Many of the Max and Benny's customers have noticed the photos of the Marshall High School Junior basketball teams that are on a wall in the Back Room of the restaurant. These teams, coached by the legendary Lou Weintraub, dominated their Chicago Public League competition from 1939 through 1944. Our uncle, Jerry Schlan, who is now 88 and lives in South Florida, was a member of the 1939-40 team along with West Side basketball legends Whitey Siegel, Izzy Acker and Alex Eisenstein.
During that era, the Chicago Public Schools had two Leagues, a Junior League for boys who were 5'8" or under, and a Senior League for the bigger boys. The Marshall Juniors put together an amazing string of ninety-eight consecutive wins from 1939-1944, capturing four city championships along the way. This winning streak remains a national record, and the Marshall teams from those four seasons are now enshrined in the Chicago Public Schools, Illinois Basketball Coaches and the National Basketball Halls of Fame.
Lester Schlan and Richard Reeder
So, what do you know about a man named Bosco Levine???
ReplyDeleteI knew that Bosco coached at Marshall in the 1940s and 1950s. He was one of my gym teachers in Mather around 1961/62. I remember George Wilson and James Pitts visiting him at Mather. He knew my Uncle Jerry who was on the 1939-40 Marshall team.
ReplyDeleteRichard Reeder
i remember bosco and the day those esteemed gentlemen visited wow
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