, why then the Nats were up high now if their set shooting ability was limited. Leo disagreed that there is any more premium on ability to shoot from the outside than there ever was. He pointed out that the Nats were hurting for a skilled outside set shot after Al Cervi quit as a full time player. It wasn’t until two seasons back that Seymour started to hit consistently. And it wasn’t until last season that Lloyd found the range. It was as a follow up that Ferris pointed to Schayes’ splendid shooting average, most of which is from the outside and the comeback that Lloyd has made.