Chester Joseph Aubuchon Jr. (May 18, 1916 – April 14, 2005) was an American professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player. He played

college basketball College basketball is basketball that is played by teams of Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. In the Higher education in the United States, United States, colleges and universities are governed by collegiate athle ...

for the

Michigan State Spartans The Michigan State Spartans are the athletic teams that represent Michigan State University. The school's athletic program includes 23 Varsity team, varsity sports teams. Their mascot is a Spartan Army, Spartan warrior named Sparty, and the sc ...

and was the first player to be named an

All-American The All-America designation is an annual honor bestowed on outstanding athletes in the United States who are considered to be among the best athletes in their respective sport. Individuals receiving this distinction are typically added to an Al ...

in program history. Aubuchon played one season for the Detroit Falcons in the

Basketball Association of America The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. Following its third season, 1948–49, the BAA merged with the National Basketball League (United States), National Basketball Lea ...

(BAA). He served as an assistant coach for Michigan State for one season before becoming a teacher, coach, and administrator at schools in Michigan.

Early life

Aubuchon was raised in

Gary, Indiana Gary ( ) is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 69,093 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it Indiana's List of municipalities in Indiana, eleventh-most populous city. The city has been historical ...

, as one of nine children. His father died when he was aged 11 and he was raised by his mother. Aubuchon attended Horace Mann High School in Gary. He served as a team captain and was selected for the all-state team.

College career

Aubuchon entered

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

in 1937. He formed a contingent known as the Gary Gang with fellow Gary residents

Bob Phillips Robert Leon Phillips (born June 23, 1951) is an American television journalist best known for his long-running program '' Texas Country Reporter''. In 2005, Phillips was inducted into the Silver Circle of the Lone Star Chapter of the National A ...

and Max Hindman. Aubuchon began receiving national attention as a junior and earned the nickname "The Houdini of the Hardcourt". He was the first Spartans player to be named an

. While working in a campus electrical shop in 1940, Aubuchon scratched his finger and it became infected. He suffered from blood poisoning and required

blood transfusions Blood transfusion is the process of transferring blood products into a person's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used for various medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood. Early transfusions used whole blood, but ...

to keep him alive. Aubuchon was in the hospital for six months and spent another six months recuperating before being able to play again. He returned to the Spartans for the 1941–42 season as team captain. After graduating from Michigan State, Aubuchon served four years in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

. He spent 27 months in the

South Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...

war zones during World War II.

Professional career

Aubuchon played briefly for the Detroit Falcons of the

(BAA) in the 1946–47 season. He served as an assistant coach for the Spartans during the 1949–50 season under

Al Kircher Alton S. Kircher (December 5, 1909 – November 1, 2004) was an American football, basketball, and baseball player and coach. Early years Born in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin, Kircher grew up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Gladstone, Michigan, ...

. Aubuchon coached at high schools in Owosso and

Holly, Michigan Holly is a village in north Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,997 at the 2020 census. The village is located within Holly Township. It is about south of Flint and northwest of Detroit. Geography According to ...

. He moved to

Port Huron, Michigan Port Huron is a city in and seat of government of St. Clair County, Michigan, United States. The population was 28,983 at the 2020 census. The city is bordered on the west by Port Huron Township, but the two are administered autonomously. Po ...

, in 1954 to coach at Port Huron Junior College, where he also served as an athletic director, teacher, and dean of men. Aubuchon was appointed as the dean of student personnel when Port Huron Junior College became

St. Clair County Community College St. Clair County Community College (SC4) is a public community college in Port Huron, Michigan. It serves as the primary center of higher education for the Blue Water Area. SC4 offers associate degree and certificate programs. It also offers on ...

in 1967. Aubuchon retired in 1976 and moved to

Ruskin, Florida Ruskin is an unincorporated census-designated place in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The area was part of the chiefdom of the Uzita at the time of the Hernando de Soto expedition in 1539. The community was founded August 7, 1908, ...

, where he died in 2005.

Legacy

Aubuchon was inducted into the Port Huron Sports Hall of Fame in 1978, the Michigan State Hall of Fame in 1996, and the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998.

BAA career statistics

Regular season

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Aubuchon, Chet 1916 births 2005 deaths All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball coaches American men's basketball players Basketball coaches from Indiana Basketball players from Gary, Indiana Detroit Falcons (basketball) players Guards (basketball) High school basketball coaches in Michigan Michigan State Spartans men's basketball coaches Michigan State Spartans men's basketball players United States Navy personnel of World War II 20th-century American sportsmen