Hazleton Hawks
Founded	1955
League	EPBL Continental Basketball Association The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...  1955-1962
Arena	St. Joseph's High School (1955-1962)
Team History	Hazleton Professionals 1955-1956 Hazleton Hawks 1956-1962by
Championships	None
Division Titles	None
Head Coach	unknown

The Hazleton Hawks were a professional basketball franchise in the Eastern Professional Basketball League

Continental Basketball Association

The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...

. The Hawks, based in Hazleton, Pennsylvania

Hazleton, Pennsylvania

Hazleton is a city in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census, an increase of 8.6% from the 2000 census count .-Greater Hazleton:...

, joined the league in 1955, playing as the "Hazleton Professionals"; they were named the "Hawks" in their second season in the league.

In the team's first season, the franchise went through several different lineups and two coaching changes, but later made the playoffs by signing several players who had been part of the college point-shaving scandals, including Sherman White

Sherman White (basketball)

Sherman White was an American college basketball player at Long Island University who is best remembered for being indicted in a point shaving scandal that resulted in him being stripped of numerous honors and awards, having to serve an 8-month jail sentence, and being prohibited from ever...

 of Long Island University

Long Island University

Long Island University is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian institution of higher education in the U.S. state of New York.-History:...

, Bob McDonald of Toledo University, and Ed Warner

Ed Warner

Edward Emory "Ed" Warner was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played in with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He batted right-handed and threw left-handed.He was born in Fitchburg, Massachusetts and died in New York City....

 of CCNY. With that lineup, the team was able to reach the Eastern League finals in its first season - only to lose to the Wilkes-Barre Barons

Wilkes-Barre Barons

The Wilkes-Barre Barons were a legendary basketball team from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.The Barons played between 1933 and 1972 in different American leagues. The team won 11 titles during this time, and the most memorable are those were won while playing in the American Basketball League and the...

 in a best-of-three series.

By the team's second year of operation, the franchise was now known as the "Hawks," and became the first basketball team in an integrated professional league to have an all-black starting lineup, which included White, Tom Hemans of Niagara University

Niagara University

Niagara University is a Catholic university in the Vincentian tradition, located in the Town of Lewiston in Niagara County, New York. Originally founded by the Congregation of the Mission in 1856 as Our Lady of Angels Seminary, it became Niagara University in 1883. The University is still run by...

, Jesse Arnelle

Jesse Arnelle

Hugh Jesse Arnelle is a retired American basketball player and attorney.-Athletics:He played American football and basketball for Penn State University. He led the basketball team to the 1954 NCAA Final Four. He was named an All-American that season...

 from Penn State, Fletcher Johnson from Duquesne University

Duquesne University

Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...

, and Floyd Layne

Floyd Layne

Floyd Layne was a basketball player for CCNY who was implicated in the point shaving scandal that rocked college athletics in the 1950s. Layne was instrumental in the team that won the NIT and NCAA championship in 1950 for CCNY...

 of CCNY.

The 1957-58 season saw the Hawks finish with an 18-10 record, tying them for first place in the league with the Wilkes-Barre Barons

Wilkes-Barre Barons

The Wilkes-Barre Barons were a legendary basketball team from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.The Barons played between 1933 and 1972 in different American leagues. The team won 11 titles during this time, and the most memorable are those were won while playing in the American Basketball League and the...

 and Easton Madisons; after a three-way playoff, the Hawks were seeded third in the Eastern League playoffs, where the team eventually lost to the Madisons.

Among the notable basketball stars who played for the Hawks were John Chaney, later to become coach of Temple University

Temple University

Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...

's men's basketball team; and Jack Molinas

Jack Molinas

Jacob "Jack" L. Molinas was an American professional basketball player and one of the key figures in the point shaving scandal that almost destroyed NCAA basketball...

, who became a player-coach during the 1960-61 season.

The Hawks remained in the Eastern League until 1962, when after three consecutive losing seasons the franchise folded.

Hazleton Mountaineers, EPBL

Year	League	Record	Reg. Season	Playoffs
1954/55	EPBL	15-15	4th	Finals
1955/56	EPBL	11-15	5th	did not qualify
1956/57	EPBL	20-10	2nd	Finals
1957/58	EPBL	18-10	1st, tie	Semifinals
1958/59	EPBL	16-12	4th	Semifinals
1959/60	EPBL	9-18	7th	did not qualify
1960/61	EPBL	10-18	8th	did not qualify
1961/62	EPBL	4-21	8th	did not qualify