PLAYER PROFILE

GAZA CHIZMADIA

STATISTICS & HISTORY

Gaza Chizmadia was a player who parlayed great physical strength, personal determination and hustle in to a successful career that spanned over a dozen seasons. Chizmadia began his major league career debut in 1925 with a brief tryout with his hometown Perth Amboy, New Jersey team. Big, strong and awkward, the 19-year-old kid performed without distinction and was released after going scoreless in three games. In 1926, he signed with the Lorain, Ohio team in the Central League. He did little to dispel the notion that his career was going nowhere and was released at mid-season by the last place team. During the next two and half seasons, Chizmadia continued his nomadic pro career with five different American Basketball League teams. Gradually, Chazmadia gained respect with his work ethic and bruising, grinding style of play. In 1929-30, he signed with the Rochester Centrals where he enjoyed a monumental season. He finished second in ABL scoring and was named the league’s MVP. Led by Chizmadia’s heroics, Rochester won the second-half of the split season, but succumbed to Cleveland in the playoffs. In the early 1930s, Chizmadia was in great demand. In 1931-32, he led the Philadelphia Moose to the Eastern League  finals and finished second in league scoring. During the 1932-33 season, Chazmadia finished among the top-ten scorers in three leagues: the Eastern Basketball League , Metropolitan Basketball League and the minor league Pennsylvania State Basketball League. Chizmadia’s major league career drew to a close in the mid-1930s, but he remained a powerful force on minor league and independent teams until late in the decade.

 

GAZA CHIZMADIA Height: 6:02 Weight: 185 College: None
Gaza Joseph Chizmadia Born: Jan 12, 1906 Died:  Apr 23, 1987 Hometown: Perth Amboy, NJ
REGULAR SEASON RECORD
Year Team League     GA FGM  FTM   FTA  PCT.  AST  PTS AVG
1925-26 Perth Amboy MBL 3 2 1 5 1.7
1926-27 Washington ABL 8 9 15 33 4.1
1926-27 Lorain CBL 19 25 55 105 5.5
1927-28 Washington–Detroit–

Philadelphia

 ABL 37 51 41 143 3.9
1928-29 Fort Wayne–New York ABL 42 55 67 177 4.2
1929-30 Rochester ABL 55 113 117 343 6.2
1930-31 Rochester ABL 2 1 7 9 4.5
1930-31 Bridgeton TSL 6 12 33 57 9.5
1930-31 Honesdale PSL 10 13 68 94 9.4
1931-32 Union City MBL 9 23 19 65 7.2
1931-32 Philadelphia Moose EBL 38 53 190 296 7.8
1931-32 Tunkhannock PSL 2 4 12 20 10.0
1932-33 Union City MBL 36 60 78 198 5.5
1932-33 Philadelphia Moose EBL 29 46 105 197 6.8
1932-33 Tunkhannock PSL 18 44 67 155 8.6
1933-34 Union City–NewBritain–Newark ABL 32 47 119 213 6.7
1933-34 Tunkhannock PSL 26 52 86 190 7.3
1934-35 Newark–Boston ABL 36 53 90 196 5.4
1934-35 Tunkhannock PSL 16 16 58 90 5.6
1934-35 Camden EBL 5 10 10 30 6.0
1935-36 Paterson/Trenton-Kingston ABL 11 14 14 42 3.8
1935-36 Nanticoke PSL 24 34 75 143 6.0
1935-36 Bridgeton EBL 7 5 11 21 3.0
1936-37 Atlantic City ABL 1 0 0 0 0.0
1937-38 Brownstown TCL 14 29 40 98 7.0
1937-38 Trenton NLNP 11 25 35 85 7.7
Major League Totals 358 552 918 2022 5.6
PLAYOFF RECORD
Year Team League     GA FGM  FTM   FTA  PCT.  AST  PTS AVG
1927-28 Philadelphia ABL 2 0 4 4 2.0
1929-30 Rochester ABL 5 4 6 14 2.8
1930-31 Bridgeton TSL 2 3 7 13 6.5
1930-31 Honesdale PSL 3 4 23 31 10.3
1931-32 Philadelphia Moose EBL 4 5 12 22 5.5
1931-32 Tunkhannock PSL 2 7 7 21 10.5
1932-33 Union City MBL 2 3 2 8 4.0
1932-33 Tunkhannock PSL 3 4 10 18 6.0
1933-34 Tunkhannock PSL 3 5 11 21 7.0
1934-35 Camden EBL 4 10 11 31 7.8
1935-36 Nanticoke PSL 3 2 8 12 4.0
1937-38 Brownstown TCL 3 5 4 14 4.7
1937-38 Trenton NLNP 6 14 14 42 7.0
Major League Totals 13 12 24 48 3.7

 

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