Recap
Johnny Beckman’s scoring and playmaking dominated the Pennsylvania State Basketball League statistically, but his teammates offered little support and Nanticoke finished fourth in the first half race behind better balanced teams in Pittston, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre. Pittston controlled the race comfortably until they lost five of their last six games and allowed Wilkes-Barre to tie for first place. Garry Schmeelk and Chris Leonard salvaged the situation, however, by leading Pittston to two straight wins over Wilkes-Barre in a playoff for the first-half title. Nanticoke surged back into prominence in the second half race by signing Soup Campbell and Horse Haggerty to complement Johnny Beckman, and finished tied with Scranton for the second-half title. Disaster struck when both Campbell and Haggerty failed to show up for the single-game playoff, forcing a Nanticoke forfeit. The results of the championship playoffs between Scranton and Pittston were decided before either team took to the court because Scranton signed Nat Holman and Stretch Meehan for the series. Pittston countered with the signing of veteran cager Eddie White, but it was too little and they were steamrolled by Scranton in two straight games, 37-33 and 30-22.
I sincerely appreciate the research work, and the information being shared. It is important and interesting history.