Historical Marker To Be Dedicated To A Philadelphia Basketball Pioneer
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- NBA representatives will be in town this week to help honor a Philadelphia basketball pioneer.
He was only five-foot eight, but he remains a towering figure in basketball.
Eddie Gottlieb founded and played for the champion South Philly Hebrew Association SPHAs and helped to establish the NBA in the 1940s, for years drawing up the league schedule by hand.
He owned and coached the Philadelphia Warriors.
The Hall-of-Famer, nicknamed "The Mogul," died in 1979. A historical marker recognizing his influence will be dedicated Wednesday, May 21, outside his alma mater at Broad and Snyder.
Historian Celeste Morello arranged for the marker.
"He wasn't born here. He was a native of the Ukraine. He went to South Philadelphia High School, that's where he was introduced to the sport of basketball."
Morello says the NBA helped to cover the cost of the marker.