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Basketball Oldtimers To Be Inducted in Hall of Fame
BY BERNIE BEGLANE
What does a professional basketball player do when a serious injury halts his career?
Hopefully fall back on his education!
As we know, however, many such talented players did not pay that much attention to the books.
Among the exceptions is Henry (Hank) Whitney, a native of Williamsburg who is to be inducted into the Basketball Oldtimers Association’s New York Hall of Fame.
Formal ceremonies take place at Bishop Ford H.S., Park Slope, on Friday, May 2, at 7 p.m.
Joining Hank will be Jim McMorrow, who played at St. Michael’s H.S., Sunset Park, and then St. John’s University.
Also, Matt White, the first 1,000-point scorer at LaSalle Academy, Manhattan, who went on to become a starter at Georgetown University.
Completing the quartet is Len Elmore, a standout at Power Memorial Academy, Manhattan, and the University of Maryland.
“I was a product of the New York City Public School System,” explained Whitney, “and when the knee injury ended my playing career I went into education.”
Upon graduating from Fashion Industries H.S. in 1957, Hank received a scholarship to Iowa State.
Honors received there included being selected to the Look Magazine (no longer published) All-America team and the All-Big Eight Conference team.
Also cited as the best athlete in the state of Iowa, Whitney was drafted by the NBA and the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League.
“I chose the ABL,” continued Hank, “and played for two years before getting hurt. In 1963, I returned to Brooklyn and started teaching at Intermediate School 33.
“While doing that I played with the Allentown (PA) Jets in the Eastern League.
“And I also worked as a counselor with the New York City Youth Board.”
Continuing, Whitney added, “In 1967 when the American Basketball Association was formed, several teams approached me since my knee had improved.”
Whitney signed with the New Jersey Americans (now the New Jersey Nets of the NBA), but that career ended in 1971 because of the seriousness of the injury that still hampered him on the court.
Back to Brooklyn where he served as director of drug education programs in Brooklyn and Harlem until 1973.
That year, he was appointed assistant principal at Intermediate School 33 and served until 1977 when Hank was named principal of Intermediate School 49, his former junior high school. He remained until retiring in 2001.
Always ready to assist those in need, he was appointed the first president of the reputable 1998 Street Block Association.
At present, Whitney serves as the chairman of the board for the Jackie Robinson Center of Physical Culture, a program that has been in existence since 1981, and the president of the Brooklyn USA Athletic Association Inc.
Former Coach of the Year
McMorrow, completing his studies at St. John’s, earned a graduate degree in physical education from NYU.
While at the Vincentian Fathers’ school in Brooklyn, Jim was on the 1951-52 team that reached the NCAA finals against Kansas.
In ’52 he also took part in the Olympic Trials and the following season starred on the Redmen’s team that lost to Seton Hall in the National Invitation Tournament championship game.
“Coaching high school ball followed,” related Jim. “First at St. Michael’s (1956-59) and then Xaverian (until ’62).
“I spent 10 years at Nazareth (until ’72) before going to Brooklyn Tech until 1982.
McMorrow’s career as a coach earned him Brooklyn Catholic Coach of the Year for 1957-58 and New York Daily News Brooklyn-Queens Coach of the Year for 1971-72.
Topping all awards was being selected to the CHSAA Hall of Fame in 1984.
White, who grew up in Staten Island, received a basketball scholarship to LaSalle Academy, where he also played baseball.
Danny Buckley, already a member of the Basketball Oldtimers Association of New York Hall of Fame, was his coach in both sports.
“In my senior year, 1952-53, I was a CHSAA first-team pick by both the New York Post and the (now defunct) New York World Telegram,” offered White who tallied 1,140 points.
“We played – and lost – to St. Francis Prep in the CHSAA finals in 1953,” continued White.
“At Georgetown, I was the top scorer on the freshman team and then was a varsity starter the next three years.
“Georgetown celebrated 100 years of basketball last season and I was selected as one of the top 100 players of the century.”
Following graduation from the Jesuit Fathers’ school in Washington, D.C., Matt played six seasons for the New York Athletic Club. That team no longer exists.
“Then I began my coaching career,” White offered. “First at Monsignor Farrell (Staten Island) for two seasons.
“In 1966, I went to St. Joseph’s (West New York, N.J.) for four years.
“I started coaching in the New York CHSAA at St. Raymond’s (the Bronx).
Matt and his wife of 47 years, Dolores, have four children and seven grandchildren, six boys and a girl.
TV Commentator
Elmore, after graduating from Power Memorial which is conducted by the Irish Christian Brothers, accepted a scholarship to Maryland.
Now Len is a highly professional college basketball television commentator.
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