|
|
November
1947 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Jim Price announces that he will own the
Birmingham franchise in the new Southern
Professional Basketball League. The team will be
named the Birmingham Vulcans.
The season is to begin later this month and the Vulcans will
play their games at the Municipal Auditorium and the National
Guard Armory.
Price also names Wheeler Flemming as player-coach. Kevin
Connors, first baseman for the Mobile Bears baseball club, was to
be the coach but he could not secure a release from the Boston
Celtics.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
1947-48 Southern Professional
Basketball League |
|
| |
Birmingham
Vulcans |
|
| |
Gadsden
Whiz Kids (moved during season to became the
Bessemer Whiz Kids) |
|
| |
Jackson
Senators |
|
| |
Memphis
Legionnaires |
|
| |
Montgomery
Rebels |
|
| |
Nashville
Vols |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
December
1947 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Manuel Dorsky and Abe Epsman quit
the Vulcans after the game against the Gadsden Whiz Kids. The two players
are some of the better players in the league. Dorsky said they had not been
paid for the game they played in the month of November.
Dorsky said they quit because team owner Jim Price "held out on the
paycheck" and they weren't the only dissatisfied players on the team.
"There are more than us not satisfied. Some other players are going to
quit before this thing is settled," Dorsky said.
Price issued a statement saying, "I have released Manuel Dorsky for
the good of the club. I haven't released Abe Epsman yet, but it looks like
it's coming. They have caused dissention on the club by criticizing the
players when on the bench. The reason they did not get paid for the game in
November was that it would cause extra bookkeeping at the end of the year.
We close our season February 29, so we brought the November game over to the
December records. All players have been paid in full."
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
After losing to the Montgomery Rebels by one
point (69-68), Price protests the outcome of the
game with the league. At the end of the game a
Rebel player was given an extra free throw due
to an inadvertent whistle from the scorer's
table. The league agrees and decrees the game
will be replayed at a later date. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
League commissioner Raymond Johnson announces
that the winless Gadsden club has been relocated
to Bessemer and will be known as the
Bessemer Whiz Kids.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
January
1948 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
The Southern Professional Basketball League
announces the Memphis Legionnaires franchise
will move to Mobile and become the Mobile Bears.
Games will be played in Mobile's Recreation
Center. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Player-coach Wheeler Flemming resigns due to "constant changes in personnel which made it
impossible to form a winning combination." General manager Jim Price
responds by saying, "We are parting on the best of terms. I'm already lining
up his successor and I'm keeping the wires hot looking for new players.
Anybody who can strengthen our team, I'll sign." |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Price announces the Vulcans have a new coach.
Cherry Foster, one of Howard College's all-time
basketball greats, will take over the team.
Foster graduated from Howard in 1931. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
February
1948 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Price announces that Vulcans head coach Cherry
Foster is leaving the team to attend to his
construction business in South Alabama. Price
says he will coach the team until a replacement
is found. |
|
|
|
March
1948 |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
League commissioner Raymond Johnson announces
that Birmingham, Montgomery and Nashville will
form the playoff teams after Jackson withdraws
due to injuries to three of their players. The
three teams will play one another until one team
has lost three games. The remaining two teams
will play a best three out of five series for
the championship. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
It is reported that all the former Vulcans
players are considering suing team owner Jim
Price for salaries they have not received for
weeks. Price agrees the players are due some
remaining payments but not to the extent they
contend. Price says the teams has enough money
deposited with the league to pay the players
what he believes they are due. |
|
| |
|
|
|
|