Junior Church Basketball League
Mr. Joseph “Joedy” Gardner of Peoria, Arizona recently shared with us this picture of the Bell Memorial Church 1946 Junior Church League basketball team. We know that there were multiple church basketball leagues that played at the Shelby Social Club on First Street, but we are not sure if the Junior Church League also played their games there.
Joedy Gardner is the young man in the front row, second from the left. The others in this picture are unidentified so if you recognize someone, please let us know and we will revise our post accordingly. Furthermore, if you have any pictures or memories of your own about the Junior Church League basketball league at the Shelby Social Club or elsewhere, please leave a comment below or email us at info@ellwoodcitymemories.com
I think I can identify some of them. Front row , next to Joedy, and third from the left is Joedy’s brother, Sonny Gardner. On the other side of Sonny I will take a guess and say Ernie Nagy. Top row on the left is Tom Clyde and next to him is Bill Snear. Some of the others I recognize but can not put a name to.