Wes Bialosuknia and his All Stars

[Fairfield_1st]

I found this poster at a tag sale in Wethersfield today. Couldn't leave this bit of UConn related history behind. It's from about 4 months before I was born. I don't recall ever hearing about Wes having some kind of traveling team. Anyone have an info on it? Not finding anything on Google.

 

[Huskybass]

That is a great find.

 

[mauconnfan]

I found this poster at a tag sale in Wethersfield today. Couldn't leave this bit of UConn related history behind. It's from about 4 months before I was born. I don't recall ever hearing about Wes having some kind of traveling team. Anyone have an info on it? Not finding anything on Google.

Very cool, used to go to those with my dad. For me as good as going to a C’s game.... actually better.

 

[Danzz]

I found this poster at a tag sale in Wethersfield today. Couldn't leave this bit of UConn related history behind. It's from about 4 months before I was born. I don't recall ever hearing about Wes having some kind of traveling team. Anyone have an info on it? Not finding anything on Google.

Don't remember Wes having a team but his opponent, East Hartford Explorers were a pro team around for years. Wes went on to play for another local pro team : the Hartford Caps.
Great find!

 

[UConnLen]

I remember Wes team vs Jimmy Walkers team playing in Norwich I think back then!

 

[methodology]

I'll ask his son next time I see him.

 

[Bubba1957]

I remember seeing the Wes Bialosuknia all stars vs the Howie Dickenman all stars in Plainville. I also remember seeing Calvin Murphy's team too. Back then, if you liked sports you got out to watched it.

 

[uconnric]

Wes had an all star team after his senior season finished. He went on to play in the old ABA. A great shooter.

 

[gtcam]

The Explorers played a lot of teams like this in the 60's.
A lot of college stars had all star teams - I remember Wes doing this, Calvin Murphy, Art Stepheson did it and there were several others
Great memories
Thanks for sharing

 

[mauconnfan]

Don't remember Wes having a team but his opponent, East Hartford Explorers were a pro team around for years. Wes went on to play for another local pro team : the Hartford Caps.
Great find!

My brother played for a Meriden team called the Travelers in the mid 70's and played against the East Hartford Explorers, good league some really good players. Holowaty was an animal still and they had other ex-UConn and ECSC players who my brother knew because he played both hoops and baseball at Eastern. I believe I remember one of the Switchenko brothers as well as Willie Reed also on these teams, Windham HS guys.

 

[cohenzone]

Wes had an all star team after his senior season finished. He went on to play in the old ABA. A great shooter.

Wes was a classmate of mine. I knew him slightly, we dated girls from the same dorm. As pure a deadly long range shooter and an automatic foul shooter. On his frosh team he was something crazy like 98 or 99 of 101. Bill Holowaty was in the same class and was possibly Wes’s shooting equal on the freshman team that also included Tom Penders and 3 or 4 other very good players. Best entering class until the Calhoun era.

 

[Catsailor]

Interesting references of both Calvin and Wes in this thread. I was unaware of the all-star stuff.

I have many memories of my friend and classmate Calvin Murphy growing up in Norwalk (rich in BB in those days-stars at all 3 schools Nwlk, McMahon, Central Catholic). Calvin was an awesome athlete in every sport (not just basketball) and a funny affable person who was tough as nails.

As I transitioned to UConn in '66 I was pleasantly surprised to find out that basketball was alive and well at my new location with the amazing Wes Bialosuknia, Tom Penders, Darien's frosh Bobby Staak, Bill Corley and crew.

 

[UConnLen]

Wes was a classmate of mine. I knew him slightly, we dated girls from the same dorm. As pure a deadly long range shooter and an automatic foul shooter. On his frosh team he was something crazy like 98 or 99 of 101. Bill Holowaty was in the same class and was possibly Wes’s shooting equal on the freshman team that also included Tom Penders and 3 or 4 other very good players. Best entering class until the Calhoun era.

Yes as a Fr in the fall of 64 the first team I saw play I think had those guys along with Toby, PJ Curran, Ron Rhubala, Spider H? First game was AIC with their center Jim Calhoun! Very good team and season

 

[uconnfan68]

Yes as a Fr in the fall of 64 the first team I saw play I think had those guys along with Toby, PJ Curran, Ron Rhubala, Spider H? First game was AIC with their center Jim Calhoun! Very good team and season

Hrubala came later. He was a soph in 68-69.

 

[UConnLen]

Hrubala came later. He was a soph in 68-69.

You are right-Ron Ritter?

 

[cohenzone]

Yes as a Fr in the fall of 64 the first team I saw play I think had those guys along with Toby, PJ Curran, Ron Rhubala, Spider H? First game was AIC with their center Jim Calhoun! Very good team and season

Wasn’t Hrubal, he was much later. You are probably thinking of Ron Ritter , who I knew pretty well, a starting forward at 6’3” , good guy. His older brother Al was a starting guard when Ron was on the freshman team. Spider Hesfordc was the starter on that pone year when Wes and Toby were on the same team. Great team.

 

[Old school]

I remember seeing Ernie d s all stars taking on an all star team from East Hartford and Doug Melody scoring close to 40 and Ernie d going for 50 plus. Not a lot of d!
How about this one: when I was about 8 or 9 the Boston Celtics with Bill Russell, the Jones boys, bill Sharman, Ramsey, luscatoff, possibly Heinson play the New England all stars led by Johnny Eagan and Topsy Delgobbo at my alma mater Platt High in Meriden. My dad was the treasurer of this fund raiser and was able to get all their autographs, which I have to this day.

 

[huskiesouth]

Wes and his stars came to West Hartford for a fund raiser playing against the Harlem Wizards, a Globetrotter knock-off. A couple of Wes’ guys were no-shows, I was recruited, before “game” Wes pulls me aside and tells me nicely and firmly to get the ball over half court and into his hands and then stay out of his way, it was fun, didn’t embarrass myself too much, he could really really play, scored like 50.

 

[mauconnfan]

I remember seeing Ernie d s all stars taking on an all star team from East Hartford and Doug Melody scoring close to 40 and Ernie d going for 50 plus. Not a lot of d!
How about this one: when I was about 8 or 9 the Boston Celtics with Bill Russell, the Jones boys, bill Sharman, Ramsey, luscatoff, possibly Heinson play the New England all stars led by Johnny Eagan and Topsy Delgobbo at my alma mater Platt High in Meriden. My dad was the treasurer of this fund raiser and was able to get all their autographs, which I have to this day.

A Platt Panther huh? When were you there?

 

[gtcam]

I remember seeing Ernie d s all stars taking on an all star team from East Hartford and Doug Melody scoring close to 40 and Ernie d going for 50 plus. Not a lot of d!
How about this one: when I was about 8 or 9 the Boston Celtics with Bill Russell, the Jones boys, bill Sharman, Ramsey, luscatoff, possibly Heinson play the New England all stars led by Johnny Eagan and Topsy Delgobbo at my alma mater Platt High in Meriden. My dad was the treasurer of this fund raiser and was able to get all their autographs, which I have to this day.

Topsy Delgobbo - there's a name from the past - I remember my father and I went to Worcester to watch him and his post college team play a bunch of ex Celtics in the late 60s - Walt Dropo introduced him to us - didn't Topsy go to Holy Cross? Then I saw him play several times in East Hartford and other area gyms

 

[Fishy]

Topsy Delgobbo - there's a name from the past - I remember my father and I went to Worcester to watch him and his post college team play a bunch of ex Celtics in the late 60s - Walt Dropo introduced him to us - didn't Topsy go to Holy Cross? Then I saw him play several times in East Hartford and other area gyms

Didn't he go to Southern Connecticut?

I honestly really don't know anything about him, but one time I went to some athletic event at South Conn and he was either a speaker or an inductee or something. He played baseball as well?

 

[huskiesouth]

Didn't he go to Southern Connecticut?

I honestly really don't know anything about him, but one time I went to some athletic event at South Conn and he was either a speaker or an inductee or something. He played baseball as well?

Pretty sure he went to Southern and was a better baseball player, great athlete,

 

[MTHusky]

Wes and his stars came to West Hartford for a fund raiser playing against the Harlem Wizards, a Globetrotter knock-off. A couple of Wes’ guys were no-shows, I was recruited, before “game” Wes pulls me aside and tells me nicely and firmly to get the ball over half court and into his hands and then stay out of his way, it was fun, didn’t embarrass myself too much, he could really really play, scored like 50.

UConn's own Bill Corley played for the Harlem Wizards for a few years. Died way too early.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Is anyone interested in this poster? I have no place for it and would like it to go to a good UConn home. No charge. It measures 12" x 16". I live in Cromwell and we could meet to do a hand off. First one to reply that they want it gets it. We can PM/Text from there.

 

[UConnFranklin]

Hrubala came later. He was a soph in 68-69.

You're correct and thanks for spelling Ron's last name correctly.

 

[UConnFranklin]

Having All-Star teams was the trend of the time. I remember watching Wes play at East Hartford High against Marco Polo. Also I remember being very impressed by Jack "The Shot" Foley out of Holy Cross playing against Marco Polo at EHHS too. Finally, I remember my father taking me to see the Philadelphia 76ers' play the Boston Celtics in an exhibition game at Wethersfield High. Great memories!

 

[Palatine]

Back in the 1970s, the New York Giants had a traveling basketball team and Vinny Clemens was on it. They played the UConn Alumni at the field house.

UConn had Kimball and Corley and a bunch of other very good players. On the opening tip, Corley tapped it to Kimball who hit a streaking teammate to make it 2-0 in seconds. They Huskies then proceeded to dismantle the Giants.

Later, you could see the Giants players looking at Vinny in the huddle as if to say, what have you gotten us into? Lots of fun.

 

[Ukonnfan]

Wes was a classmate of mine. I knew him slightly, we dated girls from the same dorm. As pure a deadly long range shooter and an automatic foul shooter. On his frosh team he was something crazy like 98 or 99 of 101. Bill Holowaty was in the same class and was possibly Wes’s shooting equal on the freshman team that also included Tom Penders and 3 or 4 other very good players. Best entering class until the Calhoun era.

Same Holowaty who coached Eastern Baseball??

 

[cohenzone]

Same Holowaty who coached Eastern Baseball??

Yep.

 

[Ricker]

Back in the 1970s, the New York Giants had a traveling basketball team and Vinny Clemens was on it. They played the UConn Alumni at the field house.

UConn had Kimball and Corley and a bunch of other very good players. On the opening tip, Corley tapped it to Kimball who hit a streaking teammate to make it 2-0 in seconds. They Huskies then proceeded to dismantle the Giants.

Later, you could see the Giants players looking at Vinny in the huddle as if to say, what have you gotten us into? Lots of fun.

Got Defensive back Pete Athis' autograph at that game. Have never thought of him since. Thanks for the reminder.