Detroit PSL Basketball

Northeastern’s Ernie Wagner was a Detroit Free Press first-team All-Metropolitan League selection in 1950 before going on to play at Wayne (State) University and eventually the Harlem Globetrotters. Wagner’s 11 seasons with the Globetrotters tied him with Northwestern’s Murphy “Big Daddy Cool Breeze” Summons for most played by a PSL product with the ‘Trotters. (Harlem Globetrotter Photo)

(Editor’s Note: Every attempt has been made to include accurate information on players, coaches, and teams. If you encounter any errors you have documented proof of, please contact one of us with that information.)

1959
First Team
Reggie Harding, so., Eastern; Lonnie “Tree” Sanders, sr., Pershing; Bill Street, sr., Northwestern; T.Z. Tennille, sr., Northeastern; Henry Mack, sr., Western
East Side
Dave “Smokey” Gaines, Northeastern; Felton Rogers, Eastern; Jim Massey, Northern; Ron Glover, Central; Bernie Lemieux, Southeastern.
West Side
Larry Cutright, Cooley; Henry Carr, Southwestern; Dick Honig, Mackenzie; John Nance, Cody; J. Fitzgerald, Mackenzie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1958
First Team
Ed “Stone” Stewart, sr., Northeatern; Bob Blackwell, sr., Eastern; Levert France, sr., Cass Tech; Leon Mayberry, sr., Northwestern; John Kastl, sr., Western
All-East Side
Lonnie “Tree” Sanders, Pershing; Neil Kelly, U-D High; Ed Clark, Northern; Ed “Stone” Stewart, Northeastern; Bob Blackwell, Eastern
All-West Side
George Ginger, Redford; Jerry Matthews, Chadsey; Levert France, Cass Tech; Leon Mayberry, Northwestern; John Kastl, Western
Honorable Mention
East Side — Haislip, Denby; Gualtieri, Southeastern; R. Glover, Central; Brown, Northeastern; Hairston, Eastern.
West Side — Jackson, Northwestern; Barnes, Cass Tech; Holland, Western; Vellucci, Cody; Gutowsky, Redford.

 

1957
First Team

Charlie North, sr., Northwestern; Louis Gibbs, sr., Central; Steve Jordan, sr., Cass Tech; Roosevelt Lee, sr., Northwestern; James Hester, sr., Miller; Coaches Charles Jenks, Cass Tech and Ed Demerjian, Northwestern

Second Team
Bob Holmes, Mumford; Leon Mayberry, Northwestern; Rudy Nelson, Northern; John Kastl, Western; Randy Zeigler, Cass Tech
Third Team
Lud Strohmayer, Southeastern; Floyd Burch, Central; Dick Dylus, U of D; Roger Curtis, Denby; Don Greene, Pershing
Honorable Mention
Jim Harper, Eastern; Mickey Sinks, Cooley; Greg Baines, Chadsey; Ed “Stone” Stewart, Miller; Paul Porter, Cass; Ed Morad, U of D; Howard Worthy, Central; Levert France, Cass; Joe Gilmore, Northwestern.

 

 

 

 

1956
First Team

Louis Gibbs, jr., Central; Gunars Vitolins, sr., Chadsey; Roosevelt Lee, jr., Northwestern; Jack Ward, sr., Southeastern; Steve Jordan, jr., Cass Tech

 

 

 

1955
First Team
Dave Scott, Cooley; Allen “Jocko” Hughes, Miller; Chuck Mitchell, Cass; Don Coleman, Cass; Craig Morris, Denby; Coach Frank “Ace” Cudillo, Cass
Second Team
Jerry Malinasky, Cass; Terry Knowles, Cooley; Eugene White, Northwestern; Sam Oliver, Southeastern; Bill Stephens, Central  
Third Team
Ellis “Apple Seed” Appling, Miller; Carl Cottle, Western; John Jackson, Miller; Bob Thomson, Mackenzie; Harold Hamilton, Northwestern
Honorable Mention
John Kischuk, Chadsey; Carl Raismas, Pershing; Leroy Cornish, Northern; Ed Dinkins, Northeastern; Ed Perkins, Cass; John McGillivery, Southeastern; Jim Humphrey, Wright; Al Copeland, Western; George Fead, Denby; Ken Brown, Northern; Greg Thomas, Northwestern; Gunars Vitolins, Chadsey; John Conroy, U of D; Mary (probably Harry) Keller, Redford; Ron Thompson, Southwestern; Ernest Holley, Miller; Leroy Settles, Cass; Talmadge James, Northwestern; Fred Snowden, Northwestern.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1954

First Team

James Boyce, Northwestern; Maron Stanford, Miller; Larry LaVercombe, Cooley; Levi Davis, Miller; Ted Brzozowski, Pershing; Coach Ed Demerjian, Northwestern
Second Team
Walt Ritchie, Northwestern; Charles Turner, Cooley; Robert Brown, Central; R. DePalma, Mackenzie; Norman Shultz, Chadsey
Third Team
Jerry Malinasky, Cass; Sid Barnwell, Southeastern; Eugene White, Northwestern; Bob Ponder, Northern; Don Keen, Southeastern
Honorable Mention
Forwards: Ed Denkins, Northwestern (maybe Ed Dinkins, Northeastern); Jim Kratz, Southwestern; Charles Forberg, U of D; Gary Schottley, Denby; Bill Stone, Western; John Flowers, Chadsey.  Centers:  John Lango, Southeastern; Lee Daniels, Northern; Chuck Mitchell, Cass; Allen Hughes, Miller; Ray Dungen, Pershing.  Guards:  Clarence Straughn, Northern; Willie Smith, Northeastern; Ron Thompson, Southwestern; Fred Hawkins, Wright; Don Wiktor, U of D; Joel Kirkwood, Miller; Fred Snowden, Northwestern; Talmadge James, Northwestern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1953
First Team
Sam Washington, Western; Willie Carey, Chadsey; Mike Basford, U of D; Al Marcangelo, Southeastern; Denny Gibson, Northern; Coach Perry Deakin, Southeastern
Second Team
Dickie “Garter Snake” Crenshaw, Chadsey; Stan Sylvester, Southeastern; Larry LaVercombe, Cooley; Jim Ninowski, Pershing; Sam Armstrong, Northern
Third Team
Craig Morris, Denby; Sid Barnwell, Southeastern; Jim Landrum, Northeastern; Paul Petro, Chadsey; Renaldo Benson, Cass Tech
Honorable Mention
Forwards: Nelson Ford, Northwestern; John Walker, Southwestern; Grover Davis, Northeastern; Jack Bankes, Cooley; Andy Kincannon, Chadsey; Lou Bosco, U of D; Bill Maleske, Western; Ralph DePalma, Mackenzie; Harbin Wilks, Eastern; Bob Steele, Northern.  Centers: John Lango, Southeastern; Clyde Howard, Northwestern; Mike Tatsuk, Western; Hal Dukes, Eastern; Jesse Cokely, Northeastern; Don Kaumpf, Denby. Guards: Emil Matsos, Redford; John Massingille, Miller; Moses Willis, Southwestern; Ralph Salansky, Eastern; Marvin Evans, Northern; Bob Griffin, Northeastern; Jack Kieffer, Eastern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

1952

First Team
Walt Godfrey, Cass Tech; George “Swinging Gate” Gatewood, Cass Tech; Ralph Goldstein, Central; Howard Jones, Northwestern; Al Marcangelo, Southeastern; Coach Jim Demaree, Northwestern
Second Team
Willie Carey, Chadsey; Eric Von Steeg, Eastern; John Lawson, Northern; Ron Porter, Cass Tech; Mike Basford, U of D
Third Team
Jerry Greenberg, Central; Duane Olsen, Cass Tech; Jim Dillard, Northwestern; Grover Davis, Northeastern; John Davis, Southwestern
Honorable Mention
Forwards: Bates, Miller; Thompson, Northwestern; Kaump, U of D; Kieffer, Eastern; Napier, Pershing; Sherrill, Northern; Wilks, Eastern; Benedict, Southeastern; Thomas, Pershing; Shepard, Northeastern; Koepke, Denby; Bramlett, Southeastern; Howard, Northwestern; Centers: Dukes, Eastern; Dale Kuntzman, Cooley; Kirkland, Northeastern; McKinney, Central; Bassell, Southeastern; Guards: Dean, Miller; Goldberg, Northwestern; Straughn, Northern; Kincannon, Chadsey; Griffin, Northeastern; Naznoff, Redford; Tinsley, Cass Tech; Jackson, Northern.

 

1951
First Team
Ken Prather, U of D; Jim “Rabbit” Johnson, Miller; John Epps, Southwestern; John Lawson, Northern; George “Swinging Gate” Gatewood, Cass Tech; Coach Frank “Ace” Cudillo, Cass Tech
Second Team
Gerald Hutchins, Miller; George Cox, Chadsey; Hal Dukes, Eastern; Walt Godfrey, Cass Tech; Jim Spudich, Cass Tech
Third Team
Dick Mosley, Central; Howard Jones, Northwestern; Tom Zang, U of D; Wally Rentz, Denby; John Sincic, U of D
Honorable Mention
Dick Bruce, Western; J.T. Williams, Northwestern; Ken Shields, Redford; George Cass, Cooley; Duane Olsen, Cass Tech; Gerald Friday, Northwestern; Bill Trolley, Western; Bill Brennan, U of D; Ronald Porter, Cass Tech.

 

1950
First Team
Charlie “King Snake” Primas, Miller; Ken Prather, U of D; Ernie Wagner, Northeastern; Jerry Philip, Northern; Walter “Pinky” Thompson, Central; Coach Frank “Ace” Cudillo, Cass Tech
Second Team
Charles Bailey, Miller; Arnold Kelley, Northeastern; Ralph Totten, Cass Tech; Fred Ditzhazy, Northeastern; Belvin Bailey, Northern
Third Team
Joe Altobelli, Eastern; Walt Godfrey, Cass Tech; Werner Killen, Central; Bobby Maynes, Mackenzie; Gerald Hutchins, Miller
Honorable Mention
Ted Grelock, Chadsey; Jim McDonald, Central; Ruben Stempanian, Cooley; Don Hasse, Mackenzie; Dick Davis, Redford; Ray Cameron, Southeastern; John Epps, Southwestern; Mike Mercado, Western; Bill Homer, U of D; George “Swinging Gate” Gatewood, Cass Tech.