The Midwest Professional Basketball League was a professional

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

basketball league. The six–team league existed for three seasons, playing from

1961 Events January * January 1 – Monetary reform in the Soviet Union, 1961, Monetary reform in the Soviet Union. * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and cons ...

–

1962 The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War. Events January * January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...

through

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Cove ...

–

1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...

until the league folded after the 1964 season.

History and Franchises

The league was composed of six teams per season. The charter members of the Midwest Professional Basketball League in 1961–1962 were the Battle Creek Warriors, Dayton Little Mickeys, East Chicago Bombers, Gary Whips, Terre Haute All–Stars and Toledo Twisters. The Gary Whips had the best league record at 9–4. In 1962–1963, Battle Creek and Terre Haute did not return to Midwest Professional Basketball League play and were replaced by Holland and Grand Rapids franchises. The second season teams were the Chicago Bombers, Dayton Mickeys, Grand Rapids Tackers, Gary Whips, Holland Oilers and Toledo Tartans. The Holland Oilers defeated Toledo for the MPBL Championship. In 1963–1964, the Midwest Professional Basketball League began the season with five teams and dropped to four, with the season divided into halves. Gary folded after the first half. The five teams to begin the season were the Battle Creek Warriors, Chicago Bombers, Gary Steelers, Grand Rapids Tackers and Holland Oilers. Grand Rapids won both halves and played the

Allentown Jets The Allentown Jets were a minor league basketball team that played in the Eastern Professional Basketball League (later the Eastern Basketball Association and Continental Basketball Association) from 1958 to 1981. The team was one of the most suc ...

of the

Eastern Professional Basketball League The Continental Basketball Association (CBA), originally known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League, and later as the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Eastern Basketball Association, was a men's professional basketball m ...

in a post season championship. Allentown won the game by the score of 128–126.

League Notes

The 1963–1964 Most Valuable Player was

Nick Mantis Nicholas Mantis (December 7, 1935 – August 13, 2017) was an American-Greek professional basketball player. College career After having a standout career as a high school player at East Chicago Washington High, while playing for head coach Jo ...

of Grand Rapids. The 1962–1963 First Team: Charlie North, Grand Rapids; Willie Merriweather, Holland;

M.C. Burton Memie Clifton Burton Jr. (born September 3, 1937) is an American former basketball player and medical doctor. In 1959, he became the first player in the history of the Big Ten Conference to lead the conference in both points (469) and rebounds (37 ...

, Toledo; George Knighton, Dayton; Floyd Campbell, Gary. The 1963–1964 First Team:

, Grand Rapids;

Ed Burton Edward Burton (August 13, 1939 – May 28, 2012) was an American basketball player. Burton attended Michigan State University as a freshman but dropped out in January 1958. He played for the Allentown Jets of the Eastern Professional Basketball ...

, Holland; Willie Lee Bond, Chicago; M.C. Burton, Grand Rapids; Willie Merriweather, Holland. Reggie Harding, the first high school player ever drafted by the NBA played for Holland. Holland was owned and coached by Gene Schrotenboer and played at the Holland Civic Center.

Notable alumni

Joe Buckhalter Joseph A. Buckhalter Jr. (August 1, 1937 – December 30, 2013) was an American retired basketball player. He played collegiately for Tennessee State University. He was selected by the St. Louis Hawks in the 12th round (81st pick overall) of th ...

, Dayton * M. C. Burton Jr., Toledo *

, Howell *

Johnny Cox Johnny W. Cox (born November 1, 1936) is a retired American basketball player. A 6'4" guard (basketball), guard from Hazard High School in Kentucky, won a state championship in 1955 at Hazard. Cox starred at the University of Kentucky from 1 ...

, Holland, Battle Creek * Jimmy Darrow, Holland * Don Goldstein. Terra Haute * Chuck Grigsby, Dayton * Reggie Harding, Holland *

Ron Kramer Ronald John Kramer (June 24, 1935 – September 11, 2010) was an American professional football player who was an end in the National Football League (NFL), primarily for the Green Bay Packers. A member of two NFL champion teams with the Pack ...

, Battle Creek, Toledo *

, Grand Rapids *

Porter Meriwether Porter Louis Meriwether (March 16, 1940 – November 13, 2009) was an American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Syracuse Nationals after a collegiate career at Tennessee State Univers ...

, Chicago * John Tidwell, Battle Creek * Pete Tillotson, Holland * Dave Zeller, Dayton

Midwest Professional Basketball League Franchises (1961–1964)

Battle Creek Warriors 1961–62, 1963–64 East Chicago Bombers 1961–62,
Chicago Bombers 1962-63 to 1963-64 Dayton Little Mickeys 1961–62,
Dayton Mickeys 1962–63 Gary Steelers 1963–64,
Gary Whips 1961–62 to 1962–63 Grand Rapids Tackers 1962–63 to 1963–64 Holland Oilers 1962–63 to 1963–64 Terre Haute All-Stars 1961–62 Toledo Twisters 1961–62,
Toledo Tartans 1962–63

References

{{reflist Defunct basketball leagues in the United States Sports leagues established in 1961 Sports leagues disestablished in 1964 1961 establishments in the United States 1964 disestablishments in the United States