Joe Berger
Berger played professional basketball in the late 1910s and early 1920s in the Pennsylvania State League.
Birth and Death Dates:
unknown
Career Highlights:
In the 1910s and 1920s, the Pennsylvania State League was one of a handful of struggling professional leagues in the United States, most of which were located in the East. The league began in 1915 when only three other regional league existed, the Eastern League, the New York State League, and the Interstate League.
Berger played a number of seasons in the Pennsylvania League and was among the top ten in scoring in two seasons. In 1917-18, while playing for the Plymouth Shawnees, he finished third in the league with 6.6 points per game (277 points in 42 games), and added 12 assists. During the season, which was divided into two halves, the Shawnees finished third during the first half of the season (18-10), but dropped to fifth during the second half (7-12), and did not make the playoffs.
The league suspended operations in 1918-19 due to World War I. They played again the following year, but Plymouth finished in last place in both halves of the season and had a combined 9-39 record. In 1920-21, Berger played for both Plymouth and Scranton and finished as the league's second leading scorer with a 7.6 points per game average (259 points in 34 games), while registering 42 assists, the most among the league's top ten scorers. It is unclear which team Berger finished the season with, but Scranton won the league championship while Plymouth finished in last place.
Origin:
unknown