Vintage Basketball Photos and Postcards

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by bigfanNY

Bob Kurland with the Phillips 66'ers in 1951. 1948 and 1952 gold medalist. Member of the inaugural class of the Basketball Hall of Fame. Quite possibly the greatest player of the first half of the 20th century.

Gonna call BS to that statment. Being a top player in the AAU is not being a top Basketball player. Even in the first half of the 20th century. Miken vs Kurland Miken 3-2 with one of Kurland's wins coming in a game Miken fouled out in the 1st half. Kurklands Ncaa titles Going forward Miken played against top talent in the ABL BAA and NBA. So not even the best big man. Fulks Lapchick Hickey Gates Cooper. All of them great Professional Basketball players. And remember when Kurkland was winning the NCAA The NIT was the top tournament.

Check your math. First half of the 20th century ended in 1950. By then Kurland had won back to back NCAA's (1945-46), 3 AAU Championships (1947, 1948, 1950) Olympic gold medal (1948), 2 time NCAA Final Four most outstanding player, Helms Foundation and Sporting News Player of the Year (1946) and retired in 1952. You know squat about the AAU. It was just as important back then and drew a lot of talent. Read up on the National Industrial League. Guaranteed players a career with a corporation and allowed them to play basketball. Mikan and Kurland were probably equal. Don't make excuses for Mikan fouling out of a game vs Kurland. Perhaps he was outplayed. Chuck Cooper did not graduate from college until 1950. Fulks was an above average player. Horrible shooter who bricked a lot in a short career.

[bigfanNY]

Well The 2 years that Miken won the Helms tropy as top collegiate player Kurland was playing as well. Kurland won in 46. The NIT was the top college tournament at the time and in 1945 Miken and depaul won. And Miken was tournament MVP. Head to head Miken 3 Kurland 2. By 1950 Miken had won 2 NBL Titles and 2 BAA/ NBA titles. Led NBL in Scoring in 1948 BAA in 1949 and NBA in 1950. And was named Greatest player of the first half Century by AP. So they were not close Kurland a good player who did not turn pro so never faced top talent. Tarzan Cooper not Chuck. I am a Philly basketball fan so soft for Fulks who led early years of BAA in scoring and won title in 47. Pop Gates Lapchick and early Celtics. Many great players in the first 50 years. Kurland on the list sure top 10, not in my opinion. Not playing againt a circut of company teams vs a circut of Professional basketball players. I dont know much about AAU but I do know they were not a pro leauge. And the greatest player of the first half Century would not have settled for that.

[bigfanNY]

Not a picture but a couple items signed by Clyde Lovellette. Who was pictured in a number of previous posts in this thread the first to win an NCAA Olympic and NBA title. Also signed by Miken Pollard and assorted Laker greats. The 1957 program has Miken pictured in all six of the lakers championship photos. But his signature is on the 1958 junior lakers day insert.

[jad22]

This is a wire photograph but still pretty cool.