Frank Otway’s basketball odyssey is an interesting microcosm of sports during World War II and the chaotic post-war years. Otway was a star high school athlete in East Orange, New Jersey. Otway entered the Marines in 1943 and was assigned to an ROTC program at the University of Chicago. While in college, he played independent basketball with the Arlington Heights American Legion and signed to play a single game for the Chicago Bruins of the National Basketball League. After the war, Otway played pro basketball in New Jersey for one season and the following season played freshmen basketball for Long Island University. In 1948, Otway enrolled at Rider College in New Jersey where he played varsity basketball for the next three seasons. During his first season at Rider, he was simultaneously playing professional basketball for a team in Poughkeepsie, New York.
| FRANK OTWAY |
Height: |
6:03 |
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Weight: |
200 |
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College: |
Rider’51 |
| Frank Hamilton Otway |
Born: Mar 1, 1923 |
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Hometown: |
East Orange, NJ |
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REGULAR SEASON RECORD |
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| Year |
Team |
League |
GA |
FGM |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT. |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
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| 1943-46 |
U.S. Marines |
Military Service |
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| 1944-45 |
Arlington Heights American Legion |
Indep |
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| 1944-45 |
Chicago |
NBL |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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|
0 |
0.0 |
|
| 1946-47 |
Jersey Reds |
Indep |
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| 1946-47 |
Bergen-Newark |
NYNJ |
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| 1947-48 |
L.ong Island (Frosh) |
College |
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| 1948-49 |
Poughkeepsie Green Wave |
Indep |
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| 1948-49 |
Rider |
College |
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| 1949-50 |
Rider |
College |
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| 1950-51 |
Rider |
College |
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| 1951-52 |
East Orange Sporting Goods |
Indep |
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| 1952-53 |
East Orange Sporting Goods |
Indep |
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| 1953-54 |
East Orange Sporting Goods |
Indep |
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| 1954-55 |
Newark Iron Dukes |
Indep |
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Major League Totals |
|
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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|
0 |
0.0 |
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Don Otten was a high school basketball star at Bellefontaine High School in Ohio and at Bowling Green University. The 6’11” Otten entered professional basketball in 1946 with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks of the National Basketball League. During the 1948-49 season, Otten averaged 14.0 points per game and was named the MVP of the NBL. The Blackhawks joined the National Basketball Association in 1949. Otten continued playing until 1953. He averaged 10.5 points per game in his NBA career. Don’s brother Mac Otten also played in the NBA. In 1949, Don and Mac became the first ever pair of brothers to end up playing for the same team in the NBA.
| DON OTTEN |
Height: |
6:11 |
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Weight: |
245 |
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College: |
Bowling Green’46 |
| Donald Frederick Otten |
Born: Apr 18, 1921 |
Died: Sep 18, 1985 |
Hometown: |
Bellefontaine, Oh. |
| Brother of Mac Otten |
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REGULAR SEASON RECORD |
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| Year |
Team |
League |
GA |
FGM |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT. |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
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| 1939-40 |
Zanesville Independents |
Indep |
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| 1940-41 |
Zanesville Independents |
INdep |
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| 1940-41 |
Bobb’s Chevrolet |
Indep |
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| 1941-42 |
Did Not Play |
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| 1942-43 |
Bowling Green |
College |
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| 1943-33 |
Bowling Green |
College |
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| 1944-45 |
Bowling Green |
College |
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| 1945-46 |
Bowling Green |
College |
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| 1946-47 |
Tri-Cities |
NBL |
44 |
200 |
169 |
261 |
.648 |
|
569 |
12.9 |
|
| 1947-48 |
Tri Cities |
NBL |
60 |
282 |
260 |
392 |
.663 |
|
824 |
13.7 |
|
| 1948-49 |
Tri-Cities |
NBL |
64 |
301 |
297 |
424 |
.700 |
|
899 |
14.0 |
|
| 1949-50 |
Tri-Cities–Washington |
NBA |
64 |
242 |
341 |
463 |
.737 |
91 |
825 |
12.9 |
|
| 1950-51 |
Washington–Baltimore–FortWayne |
NBA |
67 |
162 |
246 |
308 |
.799 |
62 |
570 |
8.5 |
|
| 1951-52 |
Fort Wayne–Milwaukee |
NBA |
64 |
222 |
323 |
418 |
.773 |
123 |
767 |
12.0 |
|
| 1952-53 |
Milwaukee |
NBA |
24 |
34 |
64 |
91 |
.703 |
21 |
132 |
5.5 |
|
|
Major League Totals |
|
387 |
1443 |
1700 |
2357 |
.721 |
|
4586 |
11.9 |
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|
PLAYOFF RECORD |
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| Year |
Team |
League |
GA |
FGM |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT. |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
|
| 1946-47 |
Tri-Cities |
WBT |
2 |
9 |
8 |
11 |
.727 |
|
26 |
13.0 |
|
| 1947-48 |
Tri-Cities |
NBL |
6 |
34 |
30 |
38 |
.789 |
|
98 |
16.3 |
|
| 1947-48 |
Tri-Cities |
WBT |
3 |
17 |
8 |
17 |
.471 |
|
42 |
14.0 |
|
| 1948-49 |
Tri-Cities |
NBL |
6 |
24 |
43 |
55 |
.782 |
|
91 |
15.2 |
|
| 1949-50 |
Washington |
NBA |
2 |
10 |
21 |
26 |
.808 |
6 |
41 |
20.5 |
|
| 1950-51 |
FortWayne |
NBA |
3 |
8 |
13 |
16 |
.813 |
8 |
29 |
9.7 |
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|
Major League Totals |
|
20 |
93 |
115 |
152 |
.757 |
|
301 |
15.1 |
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Kasmer “Cas” Ostrowki was a basketball star at West Wyoming High School in Eastern Pennsylvania. As a freshman and a sophmore, Ostrowski led the University of Scranton in scoring. After serving in the Navy during World War II, Ostrowski returned home in January of 1946. Over the the next five seasons, he played for the Wilkes-Barre Barons in three different minor leagues. Ostrowski finished as the second-leading scorer in the league all five seasons. In the fall of 1950, Ostrowski signed to play for the Grand Rapids Hornets in the newly-formed National Professional Basketball League. After appearing in just two games, Ostrowski was injured in car accident traveling to a game in St. Paul. By the time Ostrowski recovered and was ready to play, the the PBL had folded. Ostrowski returned to Pennsylvania where he finished out his career.
| CAS OSTROWKI |
Height: |
6:02 |
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Weight: |
170 |
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College: |
Scranton’43 |
| Kasmer “Cas” Martin Ostrowski |
Born: |
Jul 24, 1924 |
Died: |
Mar 2, 2000 |
Hometown: |
West .Wyoming, Pa. |
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REGULAR SEASON RECORD |
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| Year |
Team |
League |
GA |
FGM |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT. |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
| 1941-42 |
Scranton |
College |
24 |
141 |
62 |
|
|
|
344 |
14.3 |
| 1942-43 |
Scranton |
College |
18 |
114 |
44 |
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|
272 |
15.1 |
| 1943-46 |
U.S. Navy |
Military Service |
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| 1945-46 |
Wilkes-Barre |
PSL |
9 |
44 |
30 |
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|
118 |
13.1 |
| 46-47 |
Wilkes-Barre |
EBL |
27 |
183 |
65 |
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|
|
431 |
16.0 |
| 47-48 |
Wilkes-Barre |
ABL |
31 |
214 |
133 |
193 |
.689 |
|
561 |
18.1 |
| 48-49 |
Wilkes-Barre |
ABL |
41 |
304 |
143 |
221 |
.647 |
|
751 |
18.3 |
| 49-50 |
Wilkes-Barre |
ABL |
38 |
223 |
152 |
215 |
.707 |
64 |
598 |
15.7 |
| 50-51 |
Grand Rapids |
NPBL |
2 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
.600 |
|
11 |
5.5 |
| 50-51 |
Allentown/Carbondale |
ABL |
15 |
90 |
48 |
59 |
.814 |
34 |
228 |
15.2 |
| 51-52 |
Carbondale |
ABL |
13 |
74 |
64 |
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|
|
212 |
16.3 |
| 51-52 |
Pottsville |
EBL |
23 |
120 |
74 |
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|
314 |
13.7 |
| 52-53 |
Wilkes-Barre-Berwick |
EBL |
15 |
73 |
32 |
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|
178 |
11.9 |
| 54-55 |
Wilkes-Barre-Williamsport |
EBL |
5 |
11 |
2 |
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|
24 |
4.8 |
|
Major League Totals |
|
2 |
4 |
3 |
5 |
.600 |
|
11 |
5.5 |
|
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|
PLAYOFF RECORD |
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| Year |
Team |
League |
GA |
FGM |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT. |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
| 46-47 |
Wilkes-Barre |
EBL |
5 |
30 |
15 |
|
|
|
75 |
15.0 |
| 47-48 |
Wilkes-Barre |
ABL |
5 |
32 |
28 |
|
|
|
92 |
18.4 |
| 47-48 |
Wilkes-Barre |
WBT |
1 |
11 |
2 |
5 |
.400 |
|
24 |
24.0 |
| 48-49 |
Wilkes-Barre |
ABL |
7 |
64 |
52 |
|
|
|
180 |
25.7 |
| 49-50 |
Wilkes-Barre |
ABL |
3 |
17 |
20 |
|
|
|
54 |
18.0 |
| 51-52 |
Pottsville |
EBL |
5 |
28 |
19 |
|
|
|
75 |
15.0 |
| 52-53 |
Berwick |
EBL |
6 |
47 |
24 |
|
|
|
118 |
19.7 |
|
Major League Totals |
|
1 |
11 |
2 |
5 |
.400 |
|
24 |
24.0 |