L.Kizzle
07-20-2020, 07:10 PM
The NBA had some rivals to come along and scare them for a while. We all know about the ABA. And to a lesser extent, the NBL which merged with the BAA in 1949 to form the NBA. Their was no NBA in 1946. There were two separate ABL’s as well. The first one competed with the BAA and NBL in the 1940s and another formed in the early 1960s (Home of the original 3-Pointer, not the ABA.)
What I want to talk about is another league. This league was smaller than the others. They also only played on weekends. But besides the ABA, probably had the best talent; bar none. The CBA … yes that CBA. Most people know the CBA as the NBA’s farm league in the 80s’ and 90s’. But they originally stared out as the 'storied' Eastern Professional Basketball League (Eastern League or EPBL) out of Pennsylvania. It’s actually older than the NBA (BAA) by a few months.
The best players not invited into the NBA in the 1940s, 50s and 60s played in the EPBL. The EPBL had black players well before the NBA. Hall of Famer John Isaacs (of the famed New York Rens) being one of them back in 1946. The NBA had an unwritten rule of no more than 2 black players per team up until the early 60s. Not in the Eastern League. Some of the best black talent in the nation that the NBA overlooked made their home in the EPBL. John Chaney (y'all know John Chaney) was one of the best EPBL talents ever and was good enough for the NBA. They used to call him J.C. (not for John Chaney but for Jesus Christ.) Temple stand out Hal Lear (not Hal Greer.) Lear was said to be better than Greer …
The EPBL also welcomed the players caught up in point shaving scandals and NYC streetball legends. Sherman White and Bill Spivey were among those guys. Spivey especially, would have been a star in the NBA becoming George Mikan’s main rival. He was a legit 7 footer. He lead Kentucky to the Championship and was was Most Outstanding Player in 1951. There were All-Americans and Nation Player of the Years who didn’t even get looked at by the NBA for whatever reason. Art Heyman, an All-American at Duke. Bill Green, the #8 pick of the 63 NBA draft. He never played a game. Green was also drafted by the Cowboys and the Red Sox. Levern Jelly Tart was the MVP of the 1964 NIT Tournament. 1966 EPBL MVP was Willie Murrell. He led Kansas State to the 1964 Final Four with a 29 pt, 13 rb effort vs. the winning UCLA. John Postley was another. Wally Choice. The season Wilt avg 50, Wally Choice avg 41.3 PPG. Speaking of Wilt, a High Schooled Wilt used an alias to play as George Marcus. Now I can't find out what league this was but I'm almost sure it was the EPBL.
Dr. Jack Ramsey, Hubie Brown, Jim Boeheim and Jack McCloskey were also players. NBA All-Stars and Hall of Famers even turned up in the EPBL. Paul Arizin and KC Jones after they retired from the NBA and Bob Love before he entered the NBA. Even officials like Dick Bavetta and Ed Rush started in the EPBL.
How good were the guys in the EPBL? The beat the Philadelphia Warriors in an inter-league game in 1949. They also played the Harlem Globetrotters as well.
The ABA was what eventually led the EPBL’s downfall as a legit league as the majority of the 1966 All-Stars turned up in the brand new ABA the next season. They changed their name to the CBA in 1970 and by the 1980 was the major farm league for the NBA.
The early days of the EPBL could run with the NBAs best.
Look up some of these players, they all have interesting stories.
What I want to talk about is another league. This league was smaller than the others. They also only played on weekends. But besides the ABA, probably had the best talent; bar none. The CBA … yes that CBA. Most people know the CBA as the NBA’s farm league in the 80s’ and 90s’. But they originally stared out as the 'storied' Eastern Professional Basketball League (Eastern League or EPBL) out of Pennsylvania. It’s actually older than the NBA (BAA) by a few months.
The best players not invited into the NBA in the 1940s, 50s and 60s played in the EPBL. The EPBL had black players well before the NBA. Hall of Famer John Isaacs (of the famed New York Rens) being one of them back in 1946. The NBA had an unwritten rule of no more than 2 black players per team up until the early 60s. Not in the Eastern League. Some of the best black talent in the nation that the NBA overlooked made their home in the EPBL. John Chaney (y'all know John Chaney) was one of the best EPBL talents ever and was good enough for the NBA. They used to call him J.C. (not for John Chaney but for Jesus Christ.) Temple stand out Hal Lear (not Hal Greer.) Lear was said to be better than Greer …
The EPBL also welcomed the players caught up in point shaving scandals and NYC streetball legends. Sherman White and Bill Spivey were among those guys. Spivey especially, would have been a star in the NBA becoming George Mikan’s main rival. He was a legit 7 footer. He lead Kentucky to the Championship and was was Most Outstanding Player in 1951. There were All-Americans and Nation Player of the Years who didn’t even get looked at by the NBA for whatever reason. Art Heyman, an All-American at Duke. Bill Green, the #8 pick of the 63 NBA draft. He never played a game. Green was also drafted by the Cowboys and the Red Sox. Levern Jelly Tart was the MVP of the 1964 NIT Tournament. 1966 EPBL MVP was Willie Murrell. He led Kansas State to the 1964 Final Four with a 29 pt, 13 rb effort vs. the winning UCLA. John Postley was another. Wally Choice. The season Wilt avg 50, Wally Choice avg 41.3 PPG. Speaking of Wilt, a High Schooled Wilt used an alias to play as George Marcus. Now I can't find out what league this was but I'm almost sure it was the EPBL.
Dr. Jack Ramsey, Hubie Brown, Jim Boeheim and Jack McCloskey were also players. NBA All-Stars and Hall of Famers even turned up in the EPBL. Paul Arizin and KC Jones after they retired from the NBA and Bob Love before he entered the NBA. Even officials like Dick Bavetta and Ed Rush started in the EPBL.
How good were the guys in the EPBL? The beat the Philadelphia Warriors in an inter-league game in 1949. They also played the Harlem Globetrotters as well.
The ABA was what eventually led the EPBL’s downfall as a legit league as the majority of the 1966 All-Stars turned up in the brand new ABA the next season. They changed their name to the CBA in 1970 and by the 1980 was the major farm league for the NBA.
The early days of the EPBL could run with the NBAs best.
Look up some of these players, they all have interesting stories.