Category
Team
Sport
Basketball
Hometown
Saint John
Year Inducted
1999
team
Saint John Basketball Club
HONOURED MEMBER
Biography
This basketball dynasty began with youth teams playing out of church basements in the 1930s and ended in 1949 with a victory over the Philadelphia Giants - a touring professional team. They captured Junior, Intermediate and Senior; City, Provincial, and Maritime championships, and contended for National honors. Three teams, three age classifications, three winning seasons, with wonderfully talented players - including two who played for all three teams, Rip Seely and Ralph Fitzpatrick. But most of all, the Club was synonymous with Doug Costello, its founder, manager, sometime coach, always sponsor and inspiration. It has been sixty years since that first Junior title, and five decades since the halcyon days of huge crowds at the old Forum and Armoury. Basketball continues to thrive in New Brunswick because of the legacy of the "Saint Johns". Enrolled in the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame, June 5th, 1999.
Quick Facts
Won Senior City, Provincial and Maritime championships in 1948-49
Won Intermediate City, Provincial and Maritime titles in 1945-46; also National Intermediate finalists
Won Junior city, Provincial and Maritime championships; also National Junior finalists in 1938-39
Team members: George Boyle (D); Harold Bullock (D); Dick Canavan (D); Lawrence Carey (D); Doug Costello (D); Ralph Costello (D); Art Covey (D); Lloyd Feltus; Ralph Fitzpatrick (D); James Fox (D); William Harrington (D); Aubrey Izzard (D); George Johnston; Yvon Lacasse (D); Al Ludka (D); William MacDonald (D); Cecil MacLeod; William Neil; Bernie Ough (D); Burnie Ralston (D); Norman Seely; Doug Skinner (D); Faulds Spinney; David Stothart; William Thorne (D) ; Kenneth Vallis (D); Boris vonRichter (D); Lloyd Welton (D)