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EWBC BIO
Eastern
Wheelchair Basketball Conference
Since 1953, the Eastern
Wheelchair Basketball Conference (EWBC) has dedicated it’s efforts in
increasing opportunities for individuals with disabilities in the Greater New
York/New Jersey Metro Area enjoy the great sport of wheelchair basketball.
Considered one of the
founding organizations that eventually made up the national governing body of
the sport that is known as the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA),
the EWBC joins 14 other conferences and is comprised of five competitive teams
that host weekly games and practices throughout the season.
For more information
about the Eastern Wheelchair Basketball Conference or any of its teams contact
the EWBC at raewbc@aol.com
Eastern
Conference
NWBA Hall of Fame Members
In
1973, at the 25th NWBA Tournament – then Commissioner and founder
of the NWBA Timothy Nugent announced the formation of the NWBA Hall of Fame.
Although the “Hall” did not officially have a home base until 1989,
each year at the conclusion of the NWBT competitors & non-competitors were
honored by induction into this selected membership.
In
1989 after ongoing negotiations with the James Naismith Basketball
Museum
& Hall of Fame, the NWBA Hall of Fame members were admitted and a display
was established honoring our members who had recognized by their peers for their
accomplishments in the NWBA.
Since
the Eastern Wheelchair Basketball Conference was the “1st
Conference” in the NWBA, it’s membership included team’s from Boston Ma.
to Richmond Va. Many of the early
pioneers in the sport were at one
time
or another EWBC Members. We are
proud of this heritage and the
honor
bestowed on them through their membership in the NWBA Hall of
Fame.
Below
represents a listing of those members and their accomplishments
in
the National Wheelchair Basketball Association…
Jack Gerhardt…
Early member of “PVA” and the NWBA.
Member of the 1954 NWBA Champion “New Jersey Wheelers” Selected to
NWBT All-Tourney Team three times. Featured
on cover and in lead Story of Newsweek Magazine in 1951 which promoted Wheelchair
Basketball for World War Two Veterans. Also played in early PVA Basketball League from 1947-1951
Inducted – 1973
Alonzo Wilkens…
Team Captain of the Bulova Watchmakers.
Long time officer of the
EWBC. Competed in five NWBT’s, including 2nd place
finish in 1960. Selected for ten Stoke Mandeville Competitions. Competed in early NWAA Track & Field events.
Inducted - 1973
Benjamin Lipton…
Original Director of the Joseph Bulova School
of Watchmaking (Woodside NY) Team Manager of the “Bulova Watchmakers”
one of the first team’s in the EWBC.
Founder of the National Wheelchair Athletic Association & 1st Technical Advisor of
the EWBC. Helped pioneer
International Competitions in basketball.
Inducted – 1974
Henry Clay…
Original member of the “Richmond Chairoteers”
(Richmond Va.) Selected to NWBT All-Tourney Team five times.
Competed in Twelve National Tournaments. One
time holder of NWBT scoring record set in 1962. Eastern Conference All-Star.
Inducted – 1974
Carl Cash…
Team leader of the “Richmond Chairoteers”
(Richmond Va.) Competed in twelve National Tournaments and selected to the
NWBT All-Tourney Team six times. Member of the U.S.A. Paralympic Basketball Team –1960 Rome Italy & 1964 Tokyo Japan.
Winner of the Captain James Ure Sportsmanship Award in 1962. Served on the NWBA Executive Committee.
Inducted – 1975
Julius “Julie” Jiacoppo…
Team leader of the Pan Am Jets.
Member of Jets Team that captured NWBA Championship in 1956 & 1959. Competed in twelve
National Tournaments. Selected to NWBT All-Tourney Team 11 times while playing for the Jets & the New Jersey Wheelers and the Brooklyn
Whirlaways. Competed on the first U.S.A.
Team at the Stoke Mandeville Games in the United Kingdom in 1955.
Inducted – 1976
Saul Welger…
Original member of the 1947 “Brooklyn
Whirlaways,” Charter Team of the
EWBC. Also member of the Pan Am Jets Championship team
1956 & 1959. Selected to
the NWBT All-Tourney Team nine times. Competed on the first U.S.A. Team at the Stoke Mandeville Games
in the United Kingdom in 1955. Member
of the U.S.A. Paralympic Basketball Team – 1960 Rome Italy & 1964 Tokyo Japan.
Served on NWBA Executive Committee as Vice President and Treasurer. Past Chairman of the NWBA Hall of Fame Committee.
Inducted – 1976
Daniel “Danny” DeDeo…
One of the NWBA’s first certified officials.
Officiated in the EWBC from 1952-1966. Also
officiated in Southern California. Member of the NWBA Rules Committee from 19591998. Officiated in ten National Tournaments.
Inducted – 1976
Al Slootsky…
Original member of the “New Jersey
Wheelers” Charter Team of the
EWBC. Member of 1954 NWBA Championship NJ Wheeler Team. Selected to NWBT
All-Tourney Team four times. Co-Founder of the New Jersey Special Olympics for disabled children.
Inducted – 1977
Harry A.
Schweikert Jr….
Influential force of the development of
Wheelchair Basketball in the PVA League & NWBA.
Member of the 1949 PVA Championship Bronx Rollers Team. Served as President of the
NWBA & was the first President of the EWBC. Also served as President of PVA. Wrote for the original Paraplegic News, the
official magazine of PVA. Noted
for writing the History of the NWBA, which has appeared in every NWBT Journal since the
early 1960’s.
Inducted - 1978
Charles “Charlie” Tardalo…
Played for the New York Spokesmen & the
Brooklyn Whirlaways. Competed in ‘16’ NWBT’s. Selected to NWBT All-Tourney Team
two times. Voted to EWBC All-Star Team twenty times. Coached the Brooklyn Whirlaways in two NWBA Final 4
Tournaments.
Inducted – 1979
Danny Vaccaro…
Star member of the Brooklyn Whirlaways.
Competed in fourteen NWBT’s. Selected NWBT All-Tourney Team
eight times. Voted to EWBC All-Star Team fifteen times. EWBC MVP five times. Also played for Pan-Am Jets, 1955.
Inducted – 1979
Bernie Hengber…
Head Coach, Manager & administrator of the
Brooklyn Whirlaways from 1954 to 1991. Coached /
Managed the Whirlaways in eighteen NWBT appearances. Served
on numerous NWBA Committees, EWBC Conference Commissioner.
Assisted in the formation of 5 teams in the EWBC.
Inducted – 1979
Edward “Ted” McClean…
Long time official in the EWBC. Started
officiating in 1954. Member of NWBA Rules Committee 1958-2001. Officiated
in twelve NWBT’s. Member of NWAA Hall of Fame
Inducted – 1980
Peter Acca…
Original member of the 1947 Brooklyn Whirlaway
Team. Also organized the Pan-American Jets in 1955. Member of
Jet’s NWBA Championship Team in 1956 & 1959.
Selected to NWBA All-Tourney Team two times. Member of 1960 USA Paralympic Basketball Team Rome Italy & member of
USA Team at the Stoke Mandeville Games in the U.K. in 1955.
Inducted - 1981
Percy Mabee…
Member of the Brooklyn Whirlaways 1948-1954
& 1964-1975. Played for the Pan Am Jets 1955-1963. Member of Pan Am Jets
NWBA Championship Team 1956 & 1959.
Selected to NWBA All-Tourney Team seven times. Member
of 1960 USA Paralympic Team, Rome Italy. Competed in first Stoke Mandeville Games, 1955.
Inducted – 1981
Junius Kellogg…
Former Manhattan College & Harlem
Globetrotter star. Noted for exposing point shaving scandal in NCAA in early 1950’s.
Coached Pan Am Jets 1957-1964. Head
Coach of 1959 Pan Am Jets, NWBA Championship Team. Coached
USA Stoke Mandeville Team’s 1957-58-59-61. Also
Coached 1964 USA Paralympic Team, Tokyo Japan. Head Coach Brooklyn Whirlaways 1974-1978.
Served as Vice President of the NWBA Executive Committee.
Inducted – 1981
Al Youakim…
Early pioneer, coach / organizer of wheelchair
basketball in the EWBC. Helped develop one of
the 1st team’s in the NY area at St.Albans Naval Hospital in 1946. Organized and managed the
New Jersey Wheelers, Charter member of the EWBC in 1947. Manager of the 1954 NWBA Championship “NJ Wheelers Team.”
Coached in eighteen Stoke Mandeville Competitions & member
Of the NWAA Hall of Fame.
Inducted – 1983
John “Jack”Graff…
Played for NY Spokesmen and Brooklyn
Whirlaways of the EWBC. Member of Whirlaways team that competed in 1st
NWBA Final 4. Selected to NWBA All-Tourney Team one time & was noted as the top defensive player in the
NWBA.
EWBC All-Star over thirty five years. EWBC
MVP three times.
Organized the Nassau Kings in 1989.
Inducted
- 1984
Seymour “Sy” Bloom…
Long time Head Coach of the Bulova
Watchmakers. EWBC Charter Member. Head
Coach of Watchmaker Team’s that appeared in five NWBT’s. Served on
Pan American Federation Technical Committee 1975-1985. Chairman of the Stoke Mandeville Federation Technical
Committee 1978-1893. Driving force in International competitions of basketball and other wheelchair sports.
Member of NWAA Hall of Fame.
Inducted – 1986
John Noisette…
Head Coach for
EWBC Philadelphia Paranauts & Bordentown Elks. Coached Bordentown to
two Final Four NWBT’s In 1976 & 1977. Organized
& was Head Coach for the Temple University Rolling Owls. Served
as first Commissioner of the Mid-Atlantic Conference 1972-1977.
Inducted – 1988
William “Billy”Kennedy…
Early Class 1 player, noted to be the
‘smallest’ man to ever Play in the
NWBA. Member of
several EWBC Team’s including the Queens Chairoteers – Bulova Watchmakers – Brooklyn Whirlaways
& Pan Am Jets. Selected to NWBT All-Tourney Team three times. Was Head Coach of the Hofstra Rollng Dutchmen & Brooklyn
Whirlaways.
Inducted – 1990
William ‘Bill’ Dombroski…
Organized the New Haven Spokebenders (Ct.) of
the EWBC & North East Conference. Was
team member 1965-1984. Served as Treasurer on the NWBA Executive Committee.
Managed the Spokebenders from 1984-1995.
Inducted - 1993
Armand ‘Tip’ Thiboutot…
Played for The New England Clippers & The
Brockton Mustangs Of the Eastern & N.E. Conference’s.
Served as VP & President Of the N.E. Conference. Was
1st Vice President of the NWBA Executive Committee from 1983-1997.
Long time member of The NWBA & IWBF Classification Committee.
Also supervised The IWBF Official’s Committee & was Head Coach of the
1988 U.S.A. Paralympic Team in Seoul Korea.
Inducted – 1993
Pat Killeen…
Long time member of the EWBC Richmond (Va)
Chairoteers, Rebels & Rim-Riders. Also
played for the Bulova Watchmakers and Brooklyn Whirlaways. Competed
in 12 NWBT’s & was selected to NWBA All-Tourney Team six times. Winner
of the Captain James Ure Sportsmanship Award in 1961.
Inducted – 1994
Ariel Roman…
Star player of the Brooklyn Whirlaways.
Competed in six NWBT’s
inlcuding 2 “Final Four Tourneys”
Selected to NWBA All-Tourney Team four times. Member of USA Paralympic Team 1972
Heidelburg Germany. Member
of five Stoke Mandeville Team’s & 1979 Gold Cup Championship Team. Also helped organize the
NJ Blue Devils of the Mid-Atlantic Conference.
Member of the NWAA Hall of Fame.
Inducted – 1996
Anthony ‘Tony’ Mucci…
Original member of the Brooklyn Whirlaways
& Pan Am Jets. Member of the 1956 & 1959 NWBA Champion Jet’s Team.
Competed in the first Stoke Mandeville Games in 1955.
Team Member of the 1960 U.S.A. Paralympic Team
Rome-Italy. Selected to the NWBA All-Tourney Team two times.
Held foul shooting record for best shooting percentage in the 1959 NWBT.
Inducted – 2000
Played
for the Brooklyn Whirlawavs, N.J. Wheelers & Long Island Express of the EWBC.
Served as EWBC Treasurer, VP – President And
Conference Commissioner. Member of
National Wheelchair Basketball
Association Executive Committee as Vice President. Assisted
in the development of the NWBA Web-Site. Served
on Board of Directors of U.S.A. Basketball and was Co-Chair on the USAB
Committee for the Disabled.
Inducted
-2002
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