Centers (basketball)

George Wallace Chestnut (September 27, 1911 – September 18, 1983) was an American professional basketball player. He played for the Indianapolis Kautskys for seven seasons; during his tenure, the Kautskys were an independent team, as well as member of the Midwest Basketball Conference, before it became the National Basketball League. During his professional career, he averaged 6.2 points per game, unfortunately, the records are incomplete.In college, Chestnut lettered in football, basketball, and baseball for Indiana State University. He served in the United States Army during World War II for approximately 15 months.

Nicholas S. Hashu (February 1, 1917 – April 28, 2012) was an American professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball League for the Hammond Ciesar All-Americans and Chicago American Gears. He averaged 2.2 points per game.

Milton W. Schoon (February 25, 1922 – January 18, 2015) was an American professional basketball player.
A 6-foot-7, 230-pound center, Schoon began his college career at Tri-State College (now Trine University) during the 1941–42 season before going on to play at Valparaiso University during the 1940s, gaining fame for his ability to defend top-ranked player George Mikan of DePaul University. Schoon then played professionally in the BAA, NBL, NBA, and NPBL as a member of the Anderson Packers, Detroit Falcons, Flint Dow Chemicals, Sheboygan Redskins and Denver Refiners.
Schoon was the last full-time player surviving from the Sheboygan Red Skins' 1949-50 NBA team. He platooned with Noble Jorgensen at center and played in all 62 games for the Red Skins that season, averaging eight points and shooting a team-best 41 percent from the field. Sheboygan's greatest conquests that season were victories over the New York Knicks, Rochester Royals, Syracuse Nationals and Minneapolis Lakers at the Sheboygan Auditorium and Armory. The Red Skins advanced to the NBA playoffs where they nearly eliminated the Western Division champion Indianapolis Olympians in a best-of-three series.
With the NPBL's Denver Frontier-Refiners in 1951, Schoon scored 363 points in 31 games, an 11.7 point average. He set a professional basketball scoring record with 64 points in a 99–72 victory over the Kansas City Hi-Spots on Jan. 21, 1951, at the Denver Auditorium. That record is currently held by Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 100 points in a 1962 NBA game.
The Frontier-Refiners compiled an 18–16 record, but the team moved to Evansville late in the season and Schoon's professional career ended.
Schoon was elected to the Valparaiso Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000.
Schoon died on January 18, 2015, in his home in Janesville, Wisconsin.

Donald Lewis Elser (August 4, 1913 – October 18, 1968) was an American professional basketball and football player. He played in the National Basketball League for the Toledo Jim White Chevrolets during the 1941–42 season and averaged 4.5 points per game. Elser also played for the Boston Shamrocks in the American Football League (sometimes known as "AFL II"). While at Notre Dame, Elser was selected to play in the 1936 Chicago College All-Star Game.Elser was also a standout track and field athlete in college. He finished in second place (behind Olympian Jesse Owens) in the 220-yard low hurdles at the 1936 NCAA Track and Field Championships. He also finished fifth in the shot put, earning All-American status in both events.

John Frederick "Jake" Townsend Sr. (September 20, 1916 – December 4, 2001) was an American basketball forward and center. He was an All-Big Ten player for the University of Michigan from 1935 to 1938. In 1938, he was named an All-American. He later played professional basketball for the Indianapolis Kautskys, Oshkosh All-Stars and Rochester Royals.

William J. Perigo (September 17, 1911 – February 7, 1990) was an American basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for Western Michigan University from 1931 to 1934 and professional basketball for the Indianapolis Kautskys from 1934 to 1936. Perigo also worked as a basketball coach for more than 25 years. He was the basketball coach at Benton Harbor High School for 13 years and led the team to the Michigan Class A state championship in 1941. He was the head basketball coach at Western Michigan University (1949–1952) and the University of Michigan (1952–1960). In 1983, he was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame.

Wilmer Frederick Hosket (born December 20, 1946) is an American former professional basketball player. He played five seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and played college basketball for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
A 6'8" power forward/center, Hosket played basketball at Belmont High School in Dayton, Ohio, where he won an Ohio state championship in 1964. He was named Ohio Player of the Year and was also MVP of the state tournament.He played college basketball at the Ohio State University from 1965 to 1968. He led his Ohio State team in scoring and rebounding during each of his three varsity seasons and was named to three All Big Ten Conference Academic First Teams. In fall 1968, he competed at the Summer Olympics, winning a gold medal with the United States national basketball team.Hosket then played four seasons (1968–1972) in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Buffalo Braves and New York Knicks. He averaged 4.0 points per game in his career and won a league championship with the Knicks in 1970.After retiring as a player, Hosket served on three United States Olympic Basketball Committees. He also founded Buckeye Basketball Camp (not officially affiliated with Ohio State University) in his home state of Ohio.In 1998, Hosket was named as the President of the OHSAA Foundation and served as the foundation's first executive director. He is a principal at Hosket & Ulen, an independent insurance agency. Hosket and his wife, Patty, have three grown sons (all graduates of Ohio State) and reside in Columbus.Hosket's father, Bill Hosket, Sr., and his son, Brad Hosket, also played basketball at Ohio State.Hosket is a member of the Ohio State Hall of Fame and was named in 1993 to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Silver Anniversary team. He was honored in 2002 by the Ohio High School Athletic Association with its highest honor – the Ethics and Integrity Award. In 2006, he was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame.

Thomas William Owens (born June 28, 1949) is an American retired professional basketball player.