Monte Irvin was one of Jersey's all-time great athletes. He was all-state in football, basketball, and baseball, and set the state record in the javelin. He went on to star in the Negro Baseball Leagues, and was considered a strong candidate to be the first black player to break the "color line" to major league baseball. Monte and Swede guarded each other in a high school basketball game 75 years ago...the details of which Monte remembered astonishingly well. Monte Irvin is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Bob Davies was a two time all-American at Seton Hall University, playing for a team that would win 43 straight games. At the same time, Swede's Panzer College team won 44 in a row. Unfortunately, the two teams, perhaps 5 miles apart, never met in a regulation game. But they did have a scrimmage game, and Panzer, with Swede guarding Davies, reportedly had the upper hand. Bob Davies went on to star in professional basketball; he was all-pro for many years. A true original, he was the first player to master the art of dribbling and passing behind his back and between his legs. He is in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame.
Al Blozis was truly one of a kind. He was a giant for the times, at 6'6", 260 lbs. of muscle. He was all-pro for the New York Giants, and he was the best shot-putter in the world. Swede competed against the so-called "Human Howitzer" in the prestigious Penn Relays track meet in Philadelphia, and won the silver medal behind Bloziz's gold. Al Blozis was killed near the end of WWII. He is in the pro football Hall of Fame.
Three remarkable athletes, all in major Halls of Fame, totally original...and quite forgotten. Hopefully by discussing them in "SWEDE", people interested in sports will get a peek at these originals. Swede was very proud to have competed directly against them
