Pre LL top players 1920-1972
Ed note: This list was compiled the Jerry Shenk. Jerry compiles our top teams lists for PIAA teams and for District 3 for LLhoops.com. He was the founder of the Middle Atlantic Sports Newsletter. His ranking have been cited by major news outlets in the US. Jerry is working on writing a book for Lancaster County hoops which will be relased sometime soon. Thanks to Jerry for keeping us informs on the past and the present! Enjoy.
COUNTY’S TOP PLAYERS
1920 to 1972
These players were basically picked by the author, since there were not that many people I could talk to about them. In the early years it just took a lot of searching through microfilm almost daily during the season. There were really no all-star teams in the newspapers before 1955. But there was usually a list of top scorers for league games, although not during the war years of the 1940’s. I did get to talk to a couple of old timers, but most players picked before the 1950’s were outstanding players on outstanding teams. After that we would go with players who either led their teams to great success or had big careers for two or three years. No one made the list based on one great year alone after the real early years. No Lancaster High or Lancaster Catholic players were named on the list although we did use two Boys’ High coaches on the coach’s list.
1920 – 1930
Johnny Fassnacht, Lititz
Irvin Kenner, Rothsville
Homer Hackman, Lititz
Arthur Herr, Millersville
Jack Wilson, Columbia
Warren Gockley, Ephrata
Wilmer Conrad, Rothsville
Amos Funk, Manor Township
Paul Shiffer, Elizabethtown
1931 – 1940
Lloyd Witmer, West Lampeter
Bernard “Yock” McPeak, Columbia
Raymond Mellinger, Rothsville
Donald Hampton, Quarryville
Wilbur Wagaman, Lititz
Clarence Aungst, New Holland
Leon Stewart, Marietta
Herbert Wagaman, Lititz
Lester Schriener, Lititz
Jay Weber, New Holland
David Walters, East Donegal
1941 – 1950
Lou Libhart, Marietta
Jack Acker, Paradise
Elmer Kreiser, Columbia
Jim Snavely, East Hempfield
Ed Mersky, New Holland
Walt Longenecker, East Hempfield
Don Haverstick, East Hempfield
Les Hawthorne, East Donegal
Casey Kraus, Marietta
Abert Goodling, Elizabethtown
Dick Sweigart, New Holland
Warren Piersol, New Holland
1951 – 1960
George McCue, Mount Joy
Gerald “Joey” Wilson, Mount Joy
Frank Chambers, East Lampeter
Aaron Denlinger, Paradise
Bob Wentzel – Manheim Township
Don Parmer, Upper Leacock
Don Esbenshade, East Lampeter
Bruce Wohnsiedler, East Lampeter
Jay Metzler, Mount Joy/Donegal
Charlie Ashenfelter, Mount Joy/Donegal
Ted Carey, Columbia
Lamar “Morrie” Kauffman, Columbia
Sonny Warfel, Manheim Township
Barry Ferick, Lampeter-Strasburg
Jerry Raifsnider, Columbia
John Betrone, Columbia
Sam Wenger, Paradise/Pequea Valley
Ed Harnly, Warwick Township (Rothsville)/Warwick
Hi Fitzgerald, Columbia
Marlin Wenger, Paradise/Pequea Valley
Joe “Buddy” Keemer, Lampeter-Strasburg
Dick Rineer, Lampeter-Strasburg
Cy Young, Columbia
John Diebert, Penn Manor
Danny Monk, Columbia
Ken Haverstick, Columbia
Chris Lefever, Lampeter-Strasburg
Herb Witmer, Lampeter-Strasburg
1961 – 1972
Jack Lynch, Columbia
Tim Wisler, Hempfield
Joe Carl, Warwick
Chip Beaston, Columbia
Ray Wenger, Conestoga Valley
Jack Rice, Donegal
Jerome Ellis, Columbia
Ron Smith, Columbia
Bob Rivard, Hempfield
Chuck Wolf, Conestoga Valley
Albert Ellis, Columbia
Dick Beppler, Penn Manor
Dick Allen, Conestoga Valley
Tom Hollinger, Manheim Township
Jay Bucher, Ephrata
Dick Mulligan, Warwick
Bob McCowin, Donegal
Denny Diehm, Lampeter-Strasburg
Terry Parks, Elizabethtown
Jim Flores, Ephrata
Lennie Stachitas, Penn Manor
Wally Walker, Penn Manor
Randy Good, Lampeter-Strasburg –
