Joseph R. Brennan (November 15, 1900 – May 10, 1989) was an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player. He is mostly known for his time with the Brooklyn Visitations, which he joined in 1919 and led to three ABL championships (1929, 1931 and 1935). After his playing career, he coached St. Francis College in Brooklyn for 7 seasons from 1941–1948. He was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1975.

Biography

Joseph R. Brennan was born in Brooklyn on November 15, 1900. He attended High School at St. Augustine Academy and played basketball there for four years. When he graduated in 1919, he went directly to a professional basketball team: the all-Irish Brooklyn Visitations. At the time it was prevalent for players to compete on several teams in different leagues during the same season. As such, during Brennan's 19-year career he also played for Troy, New York of the New York State League, Holyoke, Massachusetts of the Massachusetts League, Philadelphia and

Wilkes-Barre Wilkes-Barre ( or ) is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Luzerne County. Located at the center of the Wyoming Valley in Northeastern Pennsylvania, it had a population of 44,328 in the 2020 census. It is the s ...

both of the Eastern League, and for the Brooklyn Jewels, the Brooklyn Whirlwinds and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Brooklyn Visitations began in the Metropolitan League but later moved to the ABL. With the Visitations, Brennan won three ABL championships. In 1936 he retired from professional basketball and began a college basketball coaching career with St. Francis College. It is also worth noting that Brennan during the 1920s and up until 1961 was an employee at

Emigrant Savings Bank Emigrant Bank (formerly Emigrant Savings Bank) is a private American financial institution. It is the oldest savings bank in New York City and it was the ninth-largest privately owned bank in America in 2012, with assets of $8.1 billion. As of June ...

. This at times prevented him from playing in road games when he was an active basketball player during the 1920s and 30s. In 1961, when Brennan left Emigrant Savings Bank he was the vice-president and went on the become the president of Atlantic Savings and Loans Association of Brooklyn. He held that post until 1968 when he retired. Seven years later he was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

St. Francis College

During Brennan's seven seasons the Terriers, playing in the Metropolitan New York Conference or as Independents, had a 90–46 record. Brennan has the highest win percentage as a head coach in Terrier basketball history at 66.2%.

Head coaching record

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Brennan, Joseph 1900 births 1989 deaths American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from New York (state) Basketball players from New York City Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Sportspeople from Brooklyn St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers men's basketball coaches Guards (basketball) American Basketball League (1925–1955) players