The Midwest Professional Basketball League was a professional

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

basketball league. The six–team league existed for three seasons, playing from

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 ...

–

1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. * January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism. * January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wors ...

through

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cov ...

–

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...

until the league folded after the 1964 season.

History and Franchises

The league was composed of six teams per season. The charter members of the Midwest Professional Basketball League in 1961–1962 were the Battle Creek Warriors, Dayton Little Mickeys, East Chicago Bombers, Gary Whips, Terre Haute All–Stars and Toledo Twisters. The Gary Whips had the best league record at 9–4. In 1962–1963, Battle Creek and Terre Haute did not return to Midwest Professional Basketball League play and were replaced by Holland and Grand Rapids franchises. The second season teams were the Chicago Bombers, Dayton Mickeys, Grand Rapids Tackers, Gary Whips, Holland Oilers and Toledo Tartans. The Holland Oilers defeated Toledo for the MPBL Championship. In 1963–1964, the Midwest Professional Basketball League began the season with five teams and dropped to four, with the season divided into halves. Gary folded after the first half. The five teams to begin the season were the Battle Creek Warriors, Chicago Bombers, Gary Steelers, Grand Rapids Tackers and Holland Oilers. Grand Rapids won both halves and played the

Allentown Jets 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 succ ...

of the

Eastern Professional Basketball League The Continental Basketball Association (CBA) (originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association) was a men's professional basketball mi ...

in a post season championship. Allentown won the game by the score of 128–126.

League Notes

The 1963–1964 Most Valuable Player was Nick Mantis of Grand Rapids. The 1962–1963 First Team: Charlie North, Grand Rapids; Willie Merriweather, Holland; M.C. Burton, Toledo; George Knighton, Dayton; Floyd Campbell, Gary. The 1963–1964 First Team: Nick Mantis, Grand Rapids;

Ed Burton Edward Burton (August 13, 1939 – May 28, 2012) was an American basketball player from Muskegon Heights, Michigan. In 2016, he was voted the best high school basketball player to come out of Muskegon County. He played collegiately for Michiga ...

, Holland; Willie Lee Bond, Chicago; M.C. Burton, Grand Rapids; Willie Merriweather, Holland.

Reggie Harding Reginald Hezeriah Harding (May 4, 1942 – September 2, 1972) was an American professional basketball player. He starred while playing at Eastern High School in his hometown of Detroit, Michigan, and entered the 1962 NBA draft without playing coll ...

, the first high school player ever drafted by the NBA played for Holland. Holland was owned and coached by Gene Schrotenboer and played at the

Holland Civic Center The Holland Civic Center Place is a 2,000-seat multi-purpose arena, event center located in Holland, Michigan, Holland, Michigan, United States. It hosts local sporting events, recreation programming, public expos and concerts/live entertainment. ...

Notable alumni

* Joe Buckhalter, Dayton * M. C. Burton Jr., Toledo *

, Howell * Johnny Cox, Holland, Battle Creek * Jimmy Darrow, Holland *

Don Goldstein Donald Goldstein (1937 – May 27, 2022), known as "Red", was an American college All-American and Pan American Games champion basketball player. Early life Goldstein was Jewish. His mother died when he was four. He grew up poor, in the Brook ...

. Terra Haute *

Chuck Grigsby Charles L. Grigsby (August 15, 1928 – July 15, 2003) was an American professional basketball player.

, Dayton *

, Holland *

Ron Kramer Ronald John Kramer (June 24, 1935 – September 11, 2010) was a multi-sport college athlete and professional American football player. Kramer attended the University of Michigan from 1953 to 1957, winning a total of nine varsity letters in fo ...

, Battle Creek, Toledo * Nick Mantis, Grand Rapids * Porter Meriwether, Chicago * John Tidwell, Battle Creek * Pete Tillotson, Holland * Dave Zeller, Dayton

Midwest Professional Basketball League Franchises (1961–1964)

Battle Creek Warriors 1961–62, 1963–64 East Chicago Bombers 1961–62,
Chicago Bombers 1962-63 to 1963-64 Dayton Little Mickeys 1961–62,
Dayton Mickeys 1962–63 Gary Steelers 1963–64,
Gary Whips 1961–62 to 1962–63 Grand Rapids Tackers 1962–63 to 1963–64 Holland Oilers 1962–63 to 1963–64 Terre Haute All-Stars 1961–62 Toledo Twisters 1961–62,
Toledo Tartans 1962–63

References

{{reflist Defunct basketball leagues in the United States Sports leagues established in 1961 Sports leagues disestablished in 1964 1961 establishments in the United States 1964 disestablishments in the United States