Stanley John Stutz (né Modzelewski; April 14, 1920 – October 28, 1975) was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Rhode Island Rams where he was known as Stanley "Stutz" Modzelewski. Stutz played professionally in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) for the Baltimore Bullets and New York Knicks.
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 14, 1920 Worcester, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | October 28, 1975 (aged 55) New Rochelle, New York, U.S. |
| Listed height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Listed weight | 170 lb (77 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Classical (Worcester, Massachusetts) |
| College | Rhode Island (1938–1942) |
| Playing career | 1943–1949 |
| Position | Guard / forward |
| Number | 7, 5 |
| Career history | |
| 1943–1944 | New York Americans |
| 1944–1946 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1946–1948 | New York Knicks |
| 1948–1949 | Baltimore Bullets |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at NBA.com | |
| Stats at Basketball Reference | |
Early life
editStutz was born Stanley Modzelewski to a poor Polish family.[1] He received the nickname "Stutz" as a child when he admired a friend's Stutz car.[1][2] Modzelewski was raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, and started playing basketball in the fourth grade.[1] He was taught how to play by former football player Archie Golembeski and was childhood friends with fellow basketball player Chet Jaworski.[1] Modzelewski attended Classical High School in Worcester.[1]
Basketball career
editStutz was known as Stanley "Stutz" Modzelewski when he played for the Rhode Island Rams.[2] He led the NCAA in scoring for three consecutive years from 1940 to 1942. He changed his surname to Stutz after he graduated in 1942.[3]
Stutz then played three seasons (1946–1949) in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) as a member of the New York Knicks and Baltimore Bullets. He averaged 7.1 points per game in his BAA career.[4]
Later life
editStutz later coached the Washington Tapers of the American Basketball League.[5] Stutz quit playing in 1949, but in 1950 returned to the court as a referee in the NBA, staying until 1959. He went into the corporate world, becoming a vice-president at Tucl Cellophane Tape in New York City.
Stutz was married and had three children.[6] He died on October 28, 1975.[6]
BAA career statistics
edit| 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
edit| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946–47 | New York | 60 | .268 | .782 | .8 | 8.0 |
| 1947–48 | New York | 47 | .218 | .837 | 1.2 | 7.0 |
| 1948–49 | Baltimore | 59 | .281 | .824 | 1.4 | 6.3 |
| Career | 166 | .256 | .813 | 1.1 | 7.1 | |
Playoffs
edit| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | New York | 5 | .277 | .875 | 1.4 | 16.8 |
| 1948 | New York | 3 | .273 | .818 | .3 | 5.0 |
| 1949 | Baltimore | 3 | .200 | .500 | .0 | 1.7 |
| Career | 11 | .274 | .816 | .7 | 9.5 | |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Watterson, Jimmy (January 10, 1942). "The Sports Docket". The Day. p. 12. Retrieved October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b King, Bill (February 11, 1942). "Modzelewski Is New King In Collegiate Hoop Ranks". Burlington Daily News. p. 6. Retrieved October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Reveal Two R. I. Players Played Pro-Basketball". Sun-Journal. January 21, 1943. p. 2. Retrieved October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Stan Stutz. basketball-reference.com
- ^ Association for Professional Basketball Research American Basketball League page
- ^ a b "STUTZ, Stanley J." The Standard-Star. October 30, 1975. p. 14. Retrieved October 30, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
edit- Career statistics from NBA.com and Basketball Reference
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