HISTORY OF THE ALL-AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE
Contributors - Al Kirk, Jack Black and Robert Bradley
AAPBL MEMBERSHIP CHRONOLOGY 1947-48
1947-48
In- Altoona Railroaders 1947-48 [Charter franchise, played last
three weeks as Pitt-Altoona]
Columbus Mariners 1947-48 [Charter franchise]
Cumberland Dukes 1947-48 [Charter franchise]
Pitt-Altoona Railroaders 1947-48 [Formerly Altoona, played last
three weeks as Pitt-Altoona]
Wheeling Puritans 1947-48 [Charter franchise]
Youngstown Cubs 1947-48 [Charter franchise]
Zanesville Pioneers 1947-48 [Charter franchise]
Out- Altoona Railroaders [Played last three weeks as
Pitt-Altoona]
AAPBL FRANCHISES BY SEASON 1947-48
ALT - Altoona Railroaders [Altoona, PA] 1947-48
COL - Columbus Mariners [Columbus, OH] 1947-48
CUM - Cumberland Dukes [Cumberland, MD] 1947-48
PAR - Pitt-Altoona Railroaders 1947-48
WHE - Wheeling Puritans [Wheeling, WV] 1947-48
YOU - Youngstown Cubs [Youngstown, OH] 1947-48
ZAN - Zanesville Pioneers [Zanesville, OH] 1947-48
1947-48 - ALT COL CUM PAR WHE YOU ZAN
AAPBL YEARLY STANDINGS 1947-48
AAPBR 1947-48 W L PCT. GB
Youngstown Cubs 20 6 .769 ..
Columbus Mariners* 15 11 .577 5
Wheeling Puritans 12 13 .480 7.5
Pitt-Altoona Railroaders 8 11 .421 8.5
Cumberland Dukes 10 15 .400 9.5
Zanesville Pioneers 6 15 .286 11.5
*During the third week of January the Dayton Metros(politans) independent
pro team was hired by the Columbus owners to replace the existing roster
to complete the AABL. The new Columbus Mariners played the remainder of
the AABL season, including home games every Sunday in Columbus, then as
the Dayton Metros in Dayton for NBL exhibitions when not in conflict with
the AAPBL schedule.
AAPBL PLAYOFFS
AAPBL SEMI-FINALS
15Mar48 Youngstown, OH - Youngstown 61, Wheeling 54
16Mar48 Youngstown, OH - Youngstown 55, Wheeling 45
19Mar48 Wheeling, WV - Wheeling 65, Youngstown 45
20Mar48 Wheeling, WV - Youngstown 81, Wheeling 66
14Mar48 Dayton, OH - Columbus 68, Pitt-Altoona 44
16Mar48 Springfield, OH - Columbus 53, Pitt-Altoona 50
19Mar48 Altoona, PA - Columbus 38, Pitt-Altoona 37 (OT)
AAPBL CHAMPIONSHIP
24Mar48 Youngstown, OH - Colubus 53, Youngstown 48
25Mar48 Youngstown, OH - Youngstown 60, Columbus 45
29Mar48 Springfield, OH - Columbus 52, Yongstown 43
30Mar48 ??? - Columbus 65, Youngstown 48
AABL ROSTERS 1947-48
Altoona Railroaders/Pitt-Altoona - Armonga, Jimmy Atkings, Attman,
Moe Becker (6'7" PBLA), Beelham, Bytzura, George Haines, Hurd, Mihalie,
Penzelik, Voytkof, Zeller
Columbus Mariners (Original roster) - Harold Augspurger (Oberlein), Bob
Clemdaniel, Jimmy Garland, Willie Garland, Glenn Golden, Russ Gregg
(signed DNP), Don Gratef, Gene Scholz (Player Coach), Earl "Shipwreck"
Kelly, Al Mazza, Frank "Hap" Smith, South, Bob Whetstone, (Dayton Metros
playing as the Columbus Mariners) - Don Blanken, Herb Brown (Coach, Ohio
St.), Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, Joe Colone, Duke Cumberland, Don Harvey,
Chris Hansen, Les Pugh, Witry
Cumberland Dukes - Lou Bell, Bell (two brothers), Diehl, Frizzell, Goetz,
Mason, Myers, Paul "Obie" Oberhaus, Orddorff, Roby
Wheeling Puritans - Joe Baron (West Virinia), Barrow, Britt, Campetti,
DeVecchia, Hank Ellis, Herman Frank, Bill Hall (Marshall), Jim Quinlan,
Joe Rodak, Jimmy Rusch, John Spicer
Youngstown Cubs - Paul Birch (Player-coach), Charles Butler (Notre Dame),
Harry Butler, Cramb, Rudy Debnar (Duquense), Endress, Charley Gabriel,
Lou Gabriel (Youngstown St.), Hanshue, Ioachim, Harry Miller, Leo Mogus
(Youngstown St.), Naples, Fred Paine (Westminster), White
Zanesville Pioneers - Harold Augspurger, Bill Cope, Bill Feeney, Fowle,
Manny Hyatt (Player-coach), Ed Janicki, Roger Jorgensen, Kolodzick, Frank
"Hap" Smith, Sorenson, Strall, Kenny Walters (Ohio U.), Bill Ziemer