Vintage Basketball Photos and Postcards

[Michael B]

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The 1952 Olympic team as chosen after the tryout tournament.

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1952 Olympic team official team photo

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1956 Olympic team choosing to participate in a post-Olympic tournament. Bill Russell and K.C. Jones seated next to each other.

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1964 Olympic team. Gold medal ceremony in Tokyo. It looks like George 'Jif' Wilson is the one receiving the medal.

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1964 Olympic team photo. Mel Counts is the tallest in the middle. Seated below him looking very stiff is Bill Bradley. To the right of Bradley is Larry Brown. Seated on the extreme right is Walt Hazzard.

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Sam Perkins and Bill Wennington 1984 Olympics.

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1947-48 Phillips 66ers. 1948 Olympians on the team are Bob Kurland, Jesse "Cab" Renick, Lew Beck, R.C. Pitts and Gordy Carpenter. Bud Browning was head coach of the 1948 Olympic team. Adolph Rupp was one of his assistants.

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Oscar Robertson and Jerry West 1960 College All Star game.

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Oscar Robertson and Jerry West 1960 Olympic medal ceremony

[Michael B]

I have posted quite a few photos. I thought I would add something a bit older. The first Olympic basketball tournament was held during the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. It is also referred to as the 1904 World's Fair. The Olympic events were secondary to the Expo. As such the programs will list events, but you would not see rosters of entrants like you would in a regular program. On July 12, 1904 the Buffalo Germans of the Buffalo YMCA would win the first ever Olympic basketball tournament. They were the first team inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. There is some disagreement as to whether this can be considered truly Olympic as there were no foreign teams and it was the AAU Championships. The OlyMadmen, a small group of Olympic researchers, to which I contribute but am not considered a member, view it as a demonstration sport. The business manager, coach and star of the team, Alfred Heerdt would later coach the Buffalo Bisons in the ABL (1925-26) and in the NBL (1937-38).

Here is the program from July 12, 1904.
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[shagrotn77]

I don't know if one even exists, if so, I would love to get my hands on a playing-days (1950-56) postcard of Chuck Cooper.

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by shagrotn77

I don't know if one even exists, if so, I would love to get my hands on a playing-days (1950-56) postcard of Chuck Cooper.

It is quite possible there is a Celtics or St Louis Hawks team issued one for him.

[jad22]

I have not seen a team issued postcard of Cooper as a Celtic. He did have several program covers. There are also some playing days signed GPCs out there.

[bobfreedman]

My first vintage basketball ad

[bigfanNY]

Originally Posted by bobfreedman

My first vintage basketball ad

Nice Bob looks like artwork for 1973 Basketball sales flyer.