History

According to the “Official History” of  the National Wheelchair Basketball Association,

Wheelchair Basketball was first played by disabled World War Two Veterans in several “V.A. Hospitals” across the United States.  Two of the earliest recorded games (1945-46) were held between the Birmingham Ca. VA against the Corona Navy Hospital in Southern California. The other was held in an “inter-ward game” at the Cardinal Cushing V.A. in Boston Ma.

It was through the efforts of the California Flying Wheels & The New England Clippers that wheelchair basketball developed in other area’s of the country.

Shortly after these early competitions, several teams from NYC area VA centers joined the mix.  The first team in our area came out of the St. Albans Navy Hospital in Queens. Other teams developed at the Bronx VA & The Halloran Army Hospital in Staten Island N.Y.

In 1947, the first non VA affiliated team was formed.  That team was the Brooklyn Whirlaways. The squad was mostly made up of disabled students from New Utrecht High School in Brooklyn. They played their early games against the local  VA Team’s.

Soon after the NJ Wheelers were formed after several players were discharged from the various local VA Hospitals.  The Bulova Watch Company also sponsored a team that competed from the Joseph Bulova School of Watch making in Woodside Queens. The school was the first of it’s kind to offer disabled veterans training and employment in watch-making & watch repair. This unique program was directed by NWBA Hall of Fame member Benjamin Lipton.

As more disabled veterans returned to their homes after being discharged from military service the need to organize new teams was key. Wheelchair Basketball was beginning to grow as more & more “home town or civilian teams” were formed.  It was during the Spring of 1949, Prof. Timothy J. Nugent of  The University of  Illinois held the 1^st National Wheelchair Basketball Tournament.

It was at this event that the NWBA (National Wheelchair Basketball Association) was chartered. The “PVA League” which had been opened to disabled veterans only, now had competition!

It wasn’t soon there-after when most of the V.A. Team’s joined up with the newly organized NWBA. The New York City area was no exception. By 1951 The Brooklyn Whirlaways,  NJ Wheelers, Bulova Watchmakers & New England Clippers were the first “Eastern Teams” to participate at the 3^rd National Tournament   The overall winner, St.Louis Rolling Rams were “crowned NWBA Champions” 

More teams were forming & Prof. Nugent and the NWBA Executive Committee saw the need to establish “Conference’s” around the country to geographically organize these new teams. In “1953” The Eastern Wheelchair Basketball Association” was formed.  This was the original name of our Conference as we know it today.  The founding teams were:

The Bronx Rollers / Brooklyn Whirlaways / NJ Wheelers / Bulova Watchmakers / NY Spokesmen / The Queens Chairoteers                                                                                                                                  

The “Association” was headed by NWBA Hall of Famer, Harry Schweikert. Mr. Schweikert was also the President of the Paralyzed Veterans of America & also served as President of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association. He developed the first “Constitution & By-Laws of Play” for the EWBC.

Along with Mr. Schweikert, Vince Wagner of the N.J. Wheelers was the first Vice President & Treasurer of the EWBC.

Soon after it’s formation, The New England Clippers of Boston Ma. were admitted. The Whirlaways, Wheelers, & Watchmakers & Clippers participated in several of the “original NWBT’s.” They fielded a bevy of “all-stars” that included Saul Welger, Pete Acca & Percy Mabee from Brooklyn & Jack Gherhardt  & Don Angelora of New Jersey.

In addtion to conference play, these two rivals met in the NWBA Championship Game in 1954.

In 1955 a new power house team entered the conference. They were the Pan Am Jets. Comprised of several former Brooklyn players who were employed by Pan Am Airways, the “Jets” set the standard for the Conference for several years to come.  They were the first team to travel to the fore-runner of the Paralympic Games which were called the “Stoke-Mandeville Games” and were held in Great Britain.  They were NWBA Champions in 1956 & again in 1959.  In addition to 2 Championships they had several  2^nd place finishes in the National Tournament.

Several of their players were selected to play at the 1^st Paralympic Games in Rome Italy in 1960, they included, Saul Welger, Percy Mabee & Peter Acca.

They were coached by the legendary Junius Kellogg, who made headlines in the early 50’s for bringing the NCAA game fixing scandals to a head. Junius was “recruited” by Jets Team Captain Saul Welger.

Mr. Kellogg was also the Gold Medal Team Coach at the 1964 Paralympics in Japan. He later coached the Whirlaways to several Conference Championships.

The late 50’s –early 60’s saw the admission of several new teams in the Conference.

They were the Richmond Chairoteers (later called Richmond Va. Rebels) EPVA Rollers (L.I.) and Philadelphia Paranauts.  Upon the termination of the Bronx Rollers & the Jets, the Whirlaways were now the power house of the day.  Having won many Eastern Conference Championships, they qualified for 17 of the first 25 National Tournaments. 

The 70’s saw more changes in structure within the NWBA.  12 new conferences were formed & NWBA membership grew. New EWBC Teams were admitted, they included the Connecticut Spokebenders, Montco Marching Wheels (PA,)  Bordentown Elks,(NJ) Rhode Island Road Runners & the Brockton Mustangs (Ma). “Regionalization” for play-offs was passed by the NWBA Executive Committee & the NWBA delegate body in 1971.

The format of having the first place team in every conference compete at the NWBT was history!

As in NCAA playoff structure both Sectional & Regional Playoffs were held to determine who would go to the National Finals which was now called the ” NWBA Final 4”………………

The Whirlaways were the first EWBC Team to qualify for newly formatted structure of the NWBA.

Due to the regionalization the Mustangs, NJ Wheelers, Spokebenders & Road Runners became part of the No.East Conference, The Philadelphia Paranauts and the Marching Wheels & Bordentown Elks to  the Mid-Atlantic Conference & Richmond members of the Capitol Conference.  Three new conferences emerged from the Eastern Conference and continue to operate today.

The EWBC has a fine tradition in producing some of the best players the game has ever seen.  Proof of that tradition can be found by the amount of players and coaches that are members of the  NWBA Hall of Fame.  The conference has been most fortunate to have had such leadership starting with Harry Schweikert, Ben Lipton and  Bernie Hengber.  We also had the 1^st Officials Association under the direction of Joe Klauser who trained our early officials, several who are members of the NWBA Hall of Fame.

2003 will mark the “50^th Anniversary” of the EWBC.  The current team’s that make up our conference are, 

The Bronx Renegades, EPVA Nets, Long Island Express, Nassau Kings & the N.Y Rolling Knicks.

Each of these team’s play with the pride & the integrity of our original members & help keep the spirit of the EWBC flourishing.  The members of the EWBC would like to “thank” those original team’s and their members who, through their dedication & determination  made it possible for our game to be as competitive & exciting as it is today.

Special Thanks - Saul Welger HOF 1976 - for helping us with the early history of the EWBC

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