Irv Torgoff
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | Brooklyn, New York | March 6, 1917
Died | October 21, 1993 Fort Lauderdale, Florida | (aged 76)
Nationality | American |
Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
Listed weight | 192 lb (87 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Tilden (Brooklyn, New York) |
College | LIU Brooklyn (1935–1939) |
Playing career | 1939–1949 |
Position | Forward |
Career history | |
1939–1940 | Detroit Eagles |
1940–1946 | Philadelphia Sphas |
1946–1948 | Washington Capitols |
1948–1949 | Baltimore Bullets |
1949 | Philadelphia Warriors |
1949–1950 | Trenton Tigers |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Irving Torgoff (March 6, 1917 – October 21, 1993) was an American professional basketball player.
Early life
Torgoff was born in Brooklyn, New York and played basketball at Tilden High School.
Education
He attended Long Island University from 1935 to 1939 and was a two-time All-American for coach Clair Bee. In 1939, Torgoff led LIU to an undefeated record and a National Invitation Tournament championship over Loyola University Chicago. At the end of the season, he was named the winner of the Haggerty Award as the top collegiate player in the New York City area.
Career
After graduating, Torgoff played professional basketball with the Detroit Eagles of the National Basketball League, the Philadelphia Sphas of the American Basketball League, and the Washington Capitols, Baltimore Bullets, and Philadelphia Warriors of the Basketball Association of America.[1]
Red Auerbach, who coached the Capitols before gaining fame as coach of the Boston Celtics, said of Torgoff, "He was really the first player who became known as a sixth man in basketball. Torgoff was the kind of player who could come off the bench and was as good as any of the starters. He could turn a whole game around. He was one of the great players."[2]
After his basketball career ended, Torgoff sold fabrics and yarn. He died of a heart attack in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1993.[2]
BAA career statistics
Legend | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | Games played | FG% | Field-goal percentage | ||
FT% | Free-throw percentage | APG | Assists per game | ||
PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular season
Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | APG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1946–47 | Washington | 58 | .273 | .730 | .5 | 8.4 |
1947–48 | Washington | 47 | .205 | .813 | .7 | 7.2 |
1948–49 | Baltimore | 29 | .253 | .768 | 1.1 | 4.6 |
1948–49 | Philadelphia | 13 | .292 | .875 | .9 | 2.7 |
Career | 147 | .246 | .771 | .7 | 6.8 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | APG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1947 | Washington | 6 | .160 | .684 | .8 | 6.5 |
1949 | Philadelphia | 2 | .000 | .000 | 1.0 | .0 |
Career | 8 | .155 | .684 | .9 | 4.9 |
References
- ^ Entry at Jews in Sports. Retrieved on August 26, 2008.
- ^ a b Irving Torgoff, 75, a Star Player In Early Days of Pro Basketball. Retrieved on August 26, 2008.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- 1917 births
- 1993 deaths
- All-American college men's basketball players
- Baltimore Bullets (1944–1954) players
- Basketball players from New York City
- Detroit Eagles players
- Jewish men's basketball players
- LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds men's basketball players
- Philadelphia Sphas players
- Philadelphia Warriors players
- Sportspeople from Brooklyn
- Washington Capitols players
- Samuel J. Tilden High School alumni
- American men's basketball players
- Forwards (basketball)