The oldest residing former NBA participant, Stanley “Whitey” Von Nieda, handed away on the age of 101 on Wednesday in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Von Nieda turned 100 on June 19, 2022.
For his one centesimal birthday, he acquired a certificates from the NBA Retired Gamers Affiliation, recognizing his “legacy as the primary former NBA participant to achieve 100 years of age.’’
Von Nieda shall be remembered because the oldest ex-NBA participant in historical past. “It’s laborious proper now,” Von Nieda’s spouse, Arlene, mentioned Thursday. “He meant rather a lot to lots of people, and I heard from them so many instances over time.’’
In Memoriam: Stan “Whitey” Von Nieda (1922-2023)
The NBA’s oldest alumnus ever, Von Nieda entered the league with the NBL Tri-Cities Blackhawks in 1947 and performed till 1950. pic.twitter.com/f5dLstFtOU
— NBA Historical past (@NBAHistory) September 9, 2023
His actual title was Stanley. Nevertheless, Von Nieda mentioned in an interview final 12 months that “no one ever referred to as me that.” The nickname referred to his pure blonde hair.
Von Nieda was born and raised in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. The 6-foot-1 guard/ahead performed basketball at Ephrata Excessive Faculty and Penn State College (1942-43).
Whereas with Ephrata Excessive Faculty, he led the Mountaineers and all of Lancaster County in scoring in 1940. The Penn State product was a flexible basketball participant.
“I may play both [guard or forward],” he recalled throughout an interview. “Generally I’d take my man down inside and hook it over him.”
Ex-paratrooper Stanley “Whitey” Von Nieda, the oldest residing former NBA participant, has died on the age of 101 in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Stanley “Whitey” Von Nieda additionally enlisted within the military throughout World Battle II. He attended the Fort Benning (now Fort Moore) paratrooper academy in Georgia and was a part of the seventeenth Airborne Division that fought within the Battle of the Bulge.
As a basketball participant on the paratrooper faculty, the Pennsylvania native led the service groups and nation in scoring with 1,062 factors in 44 video games.
Following an honorable discharge in 1946, he performed for the Lancaster Pink Roses within the Japanese Basketball League (EBL), the place he led the league in scoring, averaging greater than 24 factors per recreation.
Lancaster On-line
He acquired a $2,000 signing bonus and earned roughly $14,000 per season, in response to Lancaster On-line’s Mike Gross. On the time, Von Neida was nonetheless a Penn State pupil.
In 1947, he started enjoying for the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now Atlanta Hawks) within the Nationwide Basketball League (NBL). The group was primarily based in Moline, Illinois. Von Nieda made the All-Rookie group, averaging 12 factors a recreation. The Blackhawks reached the ultimate spherical of the playoffs in each of the years he performed there.
After a merger between the NBL and the Basketball Affiliation of America, the NBA had its inaugural 1949-50 season. He scored 14 factors within the Tri-Cities Blackhawks vs. Denver Nuggets matchup on Oct. 29, 1949, the primary post-merger NBA regular-season recreation.
Von Nieda’s skilled enjoying profession with the Baltimore Bullets, teaching profession
On Jan. 13, 1950, his participant rights have been traded to the Baltimore Bullets (now Washington Wizards). Von Nieda appeared in each recreation with Baltimore within the 1949-50 season, enjoying each level guard and capturing guard.
In Baltimore’s 79-75 win over the Boston Celtics on March 11, 1950, the guard recorded an NBA career-high 15 factors. At 27 years outdated, he made six subject objectives and shot 3-of-4 (75%) on the foul line.
A watch harm ended his NBA profession with the Bullets. In the course of the 1950 offseason, he accepted a head teaching job at Elizabethtown School. After three seasons, he completed 27-18 as head coach in 1952.
Moreover, Von Nieda then went on to function the pinnacle coach of the Lancaster Pink Roses (1950-53). He served because the group’s participant/coach, serving to the Pink Roses advance to the finals three of the 4 years.
Von Nieda was chosen to the All-EPBL Second Crew in 1951. Nonetheless, his participant stats should not out there on Basketball Reference. The previous NBA participant coached the Hazleton Hawks within the 1961-62 season as nicely.
In 1985, he coached Lancaster within the Continental League. His group as soon as once more reached the finals. Von Nieda additionally participated in Ephrata Excessive Faculty alumni video games, an exercise he continued nicely into his 60s.
Could the oldest residing former NBA participant relaxation in peace.
