{"product_id":"boxed-out-of-the-nba-remembering-the-eastern-professional-basketball-league-9781538184240","title":"Boxed out of the NBA: Remembering the Eastern Professional Basketball League","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cblockquote\u003eThe Eastern Professional Basketball League (1946-78) was a fast and physical league featuring top players who couldn't make the NBA due to unofficial quotas, scandals, or lack of talent. It was home to big-name players and top Black players, and was the next-best professional league in the world after the NBA. Boxed out of the NBA: Remembering the Eastern Professional Basketball League tells the fascinating story of this league through interviews with former coaches, referees, fans, and players. \u003c\/blockquote\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFormat\u003c\/strong\u003e: Paperback \/ softback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength\u003c\/strong\u003e: 240 pages\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublication date\u003c\/strong\u003e: 13 September 2023\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher\u003c\/strong\u003e: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Eastern Professional Basketball League (1946-78) was a fast-paced and physical league that played in tiny, smoke-filled gyms across the northeast, featuring the best players who just couldn't make it to the NBA. Many of these players were excluded due to unofficial quotas on Black players, scandals, or simply not being good enough in the years when the NBA had less than 100 players. In Boxed Out of the NBA: Remembering the Eastern Professional Basketball League, Syl Sobel and Jay Rosenstein tell the fascinating story of this league, which was a pro basketball institution for over 30 years. During the early years of professional basketball, the Eastern League was the next-best professional league in the world after the NBA. It was home to big-name players such as Sherman White, Jack Molinas, and Bill Spivey, who were implicated in college gambling scandals in the 1950s and were barred from the NBA. Top Black players such as Hal \"King\" Lear, Julius McCoy, and Wally Choice were also excluded due to unwritten team quotas on African-American players. Featuring interviews with some 40 former Eastern League coaches, referees, fans, and players, this book provides an intimate, first-hand account of small-town professional basketball at its best.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOne of the key players in the Eastern League was Sherman White, a 6'4\" guard from Syracuse University who was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1946. White was a talented player who led the Celtics to the NBA championship in 1948, but he was also involved in a college gambling scandal that led to his suspension from the NBA. Despite his suspension, White continued to play in the Eastern League, and he was one of the league's top scorers for several years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnother notable player in the Eastern League was Jack Molinas, a 6'7\" forward from Temple University who was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1947. Molinas was a versatile player who could play both inside and outside, and he was a key member of the 76ers' championship team in 1950. However, Molinas was also implicated in a college gambling scandal in the 1950s, and he was banned from the NBA for life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBill Spivey was another Eastern League player who was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1946. Spivey was a 6'5\" guard who was known for his shooting ability and his ability to drive to the basket. He was a key member of the Celtics' championship team in 1948, and he was also a member of the 76ers' championship team in 1950. However, Spivey was also implicated in a college gambling scandal in the 1950s, and he was banned from the NBA for life.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTop Black players such as Hal \"King\" Lear, Julius McCoy, and Wally Choice were also excluded from the NBA due to unwritten team quotas on African-American players. Lear was a 6'5\" guard from Syracuse University who was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1946. He was a talented player who led the Celtics to the NBA championship in 1948, but he was also involved in a college gambling scandal that led to his suspension from the NBA. McCoy was a 6'7\" forward from Temple University who was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1947. He was a versatile player who could play both inside and outside, and he was a key member of the 76ers' championship team in 1950. Choice was a 6'4\" guard from Syracuse University who was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1946. He was a talented player who led the Celtics to the NBA championship in 1948, but he was also involved in a college gambling scandal that led to his suspension from the NBA.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDespite the challenges that the Eastern League faced, it remained a popular and successful league for many years. The league was known for its fast-paced and physical style of play, and it featured some of the best players in the world. The league also had a strong sense of community, and many of its players and coaches remained in the area for many years after their playing careers ended.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn conclusion, the Eastern Professional Basketball League was a fast-paced and physical league that played in tiny, smoke-filled gyms across the northeast, featuring the best players who just couldn't make it to the NBA. Despite the challenges that the league faced, it remained a popular and successful league for many years, and it featured some of the best players in the world. The league's history is a fascinating story that is worth exploring, and this book provides an intimate, first-hand account of small-town professional basketball at its best.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWeight\u003c\/strong\u003e: 367g\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDimension\u003c\/strong\u003e: 224 x 153 x 18 (mm)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/strong\u003e: 9781538184240\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Syl Sobel,Jay Rosenstein","offers":[{"title":"Paperback \/ softback","offer_id":47481992806650,"sku":"9781538184240","price":16.95,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0522\/4297\/2845\/files\/1751644493037_book.jpg?v=1751753388","url":"https:\/\/shulphink.com\/products\/boxed-out-of-the-nba-remembering-the-eastern-professional-basketball-league-9781538184240","provider":"Shulph Ink","version":"1.0","type":"link"}