Bill Spiegel
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Inducted in 1998
Bill Spiegel
Bill Spiegel, in the Golden Age of New York City high school hoops, the Big Apple was a fruit of a quartet of coaches that ruled the roost. Bill Spiegel, a giant at Benjamin Franklin H.S., took his rightful place alongside the previously inducted trio of Al Badain ("Hall" entrant 1995), Mickey Fisher (994), and Jammy Moskowitz (1993). This mild-mannered, super teacher and coach won no less than four PSAL (Public School Athletic League) championships, and the only question is which was his best team? Was it his back-to-back PSAL titlists in 1940 and 1941 featuring NYC "Hall of Fame" inductee Bobby Wanzer and Sonny Woods? Or the Pop Gates-Claude
"Red" Philips contingent who initiated Spiegel's monumental streak of 72 out of 73 wins from 1937 through 1946? Or was it the beautifully balanced 1946 PSAL championship aggregate of Rabbit Walthour, Zeke Sinacola, Floyd Lane, and Harold Hill? Carl Green, one of the best rebounders for his 6-4 1/2 frame who ever stepped on a court, thinks it might be his 1951-53 group that steamrolled the PSAL with the likes of Bobby Verb, Rudy Mims, and Larry Taylor. Have it your way, they all were good. Very good! Some other Bill Spiegel products who come to mind were Earl Manigault, Charlie Hoxie, Buddy Thompson, Wily Wilson, Senator Joe Galiber, Eddie Younger, Henry Booker, Sylvester Blye, and Larry Newbold.
Like most coaches with great talent, they rarely get the credit they deserve while still active, but Spiegel was not only a high-octane winner but a true innovator as well. The chair or "Cone Drills’ “so prevalent among today's hoop teachers, were literally invented by Spiegel in the mid-forties. Skywalker Green had this to say: "He taught me to play in one year! I must've driven by that darn chair over 500 times a day, But the constant drilling and repetition developed my drive and handle. We practiced hard! We all loved him! Coach Spiegel was the best!"
Rodney Dangerfleld (top row far right) got loads of respect as manager of Benjamin Franklin's 1935-36 Public School terrors. Head Coach Bill Spiegel stands top row far left while *Pop* Gates, voted the greatest player in Franklin history and 1990 N.V.C. Hall of Fame Inductee, is holding the basketball. Claude "Red" Philips (top row third from right was inducted Into the "Hall' in 1994. Other luminaries In this fabled photo are Ollie Edinboro (seated far left, Will Mumford (seated second from left, and Dave Lewis (seated third from right).
"Red" Philips contingent who initiated Spiegel's monumental streak of 72 out of 73 wins from 1937 through 1946? Or was it the beautifully balanced 1946 PSAL championship aggregate of Rabbit Walthour, Zeke Sinacola, Floyd Lane, and Harold Hill? Carl Green, one of the best rebounders for his 6-4 1/2 frame who ever stepped on a court, thinks it might be his 1951-53 group that steamrolled the PSAL with the likes of Bobby Verb, Rudy Mims, and Larry Taylor. Have it your way, they all were good. Very good! Some other Bill Spiegel products who come to mind were Earl Manigault, Charlie Hoxie, Buddy Thompson, Wily Wilson, Senator Joe Galiber, Eddie Younger, Henry Booker, Sylvester Blye, and Larry Newbold.
Like most coaches with great talent, they rarely get the credit they deserve while still active, but Spiegel was not only a high-octane winner but a true innovator as well. The chair or "Cone Drills’ “so prevalent among today's hoop teachers, were literally invented by Spiegel in the mid-forties. Skywalker Green had this to say: "He taught me to play in one year! I must've driven by that darn chair over 500 times a day, But the constant drilling and repetition developed my drive and handle. We practiced hard! We all loved him! Coach Spiegel was the best!"
Rodney Dangerfleld (top row far right) got loads of respect as manager of Benjamin Franklin's 1935-36 Public School terrors. Head Coach Bill Spiegel stands top row far left while *Pop* Gates, voted the greatest player in Franklin history and 1990 N.V.C. Hall of Fame Inductee, is holding the basketball. Claude "Red" Philips (top row third from right was inducted Into the "Hall' in 1994. Other luminaries In this fabled photo are Ollie Edinboro (seated far left, Will Mumford (seated second from left, and Dave Lewis (seated third from right).