In the 1920’s, the Queens borough of New York City was a hotbed of professional basketball. Stan Povey was not the best pro player in Queens, but he was certainly among the most popular. He was a savy tactician and a fierce competitor.  One newspaper described him as the most rugged warrior in the game. While these attributes explained his popularity to some degree, it was his “every man” quality that endeared him to fans. His nickname was Rolly Poly Povey. His stomach was described as massive. He was five feet eight inches tall  and his weight fluctuated between 185 and 195 pounds. After retiring from professional basketball in 1932, Povey turned his attention to tennis.  He became an accomplished player, who throughout the 1930’s was a fixture in Metropolitan New York area tournaments.

 

STAN  POVEY		Height:	5:08		Weight:		195		College:		None
Stanley William Povey		Born: Jan 11, 1902			Died:   Aug, 1978				Hometown:		QUeens, NY
	Rolly Polly Povey				REGULAR SEASON RECORD
Year	Team	League	GA	FGM	FTM	FTA	PCT.	AST	PTS	AVG
1923-24	New York Wanderers	Indep
1923-24	College Point	Indep
1924-25	Brooklyn Edisons	Indep
1924-25	College Point	Indep
1925-26	Paterson	MBL	20	21	25				67	3.4
1925-26	Brooklyn Edisons	Indep
1925-26	Long Island City Pros	Indep
1925-26	College Point	Indep
1926-27	Greenpoint–Yonkers	MBL	6	7	21				35	5.8
1926-27	New York Whirlwinds	Indep
1926-27	Long Island City  Pros	Indep
1926-27	Brooklyn Edisons	Indep
1926-27	New York Good Counsel	Indep
1927-28	Hudson	MBL	7	4	10				18	2.6
1927-28	Long Island City Pros	Indep
1927-28	New York Lou Gehrig All Stars	Indep
1928-29	Brooklyn Dodgers	Indep
1928-29	Hoboken Saints	Indep
1928-29	Long Island Pro- Imps	Indep
1929-30	Long Island Pro -Imps	Indep
1929-30	Hempstead Monitor Five	Indep
1929-30	Maspeth Lithuanians	Indep
1930-31	Long Island Pro- Imps	Indep
1931-32	Long Island	MBL	11	16	2				34	3.1
1932-33	Long Island	MBL	5	3	1				7	1.4
1933-34	Long Island Pro- Imps	Indep
	Major League Totals		49	51	59				161	3.3

JOHN POTTS		Height:	5:10		Weight:		150		College:		None
John Joseph Potts		Born:  Mar 25, 1875				Died:	Feb, 1966		Hometown:		Philadelphia, Pa.
					REGULAR SEASON RECORD
Year	Team	League	GA	FGM	FTM	FTA	PCT.	AST	PTS	AVG
1898-99	Germantown	NBL	3	7	2				16	5.3
1899-00	Tannheuser	IBL	12	25	5				55	4.6
1900-01	Tannheuser	IBL	9	18	11				47	5.2
	Major League Totals		3	7	2				16	5.3

 

LOU POSSNER		Height:	6:03		Weight:		180		College:		DePaul’41
Louis Leonard Possner		Born: Aug 11, 1917			Dead: Mar 6, 1990				Hometown:		Chicago, Ill.
					REGULAR SEASON RECORD
Year	Team	League	GA	FGM	FTM	FTA	PCT.	AST	PTS	AVG
1938-39	DePaul	College
1939-40	DePaul	College
1940-41	DePaul	College
1940-41	Chicago Garfield	Indep
1940-41	Chicago Forszts	Indep
1940-41	Philadelphia	ABL	2	5	2				12	6.0
1941-42	Chicago	NBL	4	2	1				5	1.3
1944-45	Syracuse	ABL	7	20	6				46	6.6
1944-45	New Britain Pros	Indep
1944-45	Hartford Nutmegs	Indep
1945-46	New Britain Pros	Indep
1946-47	Paterson	NBL	3	4	1	2	.500		9	3.0
	Major League Totals		16	31	10				72	4.5

 

Max “Mac” Posnack was a member of the St.John’s University “Wonder Five” team that compiled an amazing 86-8 record over four seasons from 1928 through 1931. In his senor year, he was team captain and was awarded first-team All-American honors by College Humor magazine. Posnack, along with St.John’s teammates  Allie Schuckman, Mac Kinsbrunner, Matty Begovich and Rip Gerson turned professional as as the Brooklyn Jewels, then after three seasons renamed themselves the New York Jewels, although they continued to play all home games in Brooklyn.  In six seasons, they reached three finals and won one championship, the 1932-33 Metropolitan Basketball League title. Posnack was a capable scorer, but his most important contributions to the Jewels were on the defensive end of the floor. His pro career spanned over a decade. During his final three seasons, Posnack served as player-coach of the Washington Brewers.

 

MAC POSNACK		Height:	5:11		Weight:		195		College:		St.John’s(NY)’31
Max Posnack		Born: Jun 23, 1909			Died:   Jun 30, 1978				Hometown:		Brooklyn, NY
					REGULAR SEASON RECORD
Year	Team	League	GA	FGM	FTM	FTA	PCT.	AST	PTS	AVG
1927-28	Brownsville Favorites	AAU
1927-28	St.John’s (NY)	College	22	19	26				64	2.9
1928-29	St.John’s (NY)	College	25	42	29				113	4.5
1929-30	St.John’s (NY)	College	24	27	46				100	4.2
1930-31	St.John’s (NY)	College	21	28	26				82	3.9
1931-32	Brooklyn Jewels	MBL	9	12	7				31	3.4
1931-32	Philadelphia SPHAS	EBL	13	11	32				54	4.2
1932-33	Brooklyn Jewels	MBL	35	48	25				121	3.5
1932-33	Philadelphia SPHAS	EBL	29	25	65				115	4.0
1933-34	Brooklyn Jewel	ABL	35	23	15				61	1.7
1933-34	Carbondale	PSL	1	4	2				10	10.0
1934-35	New York	ABL	36	24	41				89	2.5
1934-35	Freeland	PSL	6	6	30				42	7.0
1935-36	New York	ABL	36	21	25				67	1.9
1935-36	Freeland	PSL	20	18	45				81	4.1	#
1936-37	New York Jewel	ABL	33	17	33				67	2.0
1936-37	Freeland	PSL	17	23	49				95	5.6
1937-38	New York Yankees–Kingston	ABL	32	34	33				101	3.2
1937-38	Hazelton/Binghamton	NYPA	5	4	15				23	4.6
1937-38	Myerstown	TCL	16	21	36				78	4.9
1938-39	Kingston–Troy	ABL	33	20	35				75	2.3
1938-39	Lebanon	TCL	22	27	34				88	4.0
1939-40	Washington	ABL	33	22	14				58	1.8
1940-41	Washington	ABL	24	3	14				20	0.8
1941-42	Washington	ABL	2	0	1				1	0.5
	Major League Totals		350	260	340				860	2.5
					PLAYOFF RECORD
Year	Team	League	GA	FGM	FTM	FTA	PCT.	AST	PTS	AVG
1931-32	Philadelphia SPHAS	EBL	4	2	10				14	3.5
1932-33	Brooklyn Jewels	MBL	2	4	3				11	5.5
1932-33	Philadelphia SPHAS	EBL	3	1	3				5	1.7
1934-35	New York	ABL	5	0	11				11	2.2
1934-35	Freeland	PSL	1	2	6				10	10.0
1935-36	Freeland	PSL	2	1	8				10	5.0
1937-38	Myerstown	TCL	5	5	14				24	4.8
1939-40	Washington	ABL	6	1	0				2	0.3
1939-40	Washington	WBT	3	1	3	5	.600		5	1.7
	Major League Totals		23	9	30				48	2.1

 

 

MICK POSEY		Height:	5:07		Weight:		140		College:		None
Alfred Gates Posey		Born:     Jun 24, 1893			Died:  May 2, 1971				Hometown:		Reading, Pa.
					REGULAR SEASON RECORD
Year	Team	League	GA	FGM	FTM	FTA	PCT.	AST	PTS	AVG
1911-12	Reading	EBL	7	4	16			4	24	3.4
1912-13	Reading	Indep
1913-14	Reading	Indep
1914-15	Reading	Indep
1915-16	Boyerstown	TCL	16	41	135				217	13.6
1916-17	Boyerstown	Indep
1917-18	Reading	EBL	7	14	17			6	45	6.4
	Major League Totals		30	59	168			10	286	9.5

 

 

SCOOP POSEWITZ		Height:	5:11		Weight:	185			College:		None
Joseph Charles Posewitz		Born: Sep 12, 1908			Died: Sep 25, 1993				Hometown:		Sheboygan, Wi.
Brother of John Posewitz					REGULAR SEASON RECORD
Year	Team	League	GA	FGM	FTM	FTA	PCT.	AST	PTS	AVG
1928-29	Shebiygan Merchants	Indep
1929-30	Plymouth Recreationals	Indep
1930-31	Sheboygan Ballhorns	Indep
1931-32	Kohler Recreationists	Indep
1931-32	Kohler Recreationists	Indep
1932-33	Kohler Recreationists	Indep
1933-34	Sheboygan Ballhorns	Indep
1934-35	Sheboygan Ballhorns	Indep
1935-36	Sheboygan Imigs	Indep
1936-37	Sheboygan Art Imigs	Indep
1937-38	Sheboygan Enzo Jels	Indep
1938-39	Sheboygan	NBL	22	15	13				43	2.0
1939-40	Sheboygan	NBL	5	0	2				2	0.4
	Major League Totals		27	15	15				45	1.7

 

JOHNNY POSEWITZ		Height:	6:00		Weight:		190		College:		None
John Anton Posewitz		Born: Aug 9, 1906			Died: Apr 11, 1994				Hometown:		Sheboygan, Wi.
Brother of Joseph Posewitz			REGULAR SEASON RECORD
Year	Team	League	GA	FGM	FTM	FTA	PCT.	AST	PTS	AVG
1925-26	Sheboygan	ISL	3	3	0				6	2.0
1926-27	Sheboygan	Indep
1927-28	Sheboygan	Indep
1928-29	Sheboygan Merchants	Indep
1928-29	Sheboygan Chairs	Indep
1929-30	Beloit Faries	Indep
1930-31	Kohler Recreationists	Indep
1931-32	Kohler Recreationists	Indep
1932-33	Kohler Recreationists	Indep
1933-34	Sheboygan Ballhorns	Indep
1934-35	Sheboygan Ballhorns	Indep
1935-36	Sheboygan Art Imigs	Indep
1936-37	Sheboygan Art Imigs	Indep
1937-38	Sheboygan Enzo Jels	Indep
1938-39	Sheboygan	NBL	24	25	6				56	2.3
1939-40	Sheboygan	NBL	12	15	4	9	.444		34	2.8
1944-45	Sheboygan	NBL	1	0	0	0	.000		0	0.0
	Major League Totals		37	40	10				90	2.4
				POST SEASON RECORD
Year	Team	League	GA	FGM	FTM	FTA	PCT.	AST	PTS	AVG
1938-39	Sheboygan	WBT	2	1	0	1	.000		2	1.0
	Major League Totals		2	1	0	1	.000		2	1.0

Jack Porter was the best player in New England during the the first five professional seasons of the newly-invented game. ln the early years of basketball, the skills of most players were very limited, particularing on offense. The best defenders seldom scored many points and the better shooters seldom played much defense. Porter was the most feared defender in the game and from 1898 through 1903 scored more points than any other player in New England.  Porter led Hudson to the championship of the inaugural season of the New England Basketball league. Three years later, he starred for   South Framingham, the  1901-02 Western Massachusetts Basketball League champions.

 

JACK PORTER		Height:	5:09		Weight:		185		College:		None
John McKinnsell Porter		Born:	Oct 15, 1877			Died:	Sept30, 1924		Hometown:		Hudson, Ma.
					REGULAR SEASON RECORD
Year	Team	League	GA	FGM	FTM	FTA	PCT.	AST	PTS	AVG
1897-98	Clinton	Indep
1898-99	Hudson	MBL	9	11	4				26	2.9
1899-00	Hudson	MBL	27	33	133				199	7.4
1900-01	Hudson	MBL	35	70	152				292	8.3
1901-02	South Worcester CYML	MCBL	2	3	2				8	4.0
1901-02	South Framingham	MBL	28	33	81				147	5.3
1902-03	Worcester/Maynard–Marlboro–Lowell PAC–Natick	NEBL	29	45	0				90	3.1
1902-03	Hudson	MCBL	1	0	0				0	0.0
	Major League Totals		131	195	372				762	5.8