| McANDREW AFB BASKETBALL TEAM 1952 |
| Can anybody out there in cyber land identify these players? After 50 years the only two I can identify are No.24, Jerome Young and myself No.11. |
| Since I posted this photograph, I found a copy of orders cut in my file for transporting the McAndrew basketball team to Harmon AFB for a basketball tournament, dated Jan.8, 1953. They were: Hq. 6610th AB Gp A/IC Gilbert A. Brindley A/IC O'Neil M. DeJohn A/2C Edward J. Lazzeroni [ Mar.13, 2005. Lazzeroni sent me an email saying he was No. 13.] 6610th AB Sq A/2C Rex Zirkle 6610th M&S Sq A/2C Hansel C. Burton A/2C Jerry J. Driscoll If anyone out there can relate these names to the photo above e-mail me at: scharnweber@core.com. |
| When I think back on coach Hatch, we were in a play off tournament over at Argentia with other base teams from the area, Pepperrell, Harmon and others. I don't remember who we played in that first round but it was a close game and we lost. When I looked at coach Hatch I noticed he had tears in his eyes, he wanted to win that game!!! I believe the winner of that tournament went on to play somewhere else but I don't remember where. When I passed this remembrance on to Nick this was what he emailed back to me: "Yes I certainly remember that last game at the navy base. Our team lost to Iceland which featured a guy by the name of Jim Louici [Spelling?] who in 1954 played in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls! Don't know if you remember, but we did beat Pepperrell the game before. There was also a guy from the army who played with us [group at McAndrew} played guard. Not sure, but I think his name was Hickey. He was very good. For the heck of it, the game we lost to Iceland, McAndrew [us] was ahead by 1 point with 2 seconds to go. They put the ball in at MID-COURT & so help me, to this day I don't know how they passed the ball into mid-court-took three dribbles & shot before time ran out! They did score & we lost by one point. Ha-still complaining after 50 years." |
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| April 28,2007. Received an email from Nick Lalinga, quote: "I remember your face, but not the name! Sorry, its been many years, & memory going south." He ID the following: #22 is O'Neil DeJohn #15 [Only his nickname - from Air Police] "Goose" #23 Nick Lalinga A/2C from 920th AC&W Sq. Between #23 & 11 coach M/SGT Hatcher Assistant coach Capt Devereau kneeling front right with basketball. |
