In Memoriam: John "Brooms" Abramovic, Jr.
Barry Marjanovich
August 2, 2000
ETNA, PA - It is with deep sorrow that I report the sudden death of our
oldest of four brothers, John "Brooms" Abramovic, Jr., 81, on June 9,
2000 at Memorial Hospital-Ormond, FL. He was a lifelong member of
Guardian Angel Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge 4, Etna, PA.
In 1987, he came to Pittsburgh from Florida to be one of nine 50-year
members to be honored at a testimonial banquet held at the Etna Elks. At
the time of his death he had been a member for 63 years.
John moved to Ormond Beach with wife, Jessie, in 1981, after retiring
from his family business, Etna Broom and Mop Mfg. Co. which he owned and
operated with his brothers. He worked as a starter at Riverbend Golf
Club for a number of years.
John, or "Brooms" as everyone knew him, made a tremendous mark in the
basketball world. As a junior and senior at Salem College in WWII
(1942-1943), he led the entire nation in scoring. he averaged nearly 30
points per game, which is unheard of at that time. He made First Team
All-American in 1942 and 1943 and still holds the Salem College record
of most points in a game (57), and in the season (777). He was the first
player in college history to score 2,000 points in a career (2,170).
After spending three years in the Navy during World War II, he signed
and went on to play professional basketball for several teams in the
National Basketball League, and the Basketball Association of America.
These two leagues formed the National Basketball Association (NBA) the
year after "Brooms" retired. He was inducted into the West Virginia and
the Pennsylvania Sports Halls of Fame. In addition to his basketball
career, John played professional baseball and also was a avid golfer and
bowler during his lifetime. He was a also a high school and college
basketball referee. he was very involved in coaching, and raising his
two children.
He was a school board member for six years with the Mars, PA area school
district, and he was a partime scout for the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball
organization.
He is survived by his loving wife, Bessie; son, John III and
daughter-in-law, Cindy, Ormond Beach; daughter, Wendy and son-in-law,
David McFadden, Ormond Beach; stepdaughter, Jeanne Russell, Boyton
Beach; and four grandchildren, Andrew Erhman, Ormond Beach, Christie and
Jonathan IV Abramovic, Ormond Beach, and Ana Skultety of Boyton; three
brothers, William of Fort Lauderdale, FL and Joseph and Albert, both of
O'Hara Township, Pittsburgh, PA.
Memorial service was held at Ormond Funeral Home, with Chaplain Leslie
Azchin officiating.
Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association,
1101 N. Lake Destiny Rd., #415, Maitland, FL 32751-7105.
"Brooms," rest in Peace. We all love you and miss you.
Albert Abramovic
Brother
Barry Marjanovich
> August 2, 2000
>
> ETNA, PA - It is with deep sorrow that I report the sudden death of our
> oldest of four brothers, John "Brooms" Abramovic, Jr., 81, on June 9,
> 2000 at Memorial Hospital-Ormond, FL. He was a lifelong member of
> Guardian Angel Croatian Fraternal Union Lodge 4, Etna, PA.
(The following article appeared in the Butler Eagle on Sunday, May 9, 1999,
written by Bob Fetter, Eagle Sports Writer, which chronicles John "Brooms"
Abramovic's basketball career.)
With hockey, baseball, football and even soccer teams, Pittsburgh has its
share of pro sports franchises.
The missing piece? Pro basketball. Not since the Condors folded in 1972 has
the Steel City seen pro basketball.
But there was a very rich start to Pittsburgh's pro basketball history.
John Abramovic, an Etna native and longtime resident of Mars, played for the
Pittsburgh Ironmen in their only season of existence in America, averaging
11.2 points per game as a rookie. The BAA is considered the pioneer league
for today's NBA.
"It was quite a thrill to sign with my hometown team to play pro
basketball," Abramovic said. "Unfortunately, the owner, John Harris, decided
to fold after the first season. But it was truly a great experience."
Abramovic, now living in Ormond Beach, FL, started his basketball career at
Etna High School and became the first player in school history to play
varsity basketball as a freshman. He is now a part-time starter at the River
Bend Country Club in Ormond Beach.
He led the WPIAL in scoring his last three seasons and was selected
unanimously as a WPIAL all-star at center.
"When I graduated, I decided to work with my dad in the family business,"
Abramovic said. "I was there for about two years before I decided to take
advantage of some other opportunities."
Brooms, as his teammates called him, decided to go to Salem WV College in
1939. His nickname came from the family business which manufactured brooms
and mops. The broom factory was in Glenshaw, while the Abramovics made their
mops in Mars.
At Salem, Abramovic became the first collegiate basketball player ever to
tally 2,000 points in a career, finishing with 2,170 points over his four
years. Brooms led the Tigers in scoring all four seasons as well.
He also set records for points in a season (777) and in a single game (57).
His 777 points in 1942 was good enough for a 29.9 per game average. That was
before the inception of a shot clock or the three-point line.
"Some people tell me that scoring 29.9 points per game then would be like
scoring 50 per game today," Abramovic said. "It's something to look back to
see what you did. It didn't seem like much then, but now it's pretty
special."
In 1942, Abramovic was named the outstanding amateur athlete in West
Virginia and a year later was named to the All-American team.
Brooms has since been named to the Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and
Salem College halls of fame.
After graduating in 1943, Abramovic signed with the Ironmen. A 15-45 ledger
led to the folding of the franchise.
Brooms was playing for an appropriately named team when he took a hard fall
in game and played three games with a broken hand.
The 6-foot-3 forward then played nine games with the St. Louis-Baltimore
Bombers before winding up his career with the Syracuse Nationals in the
National Basketball League.
"We played then because we loved the game so much," Abramovic said. "We
weren't concerned with big contracts or anything like that. We just loved to
play."
Abramovic, 80, is not an avid fan of the game as it is now played. He is
disheartened by the changes that have taken the emphasis away from defense.
"When I was playing, we took pride in our defense," Abramovic said. "Now a
lot of the science and teamwork of the game is gone."
Changes such as the 24-second shot clock and blown travel calls have made it
tough for Abramovic to keep interest in today's pro game.
"The biggest problem in the NBA is the inconsistency of the officiating,"
Abramovic said. "The league is allowing too many travels, handchecks, and
charges. It wasn't a racehorse game when I played.
"We took pride in running set play with precision," Abramovic added. 'Now
the game is more about athleticism than skill. The shot clock turned the
focus to scoring and that was the start of the downfall of basketball."
Brooms is in the process of battling with the NBA for pension. The program
for the pioneers of the NBA called for a five-year program. Abramovic is
five months shy of the requirement.
"I don't really have any hard feelings, but I think we're losing out because
of a technicality," Abramovic said. "Hopefully the situation will straighten
itself out."
Tony
Barry Marjanovich <bmarja...@iprimus.ca> wrote:
Hvala Bogu, jedan od njihovih manje,
Tony
--
"Usenet is like a herd of performing elephants with diarrhea -- massive,
difficult to redirect, awe-inspiring, entertaining, and a source of mind
boggling amounts of excrement when you least expect it."
-Gene Spafford, 1992
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.