James Edison Picken (August 7, 1903 – April 2, 1975) was an early American professional basketball and minor league baseball player.[1][2] He was born in East Liverpool, Ohio but grew up in Collingswood, New Jersey.[2] Picken's basketball career during the 1920s and 1930s saw him spend time in the original American Basketball League, the Eastern Basketball League, and the Metropolitan Basketball League.[2][3] His younger brother, Eddie Picken, was also a professional basketball player.[4][5]

Jim Picken
Personal information
Born(1903-08-07)August 7, 1903
East Liverpool, Ohio, U.S.
DiedApril 2, 1975(1975-04-02) (aged 71)
Moorestown, New Jersey, U.S.
Listed height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Listed weight165 lb (75 kg)
Career information
High schoolCollingswood
(Collingswood, New Jersey)
CollegeDartmouth (1924–1927)
PositionForward
Career history
As player:
1927–1928Albany Senators
1927–1929Hudson
1928–1929Paterson Whirlwinds
1928–1930Bristol Endees
1931–1932Bridgeton Moose
1932–1933Paterson Continentals
1932–1933Bridgeton Gems
1932–1933Philadelphia WPEN
1933–1934Camden Brewers
1934–1935Camden
1937–1938Elizabeth
As coach:
1927–1931Troy HS
1931–1940Audubon HS
1941–19??Clifford Scott HS
Career highlights and awards
As player:
  • First-team All-EIBL (1927)

Picken attended Collingswood High School and then Dartmouth College, where he lettered in football, soccer, basketball, and baseball.[2] Immediately after college he played for the Easton Farmers in the Eastern Shore League during the 1927 season, but quit after one year.[2] He had only managed a .196 batting average in 51 at bats,[1] so he decided to focus on playing professional basketball as well as becoming a schoolteacher.[2] Over the years he coached high school football, basketball, and baseball at various high schools in New York and New Jersey.[2] While coaching Audubon High School's football team, he won three conference championships in nine years.[2]

A resident of Moorestown, New Jersey,[6] Picken died there on April 2, 1975.[2]

References

edit
General
  • Courier-Post (Cherry Hill, New Jersey), April 4, 1975. Retrieved on August 8, 2019.
  • The Record (Troy, New York), April 9, 1975. Retrieved on August 8, 2019.
Specific
  1. ^ a b "James Picken minor league stats". baseball-reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Jim Picken". Peach Basket Society. December 14, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  3. ^ "Jim Picken". Pro Basketball Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  4. ^ "1931–32 Camden roster". Pro Basketball Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  5. ^ "Eddie Picken". Pro Basketball Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  6. ^ Frambes, Doug. "Jimmy Picken, Ex-Star and Coach, Back in S.J. to Stay", Courier-Post, October 20, 1971. Accessed August 9, 2019. "Living in happy retirement in a beautiful new home in colonial Moorestown is a gentleman who belies the immortal words of author Thomas Wolfe."