1920
Syracuse Herald- All-Syracuse Is Scheduled For Hard Game
Frankfort Quintet, Here Tonight, Has Many Stars In Lineup
The Frankfort, N.Y., basketball quintet, an aggregation made up of past and present players of the New York State League, will oppose the All-Syracuse quintet tonight on the Armory court. It is the first game to be played in Syracuse in two weeks and should draw a large crowd. Andre and Nestor will play the forward positions, with Sullivan, former Mohawk center, in the pivot ring, and Kellmurray, Manning and the veteran Roberts available for the guard positions. Roberts has played with Utica, Mohawk and other State League clubs, as well as with the Oswego Globe Trotters. A dispatch from Cortland Wednesday declared untrue the information given The Herald Tuesday that the Cortland Sodality team had been defeated by the Ithaca Knights of Columbus. The Cortland team, which plays here next week, has not been defeated this season. It defeated Ithaca, 42 to 3.
Syracuse Post Standard- League Stars With Visitors Loom Strong
Frankfort Five Will Give All-Syracuse Team Hard Struggle; Veterans In Lineup
That the All-Syracuse quintet will have to be at its best to win tonight’s game with the Frankfort five at the State Armory is evident from a glance at the array of talent which the invaders will send into the fray. Manager Joe Lechnich of the visitors yesterday wired that he would bring to Syracuse the strongest aggregation that had represented Frankfort in many years. Andre and Nestor will play the forwards, Sullivan will hold down the center berth and the defensive work will be done by Kellmurray, Manning and Roberts. Andre formerly played with the famous 31st Separate Company five of Herkimer; Nestor is a state leaguer and one of the most dangerous basket flippers in the country; Sullivan gained a wide reputation as pivot of the Mohawk State League quintet; Kellmurray and Roberts both played with the Mohawk club, while Manning is a veteran of the Fort Plain and Mohawk teams. This combination of veteran basketeers is one of the best that has appeared in Syracuse this season, and the local aggregation will have to play championship basketball to cope with craft and skill of these famous players. Captain Jim Tormey and his mates, however, are confident of the victory and will enter the game determined to send the invaders down to defeat. Dr. Paul Steinberg will referee and the teams will line up as follows: ALL-SYRACUSE: Martin, lf, Rafter, rf, Tormey, c, Crisp, rg, Casey, lg. FRANKFORT: Andre, lf, Nestor, rf, Sullivan, c, Manning, rg, Roberts, lg.
1947
Syracuse Herald Journal- Officials Blamed For Pro Court Brawl
Meehan Hurt In Slugfest At Armory; Gates Is Banished As Nationals Win
In one of the roughest basketball games witnessed in Syracuse in years, the Syracuse Nationals basketball team strengthened its playoff bid by stopping a seven-game winning streak of the Moline Blackhawks, 53 to 47 at the W Jefferson St Armory last night. During a fourth period fistic brawl, a few hundred of the thrill-seeking fans of the 2,500 throng, joined players in a general melee under the basket. Weak and indecisive officiating on the part of Howie Ortner and “Soup” Cable throughout the game allowed players’ tempers to flare, culminating when Bill “Pop” Gates of the visitors floored Chick Meehan of Syracuse with a solid right hand punch inflicting a gash over the victim’s left cheekbone, and a “mouse” over the left eye. After striking Meehan, Gates turned and swung at John Chaney and John Gee before policemen slowed the enraged athlete down and escorted him from the floor. It took 15 minutes for local and military police to restore order and get play started again. The triumph moved Syracuse into third place in the Eastern Division pennant chase, one-half game ahead of Toledo and a game and a half in front of Moline. From the start rough play on the defensive was evident with the elbowing and kneeing of various players going apparently unnoticed by the officials. John Chaney with 17 points topped the Syracuse scoring but the cheers of the fans went out to John Gee who relieved Mike Novak after seven minutes of play and took over the job of holding Don Otten to five points for practically the rest of the game. The touted visitor failed to score from the floor until the fourth period. Howie Rader, who was forced out of the contest with a recurring knee injury, opened the contest with a basket for Moline which was more than matched by a double decker and foul by Jerry Rizzo after which Ed Lewinski put the Blackhawks ahead for the last time at the four minute mark by a 4 to 3 score. The Nats moved ahead on Chaney’s layup followed by a set shot of Meehan and were never again headed slowly increasing the margin. At the end of the first period the locals led 13 to 8. During the second period, the margin of the Nats increased to 12 points at 24 to 12 but last minute baskets by Grenert and Gates cut the half time lead of Syracuse to 24 to 16. Only 17 points were tallied in the third period with the center lane barred by the rough tactics employed by defensive teams and Syracuse led by 32 to 25 score as the final period opened. Chaney came through with three baskets in the first minute of the fourth stanza to put Syracuse ahead 39 to 27. With Syracuse leading, 43 to 33, Meehan was shoved to the floor and upon arising was met by Gates’ blow. Then followed wild disorder with the more intelligent fans remaining in their seats, many openly disgusted by the pathetic efforts of the two whistle blowers to get the game going again. A doctor was summoned to patch the wound over Meehan’s eye, and the player returned to the bench adorned with a long strip of adhesive tape covering both eyes. Gates was banished from the fray. Ortner, former Cornell player and coach, and Cable, billed from Akron, OH, finally decided on a double foul penalty, one of their favorite weapons throughout the fray, against Meehan and gates, and also a technical foul against Moline. From then on the game turned into a foul shooting contest with Syracuse diverting to slow down tactics during the final stages and having possession at the final whistle. Next game for the Nats is against Toledo in the Ohio city Thursday night.
SYRACUSE: Chaney, f (6-5-17), Rizzo, f (5-2-12), Dugger, f (0-0-0), Novak, c (1-0-2), Gee, c (3-2-8), Meehan, g (3-3-9), Nelmark, g (0-1-1), Sharkey, (0-4-4) TOTALS (18-17-53). MOLINE: Lewkowski, f (2-3-7), Rader, f (3-1-7), Thurston, f (3-1-7), Grunzweig, f (0-0-0), Otten, c (1-3-5), Gates, g (1-3-5), Hassett, g (1-3-5), Grenert, g (1-0-2), Siegel, g (0-3-3), Schu, g (0-0-0) TOTALS (16-15-47).
Score at half-time- Syracuse 24, Moline 16. Free throws missed- Syracuse: Chaney, Rizzo, Novak, Gee, Sharkey. Moline: Gates, Grunzweig, Hassett, Otten 7, Thurston. Officials- Ortner and Cable.
Stitch Chick At Hospital
John “Chick” Meehan, Syracuse National basketeer, entered St Joseph’s Hospital this morning, where a surgeon took three stitches to close a wound on the left cheekbone, suffered last night when struck by “Pop” Gates, Moline player at the W Jefferson St Armory. The left optic was swollen entirely shut, and doctors fear recurring hemorrhages. The extent of the injury cannot be determined until the swelling is reduced. Medical cannot play again for 10 days at least. And, as Coach Benny Borgmann puts it: “The sad part of it all is Meehan still does not exactly know what happened.”
1955
Syracuse Herald Journal- Nats Now Seek Early Lockup Of East Title
Lead By Four Games
The magic number for the Syracuse Nationals stood at “eight” today as the squad continued its bid for an early lockup of the Eastern Division by walloping Rochester, 97-83, at the War Memorial last night. With but 10 games remaining, the Nats need eight triumphs to be assured of the flag. Every New York loss in its remaining 12 contests will reduce the necessary number of Nat triumphs by one. The Syracusans are idle until Sunday while the Knicks, four games in arrears, play at Philadelphia tonight and entertain Milwaukee tomorrow. Philadelphia is at the Memorial on the Sabbath afternoon. Reserve strength proved a determining factor in the victory over Rochester. After substituting freely the Nats broke away in the early moments of the final period to sew up the decision. Team balance was evidenced in statistics which showed eight men hitting double figures. Rochester now has dropped seven of its eight starts against the Nats. The clubs meet once more in Kodaktown March 9. The turnout of 3,207 including 440 school students, brought total attendance for Rochester games just over the 12,000 mark. Syracuse started slowly and trailed by a 23-19 count at the quarter. Midway through the second period the local aggregation jumped into a 39-32 advantage and it never again surrendered the lead although Rochester tied it at 46-all early in the third quarter. Ahead by a 68-63 margin as the final period opened the Nats opened a 12-point spread at 75-63 in the first two minutes as Dolph Schayes sank five points and Paul Seymour added a bucket. From then on the Royals were completely out of contention. Schayes was tops among Nat scorers with 17 points. Arnie Risen and Bob Wanzer had 20 for the visitors. Wanzer sank nine of 22 field goal attempts, most of them long set shots.
ROCHESTER: Coleman (6-1-13), Christensen (3-3-9), Spears (0-0-0), Hendriksen (2-0-4), Risen (7-6-20), Spoelstra (1-0-2), Davies (1-2-4), Wanzer (9-2-20), McMahon (2-1-5), Marshall (1-4-6) TOTALS (32-19-83). SYRACUSE: Schayes (4-9-17), Rocha (4-2-10), Lloyd (3-4-10), Kerr (4-2-10), Seymour (4-3-11), King (7-0-14), Kenville (0-0-0), Farley (4-2-10), Tucker (3-6-12), Osterkorn (1-1-3) TOTALS (34-29-97).
Score at halftime- Syracuse 45, Rochester 41. Officials- Duffy and Stutz.