Bruce Hale attended Galileo High School in San Francisco and then went on to college at nearby Santa Clara University. Hale spent five years in the service during World War II. While stationed in Dayton, Ohio, he was launched into prominence when he led an independent team, the Dayton Acmes, to the finals of the World Basketball Tournament in 1945. After his discharge from the service, he  remained in the Midwest where he enjoyed a successful five  year professional  career. In his very first year as a pro, while playing for the Chicago Gears, he was installed as player-coach late in the season and guided the team to the National Basketball League championship. In 1954, Hale was hired as head basketball at the University of Miami and compiled a 220-112 record over the next thirteen seasons. Hale’s most successful seasons at Miami featured Rick Barry who led the NCAA in scoring during the 1964-65 season with a 37.4 points-per-game average and who would became his son-law. In 1967. Hale  left Miami and signed as the coach of the Oakland Oaks in the newly formed American basketball Association. Barry also signed a contract with Oaks, but an injunction forced him to sit out the season. Oakland posted a 22-56. record and Hale was ousted as coach before Barry joined the team the following season. Beginning  in 1970, Hale returned to college coaching for three years at  St.Mary’s College of California and posted a 9-33 record.

Flo Haggerty’s career spanned fifteen years from the turn of century to the  rumblings of World War I. Haggerty worked  hard at  developing  his skills as a player and enjoyed his greatest success when he was in his late twenties and early thirties. He spent his early years in pro basketball  on various teams in his home state, Massachusetts. In  1904-05,  he enjoyed a standout season with Haverhill in the New England Basketball League which attracted the attention of Lew Wachter. Over the next three seasons,  Haggerty played on powerful independent teams in Troy and Gloversville alongside Lew and Ed Wachter. In 1908, Haggerty jumped to the Central Basketball League where he played for three seasons with Johnstown. Haggerty spent the final years of his career in the New York State League. He reunited with the Wachter brothers in Troy for the 1913-14 season and  helped produce an excellent 47-18 record. Haggerty retired from the game in 1915 just as his younger brother, George “Horse” Haggerty was emerging as one of the most famous stars in professional basketball.