WARD BRENNAN grew up playing basketball in New York City. He attended Pratt Institute where he later served for many years as a physical education instructor. Brennan briefly played professional basketball with modest success. By 1911, Brennan had turned to officiating. His stern presence and no nonsense style earned him tremendous respect on the court and a position as the premier referee of his era. Brennan was in such demand that he received as much as $50 plus expenses for important games, an enormous fee in an era when most men did not earn that much in a month. Brennan worked hard to improve the game and was instrumental in bringing about revisions to rules. In addition to his work as a P.E. teacher, Brennan was supervisor of playgrounds in Brooklyn for many years. He also coached Manhattan College to a 9-11 mark during the 1924-25 season.
| WARD BRENNAN |
Height: |
5:11 |
|
Weight: |
170 |
|
College: |
Pratt Institute |
| Peter Ward Brennan |
Born: |
Sep 9, 1885 |
|
Died: |
|
|
Hometown: |
Hoboken, NJ |
|
|
|
|
|
REGULAR SEASON RECORD |
|
|
| Year |
Team |
League |
GA |
FGM |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT. |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
|
| 1904-05 |
Hoboken St. George |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1905-06 |
Hoboken St. George |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1906-07 |
Hoboken St. George |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1907-08 |
Danbury |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1907-08 |
New Jerseys |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1908-09 |
St.Johnsbury (Vt) |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1908-09 |
All New York |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1909-10 |
Johnstown–South Side |
CBL |
20 |
24 |
0 |
|
|
|
48 |
2.4 |
|
| 1910-11 |
Poughkeepsie–Hudson |
HRL |
3 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
2 |
0.7 |
|
|
Major League Totals |
|
23 |
25 |
0 |
|
|
|
50 |
2.2 |
|
Joe Brennan went directly from high school in Brooklyn to the professional game. Like all the top stars of the era, Brennan played on more than one team each season, but his primary loyalty was always to his hometown Brooklyn squads. Brennan began his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers before he switched to the rival Brooklyn Visitation in 1923. Brennan enjoyed the most productive years of his career with the powerful Visitation club. Three times during his career, Brennan finished second to Benny Borgmann in league scoring: 21-22 and 22-23 in the Metropolitan League and 29-30 in the American Basketball League. While enjoying a highly rewarding career in professional basketball, Brennan was simultaneously building a highly successful business career that included serving as the president of the Atlantic Savings and Loan in Brooklyn. Brennan also coached St. Francis College in Brooklyn to a 96-46 record during seven seasons from 1941 through 1948. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1974.
| JOE BRENNAN |
Height: |
6:00 |
|
Weight: |
170 |
|
College: |
None |
| Joseph Raymond Brennan |
Born: Nov 15, 1900 |
Died: May 10, 1989 |
Hometown: |
Brooklyn, NY |
|
|
|
REGULAR SEASON RECORD |
|
|
|
|
| Year |
Team |
League |
GA |
FGM |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT. |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
|
| 1918-19 |
Brooklyn |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1919-20 |
Brooklyn Whirlwinds |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1920-21 |
Brooklyn Nonpareils |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1920-21 |
Trenton |
EBL |
3 |
8 |
5 |
10 |
.500 |
2 |
21 |
7.0 |
|
| 1920-21 |
Albany |
NYSL |
1 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
|
9 |
9.0 |
|
| 1920-21 |
Wilkes Barre–Plymouth |
PSL |
6 |
8 |
10 |
|
|
5 |
26 |
4.3 |
|
| 1921-22 |
Brooklyn Dodgers |
MBL |
20 |
65 |
57 |
|
|
|
187 |
9.4 |
|
| 1921-22 |
Wilkes-Barre–Plymouth |
EBL |
8 |
6 |
12 |
19 |
.632 |
3 |
24 |
3.0 |
|
| 1921-22 |
Springfield–Holyoke |
IL |
8 |
22 |
12 |
|
|
|
56 |
7.0 |
|
| 1922-23 |
Brooklyn Dodgers |
MBL |
34 |
53 |
91 |
|
|
|
197 |
5.8 |
|
| 1922-23 |
Philadelphia |
EBL |
3 |
2 |
7 |
14 |
.500 |
3 |
11 |
3.7 |
|
| 1922-23 |
Troy–Amsterdam–Albany |
NYSL |
31 |
46 |
83 |
|
|
|
175 |
5.6 |
|
| 1922-23 |
Springfield |
IL |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
|
5 |
5.0 |
|
| 1922-23 |
Ciollege Pt. Big-Five |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1923-24 |
Brooklyn |
MBL |
39 |
115 |
140 |
|
|
|
370 |
9.5 |
|
| 1923-24 |
Albany/Gloversville |
NYSL |
4 |
10 |
10 |
|
|
|
30 |
7.5 |
|
| 1924-25 |
Brooklyn |
MBL |
38 |
96 |
122 |
|
|
|
314 |
8.3 |
|
| 1924-25 |
Kayoula-Cathedral |
PBL |
35 |
51 |
111 |
224 |
.496 |
48 |
213 |
6.1 |
|
| 1925-26 |
Brooklyn |
MBL |
27 |
55 |
90 |
|
|
|
200 |
7.4 |
|
| 1925-26 |
Philadelphia–Trenton |
EBL |
12 |
28 |
6 |
|
|
|
62 |
5.2 |
|
| 1926-27 |
Brooklyn |
NYN |
24 |
53 |
70 |
|
|
|
176 |
7.3 |
|
| 1926-27 |
Paterson |
MBL |
16 |
40 |
101 |
|
|
|
181 |
11.3 |
|
| 1927-28 |
Hudson |
MBL |
12 |
29 |
47 |
|
|
|
105 |
8.8 |
|
| 1927-28 |
Brooklyn |
ABL |
21 |
58 |
41 |
|
|
|
157 |
7.5 |
|
| 1928-29 |
Brooklyn |
ABL |
36 |
91 |
49 |
|
|
|
231 |
6.4 |
|
| 1929-30 |
Brooklyn |
ABL |
43 |
108 |
61 |
|
|
|
277 |
6.4 |
|
| 1930-31 |
Brooklyn |
ABL |
15 |
36 |
29 |
|
|
|
101 |
6.7 |
|
| 1930-31 |
Chester |
TSL |
5 |
12 |
14 |
|
|
|
38 |
7.6 |
|
| 1930-31 Paterson Antlers |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1931-32 |
Union City |
MBL |
11 |
29 |
15 |
|
|
|
73 |
6.6 |
|
| 1932-33 |
Joe Brennan All-Stars |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1933-34 |
Pittston |
PSL |
1 |
4 |
2 |
|
|
|
10 |
10.0 |
|
| 1934-35 |
Brooklyn |
ABL |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
3 |
3.0 |
|
| 1934-35 |
Pittston |
PSL |
5 |
15 |
5 |
|
|
|
35 |
7.0 |
|
| 1935-36 |
Voluntarily Retired |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1936-37 |
Brooklyn Americans |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1937-38 |
Yonkers K0C |
Indep |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Major League Totals |
|
449 |
1015 |
1174 |
|
|
|
3204 |
7.1 |
|
|
|
|
PLAYOFF RECORD |
|
|
|
|
|
| Year |
Team |
League |
GA |
FGM |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT. |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
|
| 1921-22 |
Holyoke |
IL |
3 |
4 |
6 |
|
|
|
14 |
4.7 |
|
| 1924-25 |
Brooklyn |
MBL |
3 |
2 |
12 |
|
|
|
16 |
5.3 |
|
| 1926-27 |
Paterson |
MBL |
3 |
8 |
14 |
|
|
|
30 |
10.0 |
|
|
Major League Totals |
|
9 |
14 |
32 |
|
|
|
60 |
6.7 |
|
Bob Brannum attended the University of Kentucky and Michigan State University before he turned professional in 1948. His first three seasons with the Sheboygan Redskins were unique because each was played in a different league: National Basketball League (1948-49), National Basketball Association (1949-50) and the National Professional Basketball League (1950-51). Brannum quickly established himself as a strong rebounder and aggressive defender and capable scorer. In his final season with Sheboygan, Brannum was selected first-team NPBL center and posted a league-leading 19 points per game scoring average. Brannum spent the next four seasons with the Boston Celtics before he retired as a player in 1955. He later coached basketball at Norwich University, Kenyon College and Brandeis University where he won a school-record 204 games.
| BOB BRANNUM |
Height: |
6:06 |
|
Weight: |
220 |
|
|
College: |
Kentucky’47/Michigan State’48 |
| Robert Warren Brannum |
Born: May 28, 1925 |
Died: Feb 5, 2005 |
Hometown: |
Winfield, Kn. |
| Twin Brother of Clarence Brannum |
|
REGULAR SEASON RECORD |
|
|
|
| Year |
Team |
League |
GA |
FGM |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT. |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
|
| 1943-44 |
Kentucky |
College |
21 |
99 |
56 |
|
|
|
254 |
12.1 |
|
| 1944-46 |
US Army |
Military Service |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1946-47 |
Kentucky |
College |
29 |
49 |
27 |
|
|
|
125 |
4.3 |
|
| 1947-48 |
Michigan State |
College |
22 |
124 |
96 |
|
|
|
344 |
15.6 |
332 |
| .6631948-49 |
Sheboygan |
NBL |
64 |
169 |
169 |
261 |
.648 |
|
507 |
7.9 |
|
| 1949-50 |
Sheboygan |
NBA |
59 |
234 |
245 |
355 |
.690 |
205 |
713 |
12.1 |
|
| 1950-51 |
Sheboygan |
NPBL |
37 |
242 |
220 |
332 |
.663 |
|
704 |
19.0 |
|
| 1951-52 |
Boston |
NBA |
66 |
149 |
107 |
171 |
.626 |
76 |
405 |
6.1 |
|
| 1952-53 |
Boston |
NBA |
71 |
188 |
110 |
185 |
.595 |
147 |
486 |
6.8 |
|
| 1953-54 |
Boston |
NBA |
71 |
140 |
129 |
206 |
.626 |
144 |
409 |
5.8 |
|
| 1954-55 |
Boston |
NBA |
73 |
182 |
94 |
132 |
.712 |
127 |
458 |
6.3 |
|
|
Major League Totals |
|
441 |
1304 |
1074 |
1642 |
,654 |
|
3682 |
8.3 |
|
|
|
|
|
PLAYOFF RECORD |
|
|
|
|
| Year |
Team |
League |
GA |
FGM |
FTM |
FTA |
PCT. |
AST |
PTS |
AVG |
| 1948-49 |
Sheboygan |
NBL |
2 |
11 |
7 |
8 |
.875 |
|
29 |
14.5 |
|
| 1949-50 |
Sheboygan |
NBA |
3 |
15 |
13 |
20 |
.650 |
11 |
43 |
14.3 |
|
| 1951-52 |
Boston |
NBA |
3 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
.167 |
3 |
9 |
3.0 |
|
| 1952-53 |
Boston |
NBA |
6 |
12 |
7 |
11 |
.636 |
10 |
31 |
5.2 |
|
| 1953-54 |
Boston |
NBA |
6 |
11 |
6 |
11 |
.545 |
10 |
28 |
4.7 |
|
| 1954-55 |
Boston |
NBA |
7 |
26 |
11 |
19 |
.579 |
13 |
63 |
9.0 |
|
|
Major League Totals |
|
27 |
79 |
45 |
75 |
.600
|
|
203 |
7.5 |
|