Bobby Wanzer
(1921-2016)
Hall of Fame Induction: 1987
Card Shown:
2007-08 Upper Deck
Chronology Legend
Position: PG/SG
Height: 6’0″
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Bobby Wanzer was one of the top basketball players of his generation. He won two New York City titles at Benjamin Franklin High School in Harlem in 1940 and 1941 and was a standout at Seton Hall University in New Jersey. Drafted by the Rochester Royals in 1948, Bobby went on to star in the NBA and helped the Royals win their first and only NBA Championship in 1951.
Awards and Honors
- Wanzer was named to the All-NBA Second Team three consecutive times from 1952-1954.
- Bobby was an NBA All-Star five times. He received this honor each year from 1952 through 1956.
- Led by Wanzer, Bob Davies, and Arnie Risen, the Rochester Royals won the 1951 NBA Championship, defeating the New York Knicks in seven games. The Minneapolis Lakers, led by George Mikan, Slater Martin, Vern Mikkelsen, and Jim Pollard had won the NBA championship the year before and would also win the next three years after the Royals victorious season.
- Bobby has also been inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame and the Seton Hall Athletics Hall of Fame.
- After his playing career, Wanzer coached at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, New York for 24 years. The basketball court there was named in his honor.
Points of Interest
- Wanzer played college basketball at Seton Hall, leading the Pirates to a 40-5 record during the 1942-43 and 1946-47 seasons. Between these basketball seasons, Bobby served for three years in the Marines during World War II.
- Bobby played his entire nine-season career with the Rochester Royals. During his first season, 1948-49, the Royals played in the Basketball Association of America (BAA). Starting in 1949-50 the Royals became a part of the new National Basketball Association (NBA).
- In the 1950s, Wanzer and Davies formed one of the top backcourts in professional basketball. The other top backcourt of the 1950s was Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman of the Boston Celtics.
- Bobby led the NBA in free throw percentage in 1951-52, sinking 90.4% of his foul shots. He became one of the first professional players to top the 90% mark.
- Wanzer was the coach of the Cincinnati Royals in 1957-58 when Maurice Stokes suffered a terrible fall on the court that eventually paralyzed him and ended his promising NBA career.
Statistics
Bobby Wanzer Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com