Edward Michael Melvin (born Ed Milkovich; February 13, 1916 – July 30, 2004) 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 court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

player. He played 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 absorbed most of National Basketball League (NBL) and rebranded as the National Ba ...

for the

Pittsburgh Ironmen The Pittsburgh Ironmen were a charter member of the Basketball Association of America (a forerunner of the National Basketball Association). The team was based in Pittsburgh and played at Duquesne Gardens. They ended their only season in the BAA i ...

during the 1946–47 season. After his playing career, Melvin coached the St. Bonavanture Bonnies and

Toledo Rockets The Toledo Rockets are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent the University of Toledo. The Rockets compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a member of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The ...

men's basketball teams between 1947 and 1965. In his 17 years as an

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athleti ...

head coach, Melvin compiled an overall record of 222–179, including three consecutive conference regular season championships from 1950 to 1952. He was a southpaw; Eddie Beachler of

The Pittsburgh Press ''The Pittsburgh Press'' (formerly ''The Pittsburg Press'' and originally ''The Evening Penny Press'') was a major afternoon daily newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1884 to 1992. At one time, the ''Press'' was the second larg ...

described his left-handed dribble and push-shot as "deceptive", while Dan McGibbeny of

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the first newspaper published west of the All ...

several years after Melvin's retirement from playing recounted how he was "a sprightly lad with a rare ability to dribble left-handed for a full game." Melvin was of Serbian origin. He legally changed his last name from Milkovich to Melvin in late 1951.

BAA career statistics

Regular season

References

1916 births 2004 deaths All-American college men's basketball players American basketball scouts American men's basketball players American people of Serbian descent Basketball coaches from Pennsylvania Basketball players from Pittsburgh Duquesne Dukes men's basketball players Guards (basketball) Original Celtics players Philadelphia 76ers scouts Pittsburgh Ironmen players St. Bonaventure Bonnies men's basketball coaches Toledo Rockets men's basketball coaches Undrafted National Basketball Association players {{1910s-US-basketball-bio-stub