Louis “Red” Klotz, an outstanding basketball player and scorer at South Philadelphia High School, Villanova University and the Baltimore Bullets, is probably best known an the losingest coach in basketball. As coach/player/owner of the Washington Generals, the perennial opponents of the Harlem Globetrotters for many years, Klotz boasts to losing more than 13,000 games during… Read more »
Although he only stands five feet, nine inches, Howie Landa was an All-Public basketball selection while at Central High School. He is recognized as one of the greatest junior college coaches in America. He even served a short stint as head coach for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. For 26 years ending in 1989,… Read more »
Howard Lassoff has had a love and passion for basketball all of his life. Because of this, the game has given him unique experiences in international travel that have taken him all over the world. Lassoff first gained notice as the starting center for Lower Merion High School’s 1978 Central League First Half Champions and… Read more »
Ed Lerner sits there, watching guys making $9 million a year to play basketball, clanking free throw after free throw off the rim, and it makes him sick. “Easiest shot in the world,” Lerner explains. “You’re standing there, nobody bothering you, and you can’t make that shot?” Lerner made 97 percent of his foul shots… Read more »
A native of South Philadelphia Harry Litwack is an institution in American college basketball. He was the head basketball coach at Temple University for 21 years, from 1952-1973, where he coached the Owls to 14 consecutive winning seasons. He is credited with the creation of the “zone defense”, which changed the game of basketball and… Read more »
Barry Love was the first high school basketball player in the Philadelphia area to score 50 points or more when he scored 54 points for the Overbrook High School Basketball Team in 1947. (Wilt Chamberlain broke Love’s record a few years later.) Love was captain of the basketball and track teams and won medals at… Read more »
Jules “Babe” Love has led a life committing sports to the service of Judaism and Israel. His single goal has been to show students that integrity, respect and high academic standards are more valuable than gold medals. Love attended Bartram High School in Philadelphia and made the varsity basketball team as a point guard his… Read more »
Cecil Mosenson attended Overbrook High School where he was an outstanding player. He played varsity basketball for Temple University from 1949 to 1951. He toured briefly with the Washington Generals playing against the Harlem Globetrotters, and also played in the Eastern Professional Basketball League. At the age of 22, Cecil was named the varsity basketball… Read more »
Stan Novak was an athlete, educator, coach and NBA scout. He excelled at every level and overcame every challenge. A native of West Philadelphia, Novak was a two-time all-public league basketball player at West Philadelphia High School, leading the 1940-41 squad to the Public League Championship. After a stint as an officer in the Navy,… Read more »
At one time the most dominant team in professional basketball, the Philadelphia SPHAS was organized as an amateur team in 1918 by Eddie Gottlieb, Harry Passon and Hughie Black shortly after their graduation from South Philadelphia High School. Those three young men had one overpowering objective in life following their graduation…to study basketball. Their first… Read more »