Fred Scolari
Encyclopedia
Fred J. Scolari was an American
professional basketball
player. At 5'10", he played the guard position.
Though he was blind in one eye, deaf in one ear, and often overweight, Scolari excelled in basketball at Galileo High School and the University of San Francisco
. In 1946, he joined the Washington Capitols
of the Basketball Association of America (now the NBA
), and he went on to have a nine-year (1946–1955) professional career with the Capitols, Syracuse Nationals
, Baltimore Bullets, Fort Wayne Pistons
, and Boston Celtics
. Scolari became known for his unorthodox, yet effective, shooting style, in which he released the ball from his hip. He was also a well-regarded defender, and he received All-BAA honors in 1947 and 1948.
After his basketball career ended, Scolari became a successful insurance
salesman. He later served as director of the Salesian
Boys and Girls Club in San Francisco
. In 1998, he was elected to the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. At 5'10", he played the guard position.
Though he was blind in one eye, deaf in one ear, and often overweight, Scolari excelled in basketball at Galileo High School and the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
. In 1946, he joined the Washington Capitols
Washington Capitols
The Washington Capitols were a charter Basketball Association of America team based in Washington, D.C. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach....
of the Basketball Association of America (now the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
), and he went on to have a nine-year (1946–1955) professional career with the Capitols, Syracuse Nationals
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
, Baltimore Bullets, Fort Wayne Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
, and Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. Scolari became known for his unorthodox, yet effective, shooting style, in which he released the ball from his hip. He was also a well-regarded defender, and he received All-BAA honors in 1947 and 1948.
After his basketball career ended, Scolari became a successful insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
salesman. He later served as director of the Salesian
Salesians of Don Bosco
The Salesians of Don Bosco is a Roman Catholic religious order founded in the late nineteenth century by Saint John Bosco in an attempt, through works of charity, to care for the young and poor children of the industrial revolution...
Boys and Girls Club in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
. In 1998, he was elected to the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.
External links
- Career statistics
- Obituary from San Francisco ChronicleSan Francisco Chroniclethumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...