Tom Barlow
From Hoopedia
Thomas B. Barlow (born July 9, 1896 in Trenton, New Jersey, died September 26, 1983) was one of the first professional career basketball players in the United States. At a towering 6'1", 200 lbs., Barlow earned nicknames such as "Babe" and "Caveman"; he was also called "Tom."
From 1912 to 1932 Barlow was one of the toughest and best-known basketball players on the East Coast. He was known as an aggressive player who sometimes got into fights, which were not uncommon in those days.
He started his career with the Trenton Tigers of the old Eastern Basket Ball League, joining the squad as a 16 year-old in 1912. In 1921 he signed a contract with Eddie Gottlieb to join the Philadelphia SPHAs, with whom he played until 1926. It is interesting to note that Gottlieb had no problem with signing Barlow, a Roman Catholic, to play for the South Philadelphia Hebrew Association (SPHA) team.
Barlow continued playing for Gottlieb with the old Philadelphia Warriors in the American Basketball League from 1926 until his retirement in 1932. During his career he also played for almost a dozen other pro teams, sometimes playing for two or three simultaneously during a given season.
In January 1926 Barlow and the SPHAs traveled to New York to play the Original Celtics in the inaugural ABL game at the newl-opened Madison Square Garden. The SPHAs prevailed, 26-25.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1981.
