Camden Courier-Post - January 13, 1928

DOLIN MAKES BOW WITH CLEVELAND
Former Camden Eastern League Star Cages 2 Field Tosses Against Phils 

Making his big league ‘comeback” with the Cleveland Rosenblums at the Philadelphia Arena last night. Eddie Dolin, former Camden Eastern League star, went half the distance against the Warriors, who licked the westernmen, 38-31. The veteran pivot who proved one of the main gems in that classy collection of cage sparklers that annexed many championships for Camden in the Eastern circuit, was pitted against Al Kellott, rated as the best tapper in the American League last night. The Quaker jumper tallied all five of his field goals against Dolin, who joined the ‘Roses following his showing against Hammonton for Camden Elks in the South Jersey League here Wednesday night. Dolin scored twelve from the field and made one of his four foul heaves. He was replaced by Rich Deighan when Manager Dave Kerr entered the backfield.

The game also marked the return of Jimmy “Soup" Campbell to Phila­delphia in his third American League uniform tide season. He was waived Detroit by the Quakers earlier in the campaign, and then joined Cleveland when Vic Hanson quit the “Roses.

The Phils ran up a 23-15 score in the first half and held this edge throughout the second period. Kellott again proved the big star for the win, registering a total of 17 points.

Camden Courier-Post - January 13, 1928

HANSON HAD NO TROUBLE WITH MATES SAYS KERR
Local Basketball Star, Who is Managing Cleveland Rosenblums,
Sets at Rest Rumors That Players Forced College Star Off Club

By Tom Ryan

There wasn’t the least semblance of friction between Vic Hanson and the other players on the Rosenblums, and Vic left the club on friendly terms with every player on the team.”

That was the reply made by Dave Kerr, local lad who Is acting in the capacity of court leader the Cleveland Rosenblums of the American Professional Basketball League, when asked if the former Syracuse University three-letter man resigned because of resentment on the part of the members of he club, which was the gist of the story broadcast at the time of Hansons’s voluntary retirement.

Kerr, together with Rich Deighan and Joe Sheehan, two other Camden boys, and Carl Rusta, of Egg Harbor City, all members if the Cleveland club, were subjected to undue criticism, along with other members of the team when the cause of Hanson’s resignation was alleged to have been because of differences with other members of the club. However, later advices from Cleveland that Hanson denied that any friction existed between himself and his teammates, but would give no definite reason for his resignation.

Players Showered With “Berries”

The fact that Hanson would not take a determined stand in the mat­ter by stating just what had influenced his quitting the club after a auspicious start, led fans all over the country to believe that there was more than fiction in the story that he had made to ‘look bad’ by his teammates in order to get him off the club. Quite naturally, the tale created a story with the result that the other players on the team became the target for “raspberries” from both the fans and the newspaper.

However, Hanson soon quieted the report that he had been “framed” by his teammates, stating explicitly that that was one of the last things that would have caused him a quit. Financial disagreements with the management was then advanced as the reason for his retirement from the pro game, but Vic would neither deny nor affirm that phase of the case, merely declaring that for reasons best know to himself that he was through with the game for the current season.

Had No Differences With Players

Just before Cleveland hit the floor to play the Warriors at the Philadelphia Arena last night, the writer asked the club as a whole if any of them had had any trouble with Hanson either on or off the court. Every fellow on the club declared that no differences had cropped out among the players while Hanson was a member of the club and that they had ‘pulled’ with him front the time he joined the club until he quit.

“He’s a dandy fellow and one of the brightest basketball prospects in the country today,” continued Kerr after the rest of the club had had their say. “Offensively, he is a wonder, but needs a little more polishing defensively in order to become a great pro player.

“We were just about dumbstruck when it was reported that Vie had quit because the other player, failed to work with him and that they were jealous of his popularity. Here’s an incident that occurred which may set at rest the rumor that he was “in bad” with the other fellows on the club.

“Fed Vic” in Home Town

“Shortly before Hanson quit the club we played an exhibition game at Syracuse. The day had been set said aside as Hanson Day in honor of Vic and we played the Syracuse Independent club that night. Well, Vic scored about 23 points in the game, which we won by a fair margin, but what I want to impress upon the minds of the fine is that if Vic had not been in right with the other fellows, doesn’t it stand to reason that they would have attempted to make him ‘look bad, in his own home town? As it was they “fed” him in order that he might show to advantage before his friends .

“He quit the club shortly after that game, but I’m as much in the dark about the affair as a rank outsider. But I can truthfully say that no player on the club was hostile toward him and that be received the same treatment on the floor that ii Med any other member of the club.

“He admitted that he didn’t resign because of ill treatment and I think that absolves us from any connection with the case. Yet, I know Camden fans expected some explanation when we came east and I’m glad of this opportunity to inform them the true facts of the affair.

Hanson still on Reserve List

“Hanson isn’t out of the game by any means. He is managing and playing with an independent club at Syracuse and also playing with the Utica, N.Y. club. He still is the property of the Cleveland club, being placed on the voluntary retired list, and if be should decide to rejoin the dub during the present season, I’ll be mighty glad to have him with us,” concluded Kerr, and the entire team voiced their approval of his statement.

While the story may have been credited in some parts of the country, few local fans believed it as the local boys supposedly involved in “framing” Hanson are held in high esteem here. Still, the “bugs” wanted them to clear themselves, publicly and Kerr’s statement does that to perfection.

Dolin Gets Chance With Club

Incidentally, Jimmy “Soup” Campbell, another local cager, was toed to replace Hanson. Campbell started out with the Warriors, but was sent to Detroit via the waiver route, and when Detroit disbanded several weeks ago, Kerr immediately tendered him a contract. Eddie Dolin, former teammate of Campbell and Kerr during the days of the old Eastern League, and who has been playing great ball for the Camden Elks, joined the Rosenblums last night and played the first half of the tilt. Whether or not he will be retained as a regular could not be determined. =

Last night’s game brought back fond memories of the Eastern League as three of the players on each team during the first half waged many stiff battles against each other on the old Armory court. Campbell, Deighan and Dolin, erstwhile Camden dribblers, were in action for Cleveland, while Tommy Barlow, Teddy Karns and George Glasco, all former Trenton stars, saw service for the Warriors.

With the retirement of Dolin after the first period, Kerr entered the scrap and it still was three Camdenites against three Trentonians during the last semester. The Warriors won, 36-26, but the Cleveland cagers felt that they had also scored a victory by expressing themselves in regard to the Hanson case. It’s over with then once and for all time.