The Eastern Basketball Association was a professional basketball league based in the United States. The league began in 1946 and was known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League. After one season the league changed its name to the Eastern Professional Basketball League. In 1979, the league changed its name again to the Continental Basketball Association.
Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League / Eastern Professional Basketball League (1946–1970)
Harry Rudolph was elected league president in September 1957. Barry Sherman was elected secretary and public relations director. Elected members of the board of governors were Clem Palevitch, Richard Smith and Jack Agnor.[3]
League president Harry Rudolph announced that Bill Spivey of the Wilkes-Barre team was fined $10 for fighting during a game. It was Spivey's second fine of the season and Rudolph said if another incident occurred it would result in a suspension.[4]
During the offseason before the 1959–1960 season, the league announced their collegiate draft was postponed so the league could vote on an expansion franchise from Baltimore, Maryland (which became the Baltimore Bullets).[5]
In January 1960, the league announced it had scrapped a rule permitting National Basketball Association (NBA) teams only one option per season on players. This rule would allow NBA team to call-up and send down players as much as they wished.[6]
The league held its annual preseason meeting on June 13, 1960 where league president Harry Rudolph was re-elected to a two-year term. He was also elected treasurer of the league. Ray Saul was re-elected as public relations director and secretary.[7]
EPBL president Harry Rudolph announced plans to file a $1,000,000 defamation of character lawsuit against National Football League (NFL) commissioner Pete Rozelle for saying, "several players in the Eastern Basketball [League] were accused of gambling on games involving teams for which they formerly played." The comment was about Rozelle's decision to bar NFL player Gene Lipscomb from joining the EPBL Baltimore Bullets.[8]
At the league's annual meeting during the offseason before the 1961–62 season a proposal to relocate the Baltimore franchise to New England was to be proposed. The potential move would have been to either Bridgeport or Milton, Connecticut as facilitated by the prospective owner, Herb Kables.[9] The proposal was ultimately rejected.[10]
The Allentown Jets announced they had signed Andrew "Fuzzy" Levane to a one-year contract as coach in September 1961.[11]
In October 1961, the EPBL passed a resolution that would give a lifetime ban to any player who left an EPBL team for another league. The rule came in response to players who left the league the fledgling American Basketball League (ABL).[12]
EPBL president Harry Rudolph announced that the Camden franchise had been fined $150 for failing to have the required seven players in uniform for a game on January 27, 1962 in which Camden lost to Williamsport 153–126. According to the Associated Press several Camden players were delayed by car trouble forcing the team to play with six players.[14]
EPBL president Harry Rudolph announced that Trenton Colonials coach Harry Landa had been fined for pushing a referee during a game on February 3, 1962. According to Rudolph, if Landa failed to pay the fine he would be suspended for the remainder of the season. [15]
During the offseason before the 1962–63 season, the EPBL considered admitting two new franchises in Philadelphia and Carbondale, Pennsylvania/[16] The Philadelphia franchise was not approved as the team's owners could not find a suitable venue. The Carbondale franchise was admitted to the league, but that deal was eventually voided when team owners failed to meet their financial obligations according to league president Harry Rudolph.[17][18]
In November 1962, after the American Basketball League (ABL) folded, EPBL president Harry Rudolph announced that players who were banned for leaving their EPBL teams for the ABL could apply for re-admittance to the league if they wrote a letter to the league president with $25 as payment for a fine. Players affected by the ban were: Hal Lear, David Gunther, Hershel Thurner, Kelly Coleman and Spike Gibson.[19]
In April 1963, EPBL president Harry Rudolph announced that Camden Bullets player Tom Hoover was fined $100 and suspended for four games following a physical altercation with referee Jim Armstong.[20]
During the offseason before the 1963–64, the Wilmington Blue Bombers of Wilmington, Delaware were admitted into the league. The league also announced it had abolished its territorial draft.[21]
The Wilmington Blue Bombers announced they had hired Alexander Severance as coach during the offseason before the 1963–64 season.[22]
EPBL president Harry Rudolph was re-elected to a two-year term during the offseason before the 1964–65 season. The league also re-elected Ray Saul as secretary. David Waters was newly elected to the position of vice president. Hal Simon, Spike Shandelman and Arthur Pachter were elected to the board of governors.[24]
William J. Montzman is named the commissioner of the league, making him the third person to serve in that capacity. He succeeded Harry Rudolph, who was commissioner since 1955.[2]
The East Orange Colonials (originally the Garden State Colonials) were owned by author Larry Armour and his 14 year-old son, Andy Armour, who was the youngest team owner in EBA history. The Colonials had a working agreement with three NBA teams: the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Golden State Warriors and the Detroit Pistons.[29]
^ ab"EBL Adds Two Teams". Chester Times. Chester, Philadelphia. Associated Press. September 16, 1957. p. 17.
^"Spivey Fined $10 for Fight". Chester Times. Chester, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. February 14, 1959. p. 16.
^"Draft Postponed". Chester Times. Chester, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. August 5, 1959. p. 19.
^"Eastern League Changes Rules". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. January 7, 1960. p. 25.
^"Eastern League Sets Opening". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 14, 1960. p. 16.
^"Lipscomb ruled out". The Cuero Record. Cuero, Texas. United Press International. January 22, 1961. p. 2.
^"EBL to Vote on Baltimore Sale". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. May 15, 1961. p. 16.
^ abc"Eastern League Rejects Transfers". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 7, 1961. p. 27.
^"Levane to Coach Jets". The New York Times. New York, New York: The New York Times Company. Associated Press. September 20, 1961. p. 32.
^"Eastern League Plans Lifetime Ban". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. October 24, 1961. p. 20.
^"Rens Seek Tribe Tilt". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. January 22, 1961. p. 24.
^"Camden Club Hit With Fine". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. January 29, 1962. p. 19.
^"Pushes Ref, Coach Fined". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. February 12, 1962. p. 13.
^"EBL Will Act". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. August 1, 1962. p. 22.
^"Carbondale May Get Franchise". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. August 9, 1962. p. 23.
^"Carbondale Out of EBL Picture". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. August 17, 1962. p. 23.
^"E.B.L. to Readmit Players Who Joined Rival League". The New York Times. New York, New York: The New York Times Company. Associated Press. November 9, 1962. p. 56.
^"Hoover Fined, Suspended". The Cuero Record. No. 69.78. Cuero, Texas. United Press International. April 2, 1963. p. 3.
^"Wilmington Gets EBL Franchise". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. May 7, 1963. p. 42.
^"Bombers Name Al Severance". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. May 27, 1963. p. 56.
^"Camden Five Names Donnelly". The New York Times. New York, New York: The New York Times Company. Associated Press. October 10, 1963. p. 52.
^"EBL re-elects Harry Rudolph". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. May 7, 1964. p. 27.
^"Draft Slated". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 1, 1964. p. 17.
^"EBL Drafts Courtin". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 2, 1964. p. 15.
^"Allentown Picks Brendan McCann". Delaware County Daily Times. Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. June 27, 1964. p. 18.
