Lefft, Hy

Harold Lefft

Lefft was a member of the NYU (New York University) basketball team in 1930 and 1931, and was a third team All-Metropolitan selection by Hall of Fame coach Nat Holman in 1930. Hy's younger brother Joe Lefft played at NYU a couple of seasons after Hy.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. March 10, 1911 - d. Jan. 1971

Career Highlights:
Lefft first joined the NYU varsity as a sophomore in 1929, but it was as a junior in 1930 that he made an impact. That year, led by seniors George Newblatt and Charles Schuman, the Violets finished the season with a record of 13-3. All three of those players were named All-Metropolitan by CCNY (City College of New York) coach Nat Holman. Lefft was third team.

The following season, NYU suffered from the loss of Schuman and Newblatt, but nonetheless had a strong team. Prior to the season, the New York Evening Post wrote of Hy, "...he has not yet reached his peak and great feats are expected of him...is a more than competant floor man." In the middle of the season, however, Lefft was kicked off the squad when it was learned he had played with a semi-professional team. NYU, without Lefft, finished the season with a record of 9-6.

Following the 1931 season, 10 other players from NYU and St. John's, including some of the best talent in the country, were also barred from college play because of their involvement with professional teams. The scandal caused all New York City schools to bar any player who participated in an organized game with professionals, whether the players had been paid or not.

Origin:
New York

Career Dates:
Lefft played center at NYU in 1930-31.

< Previous |  Next >