Ed Wachter
From Hoopedia
Edward A. Wachter (June 30, 1883 – March 12, 1966) was one of the first professional basketball players. The 6'1" Wachter is widely regarded as the greatest center of the 1910s.
Although he never played ball in high school or college, Wachter was a dominant pro player from 1899 to 1924. Wachter consistently led his pro leagues in scoring and participated on more championship teams than anyone in his generation.
He played for Haverhill, leading them to the 1905 New England Basketball Association playoff finals, where they lost to Natick, 5 games to 2.
Wachter's greatest contributions came as a player with the Troy Trojans of the New York State League (NYSL). That team began in 1905 as the National Guard Company E team of Schenectady, New York. The Trojans developed many innovations that encompassed passing, fast-breaking offense and man-to-man defense. The Trojans were one of the early dynasties, capturing four NYSL titles.
In 1908 Wachter played on the Company G squad (Gloversville, New York) that beat the fabled Buffalo Germans twice in one day, by scores of 51-33 and 56-13. This double whammy for the Germans occurred just a few weeks before the start of their 111-game winning streak.
After retiring from playing, Wachter spent a quarter-century coaching basketball at five different colleges: Albany State (1915-16), Rensselaer Tech (1915), Williams (1916-19), Harvard (1920-33) and Lafayette (1936-38).
Ed Wachter was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as player in 1961.
