Al Cervi

Al Cervi was born February 12, 1917 (106 years ago) in Buffalo, NY.  He was captain of his high school basketball team and achieved All-City honors.  

After his junior year, Al quit school and played professional basketball for the Buffalo Bisons of the National Basketball League.  After the team went out of existence, he joined the US Army Air Forces for five years (1940-1945).

After WWII, Al signed on to play for the Rochester Royals basketball team from 1945 to 1948.  Today, that National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise is known as the Sacramento Kings.

After the 1948 season, Al signed on as the player-coach of the Syracuse Nationals or Nats (now the Philadelphia 76ers).  The team qualified for the NBA playoffs eight of the nine years he was their coach, finally winning the championship in 1955, defeating the Fort Wayne (now Detroit) Pistons, 4 games to 3.  

On April 10th, 1955, Syracuse won game 7 of that series at home by a score of 92-91.  It was to be the Nats only championship.

As I lived near Syracuse growing up, I (along with my family) attended many of the Nats home games at the Onondaga War Memorial.  I also listened to many of their games on the radio.

Their top players from the championship season were:

Dolph Schayes NYU 6'8" - Grew up in a Jewish family in New York City.  Joined Nats in 1948 and played for 16 years.  First NBA player to score 15,000 points.  Adept at set shot.

Johnny Kerr University of Illinois 6'9" - Joined Nats in 1954.  NBA All-Star three times. 

Red Rocha Oregon State University 6'9" - First person from Hawaii to play in NBA.  Shares NBA record for most minutes (67) in a playoff game.

Paul Seymour University of Toledo 6'1" - Had a twelve year career in NBA.  Was also a successful coach with four different NBA teams.

George King University of Charleston 6'0" - Hit series clinching free throw to win championship in 1955.  Played five years with Nats.

Earl Lloyd West Virginia State University 6'5" - First Black to play in an NBA game.  Had career highs in points and rebounds for Nats in their championship year.  Excellent defender.

On March 26, 1963, the Nats played the Cincinnati (formerly Rochester) Royals at home with 7,418 fans in attendance.  It was the fifth and deciding game of the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals.  The Royals won in overtime, 131-127, eliminating Syracuse.  It was the Nats final game...ever.  

On May 22, 1963, the Nats were sold to new ownership who moved the team to Philadelphia (and renamed them).  Three months later, I moved there, too.