The Allentown Jets were a minor league basketball team that played in the Eastern Professional Basketball League (later the Eastern Basketball Association and Continental Basketball Association) from 1958 to 1981. The team was one of the most successful franchises in CBA/Eastern League history, winning eight playoff championships and 12 division titles.
Originally formed in 1957 as the Wilmington Jets, the team relocated in 1958 to Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Among the Jets' top players were center Roman "Big Daddy" Turmon, Ray Scott NBA player and coach, scorer-rebounder Harthorne Wingo and 3-point specialist Brendan McCann. The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame inducted Richard Koffenberger, who played for the team in Wilmington. The Jets had a working agreement with the New York Knicks, who sent several players to Allentown for playing time. Scott was the fourth player picked in the US in the 1961 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons, the Jets PR maestro, Johnny Kimock navigated this successful transition making the Jets one of the elite EBL teams. In 1964, the Jets played an interleague contest with the Grand Rapids Tackers of the Midwest Professional Basketball League. The Jets won 138–136, winning the only minor league "World Series of Basketball" interpromotional game ever held.
The Scranton Miners, known as the Scranton Apollos from 1970 to 1977, were a professional basketball team based in Scranton, Pennsylvania that was a member of the American Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association. Arthur Pachter was the owner and coach for many years.
The team was previously known as the Jersey City Atoms before moving to Scranton in 1946. They played in the ABL until 1953. After a two-year hiatus, they were resurrected in the middle of the 1954-55 season in the Eastern Professional Basketball League as a replacement for the Carbondale Celtics. For many years the team was owned by local businessman, Art Pachter, and played games at the Scranton CYC building. During its brief existence the team won two championships, led by Syracuse University alum Jim Boeheim (who later became its head coach). They were renamed the Scranton Apollos in 1970, and folded in 1977.
In June 1963, Scranton Miners owner Arthur Pachter announced the team had signed Paul Seymour to a one-year contract as head coach. The details of the contract were not disclosed, but Pachter told the Associated Press, "[it is] unquestionably the highest ever paid to a coach in the Eastern Basketball Association." Scranton hosted the 1969 Eastern Basketball Association (EBA) All-Star Game. The league also held the 1971 EBA All-Star Game on February 17 in Scranton at the Scranton CYC Building.
Offered is a very rare Allentown Jets vs. Scranton Miners program from December 7, 1963.
Allentown, would overtake their visiting team 110-104. Disgraced, former Kentucky basketball star, Bill Spivey was a part of the Scranton losing effort in front of 2500 fans in Rockne Hall. Walt Simon (who would later play in the ABA from 1967-74 for the Nets and Kentucky Colonels) led the game with 36 points for Allentown. Other former or future NBA players that played in the game included: Andy Johnson, Boo Ellis, as well as Roman Turmon (who was a teammate of Wilt Chamberlain on the Harlem Globetrotters).
Great program with interesting bios, unscored, all pages intact, no rips, tears, foxing/age wear to the cover.
Item: 13505
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