1916 Camden Alphas Team Portrait, Eastern Basketball League
The page from the 1917 Reach Official Basketball Guide features a photograph of the Alpha Club basketball team from the Eastern League based in Camden, New Jersey. The team members are identified as follows: Cashman, Steele, Dolin, Herron, Thompson, Stille, Henry, Snyder, A. Stille, Adams, and Brown. The photo is credited to M.G. Gaffe. This image represents the early organized basketball clubs in the United States, a period where the sport was still developing its professional structure. The Alpha Club, being part of the Eastern League, indicates the existence of regional competitive leagues that contributed to the growth of basketball as a popular sport. During this era, basketball was beginning to gain traction, and clubs like Alpha were instrumental in fostering competitive play.