Buddy Jeannette

Harry Edward "Buddy" Jeannette (September 15, 1917 in New Kensington, Pennsylvania – March 11, 1998 in Nashua, New Hampshire) was a former professional basketball player and coach.

Jeannette was widely regarded as the premier backcourt player between 1938 and 1948. He was named to the First Team of the NBL four times, and won titles with the NBL's Sheboygan Redskins (1943) and Fort Wayne Pistons (1944, 1945). Jeannette also won a title with the ABL's Baltimore Bullets in 1947.

Most of his playing career came prior to the formation of the modern NBA or its predecessor leagues; however Jeanette did serve three years as a player-coach for the original Baltimore Bullets of the Basketball Association of America. In the 1948 BAA playoffs, he became the first player-coach to win a professional championship. After his playing career ended, he coached the original Bullets for one more season. He then became the head coach at Georgetown University for four seasons.

Jeannette returned to the ranks of professional coaching to lead the modern Bullets twice, once for a full season and once as an interim coach. He later would coach the ABA's Pittsburgh Pipers.

In 1994, Jeannette was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Jeannette attended Washington and Jefferson College, in Washington, Pennsylvania.

External links

* [http://www.hoophall.com/halloffamers/Jeannette.htm Basketball Hall of Fame: Buddy Jeanette]