Detroit PSL Basketball

 

Miller High’s Sammy Gee, seen here as a sophomore, was known to be one of the best all-around athletes the city of Detroit has ever produced. A Detroit Free Press first-team All-State basketball selection in 1947 and a second-teamer in 1946, Gee was also a football and baseball standout at Miller. He played professional baseball in the Brooklyn Dodgers’ system and also played for the Detroit Stars and New York Cubans in the Negro Leagues. Gee also found his way onto the Harlem Globetrotters’ roster and eventually became a world class fast-pitch softball player for teams such as Burch Grinding and Nothdurft in Detroit. He was inducted into the Metro Detroit Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame in 1988. (Photo Courtesy Dr. Janet Bobby Collection)

(Editor’s Note: We are currently missing the 1942 and 1943 Free Press All-State teams. If you have any information about these years, please contact us.)

1949
First Team: Carl Tschirhart, Milan; Paul Hinkin, Saginaw Arthur Hill; George Peterson, Stephenson; Lyle Smith, Port Huron; Oscar “Wally” Ziemba, St. Joseph
Second Team: Ken Burrell, Hamtramck; Rex Corless, Coldwater; Chuck Holloway, Northern; Milt Mead, Bay City; Les Butgereit, Benton Harbor
Third Team: Bob Johnson, Muskegon Heights; Tad Stanford, Midland; John Jaciuk, Wyandotte; Chet Krawczak, Detroit St. Andrews; Harry Lauder, Ferndale.

1948
First Team: Ralph Lock, Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills; Oscar Ingram, Flint Central; Art McColgan, Saginaw SS Peter & Paul; Vernon Allen, Jackson; Mike Scavo, Detroit St. Joseph
Second Team: Blaine Denning (Mitchell), Northern (NBA/Harlem Globetrotters); Corless, Coldwater; Coleman, Kalamazoo; Dornbos, Muskegon St. Joseph; Nystrom, Marquette
Third Team: Leon Smith, Saginaw; Wever, Fremont; Eckstrom, Grant; Jaciuk, Wyandotte; Layman, Bridgman
Honorable Mention (Detroit Only): Al Bolton, Miller; Bob Boyce, Northeastern; Ken Burrell, Hamtramck; Arnold “Skip” Domke, Mackenzie; Chuck Holloway, Northern; Earl Johnson, Pershing; Wayne Lawrie, Highland Park; Tom Macon, Cooley; Jim Mongeau, Cooley; Aram Sarkisian, Southwestern; Bob Sebestian, Western; Sam Smith, Southeastern; Bob Taylor, Miller.

1947
First Team: Sammy Gee, Miller (Harlem Globetrotters); Bob Nagel, Lansing Eastern; Bob VanDyke, Holland; Vernon Allen, Jackson; Bill Agre, Saginaw Arthur Hill
Second Team: Leroy Middleton, Flint Central; Leo Sugar, Flint Northern (NFL); Chuck Murray, Birmingham; Bob Schultz, Alma; Jack Born, Kalamazoo
Third Team: Bill Pedler, Kalamazoo; Bob Heinz, Bay City; Hank Steck, Owosso; Frank Vining, Morley; Len Wisniewski, Detroit St. Andrews
Honorable Mention (Detroit Only): Ed Arnold, Southwestern; Hal Blackwell, Miller; Aram Sarkisian, Southwestern; Bennie Zennevich, Pershing; Pat Clysdale, Mackenzie.  

1946
First Team: Bob Beller, Detroit St. Charles; Jim Oakes, Manistee; Bob Grant, Lansing Sexton; Clarence “Sonny” Means, Saginaw; Jack Forestieri, Benton Harbor
Second Team: Sammy Gee, Miller (Harlem Globetrotters); Gene Glick, Saginaw Arthur Hill; Don Kelly, Flint Northern; Bill Pedler, Muskegon; Uell Clark, Jackson
Third Team: Tom Mooradian, Southwestern; Earl Anderson, Ludington; Tom Elmblad, L’Anse; Elwyn Heyn, Bridgman; Bob Miller, Farmington.

1945
First Team: Robert Swanson, Lansing Sexton; Jerry Burke, Detroit St. Theresa; Jack Forestieri, Benton Harbor; Swift Noble, Jr., Kalamazoo; Charles Cacicedo, Detroit Holy Redeemer
Second Team: Emil “Bones” Jones, Hamtramck; Richard Frame, Jackson; Eddie Klum, Benton Harbor; M. Sternhagen, Saginaw Arthur Hill; Tom Petroff, Lansing Eastern
Third Team: Lou VanDyke, Holland; Clarence Means, Saginaw; Sam Baker, Pontiac; Don Kelly, Flint Northern; Jack Mott, Saginaw Arthur Hill
Honorable Mention (Detroit Only): Alex Taub, Central; Harold Pink, Northwestern; Ronald Teasley, Northwestern; Art Miarocki, Wilbur Wright; Bevis Francis, Mackenzie; Carl Schuster, Southeastern. 

1942
First Team: Jack Scott, Hazel Park; Dillard Crocker, Niles (NBA/NBL); Larry Savage, Saginaw; Lynn Chandois, Flint Centrall; Paul Bard, Muskegon
Second Team: Marlo Fortino, Alma; Garrett, Saginaw Arthur Hill, Wierda, Saginaw Arthur Hill; Dale Brown, Belding; Bob Carpenter, Lansing Central; Mike Regeczi, Muskegon Heights (six listed?)
Third Team: Tommy King, East Lansing (NBA); Don Schaltzline, Port Huron; Charles Ploegams, Holland; Charles Marks, Lansing Eastern; Albert Sartori, Crystal Falls.
 

1941
Class A
First Team: Don Lund, Southeastern (MLB); John Creevey, Clawson; Capt. Don Osterman, De. St. Theresa; Dan Pjesky, Benton Harbor; Dick Walterhouse, Ann Arbor
Second Team: Joey Smith, Detroit St. Theresa; Bob Vaughn, Grand Rapids South; Tom Meyer, Dearborn Fordson;  Capt. Ed Rybak, Bay City; Dave Phillips, Jackson
Third Team: Tom King, East Lansing (NBA); Tony Pablis, Saginaw; Capt. Ray Crissey, Lansing St. Mary’s; George Allen, Sturgis; Bob Arkins, South Haven
Honorable Mention: Forwards — Tanner, Grosse Pointe High; Lew Parry, Southeastern; Costa, Southwestern; Frezzey, Northern; “Big” Joe Bale, Central; Don McIntosh, Central; Phil Anglofsky, Western; Bob Hurley, U of D High; Coratti, Highland Park; Centers — Casmer Mokeski, Cass Tech; Willie Bryant, Northern; Cavanaugh, Grosse Pointe  St. Paul’s; Harold Gelslighter, Highland Park; Nosewicz, Chadsey; Guards — Suren Srabian, Southwestern; Marzoff, Grosse Pointe; George Kiesel, Northwestern; Joe Smaza, Chadsey; Bob Wiserman, Highland Park; Polance, Southeastern; Joey Vara, Southwestern.
 
1940
Class A
Second Team: Don Lund, Southeastern (MLB).