Bobb, Nelson 'Nitzy' : Jews In Sports @ Virtual Museum

Bobb, Nelson 'Nitzy'

Bobb was a star at Temple University before turning pro and playing four seasons in the NBA with the Philadelphia Warriors. After his playing days, he became President and CEO of the American Creditors Life Insurance Company.

In Neil Isaacs' Vintage NBA: The Pioneer Era, 1946-1956, Bobb said that during his NBA career, "...the game was in a transitional era, from the set shot to the jump shot, and I never learned to shoot the jumper...Eddie Gottlieb was the coach and the owner [of the Warriors]...he always seemed comfortable with me, maybe because we were both Jewish...I was a marginal player for four years in the NBA...those were four of the best years of my life." Bobb is a member of the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame,

Birth and Death Dates:
b. Feb. 25, 1924

Career Highlights:
Born in West Philadelphia, a hotbed of basketball, Bobb played three seasons at Temple in the 1940s, and was the Owls' best scorer during his career. Following his freshman year, Bobb joined the U.S. Army Air Force as a bombadier and then returned to school after World War II. During his career with the Owls, Bobb set school records for most points, most field goals in a season, best season average, and most points in a career. He led the Owls to records of 11-11 in 1943, 12-11 in 1948, and 14-10 in 1949. A member of the Temple University Sports Hall of Fame, he was named Converse All-America honorable mention, first team All-Pennsylvania, and first team All-Philadelphia.

After he graduated from Temple, Bobb turned pro. He played for four years in the NBA for the Philadelphia Warriors, and helped the Warriors reach the playoffs in each of his first three seasons. The team lost in the playoffs to the Dolph Schayes-led Syracuse Nationals all three years, including in 1951 when the Warriors had finished first in the Eastern Division with a 40-26 record. Bobb retired from basketball after the 1952-53 season, having played in 227 career NBA games and averaging 4.6 points per game. Bobb also appeared in six playoff games for the Warriors.

Origin:
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Career Dates:
Bobb played guard at Temple University in 1942-43, and from 1947-49. He played guard in the NBA for the Philadelphia Warriors between 1949-1953.

Physical description:
6'0", 170 points

Career Statistics:
In the NBA:
Games: 227
Points: 1,052
Points Per Game: 4.6

Field Goals Made: 361
Field Goals Attempted: 1,030
Field Goal Percentage: .350

Free Throws Made: 330
Free Throws Attempted: 539
Free Throw Percentage: .612

Rebounds: 405
Rebounds Per Game: 2.4
Assists: 488
Assists Per Game: 2.1

Personal Fouls: 523
Disqualifications: 17

NBA playoffs:
Games: 6
Points: 6
Points Per Game: 1.0

Field Goals Made: 2
Field Goals Attempted: 6 Field Goal Percentage: .333

Free Throws Made: 2
Free Throws Attempted: 5
Free Throw Percentage: .400

Rebounds: 2
Rebounds Per Game 0.3
Assists: 4
Assists Per Game: 0.7

Personal Fouls: 9
Disqualifications: 0



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References:
Ronald Encyclopedia of Basketball, edited by William G. Mokray (Ronald Press: 1962)
encyclopedia of JEWS in sports, by Bernard Postal, Jesse Silver, and Roy Silver (New York: Bloch Publishing Co., 1965)
The Official NBA Encyclopedia: Third Edition, edited by Jan Hubbard (New York: Doubleday, 2000)
Vintage NBA: The Pioneer Era, 1946-1956, by Neil D. Isaacs
1949 Converse Basketball Yearbook, by the Converse Rubber Company (Malden, Massachusetts, 1949)