Each new inductee to the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame is asked to donate an item, a symbol of his/her sports career, which will be displayed at our museum at Driver's Village in North Syracuse. The item given in honor of Dave Brodsky was a silver basketball trophy from one of the most unusual hoops teams in the history of Syracuse athletics. It was the trophy presented to Dave Brodsky's Central High School basketball team upon winning the New York-New England championship in 1921 at Glens Falls.

Engraved on the shiny orb are the names of the players: Davis, P. Butterfield, F. Butterfield, Seyboldt, Houser, a guy named V. Hanson. and D. Brodsky, Captain. The team manager, H. Markowitz and F. Jibson were also immortalized on the ball as was C. Alverson, Central's principal. Did the person who gave the list of names to the trophy engraver know that Dave Brodsky and Victor Hanson would remain lifelong friends? Did he know that Dave and Harry Markowitz would also be pals for life? If only trophies could talk! Even with dents and dings, this silver basketball resembles the men whose names are engraved on it. The trophy and the team have character.

Brodsky is considered the father of scholastic basketball in Syracuse because it was his idea that Central establish a basketball team in 1921. That was the first public high school team in Syracuse. Brodsky was captain and starting guard for the 1921 and 1922 squads that won back-to-back state titles. In his senior year, he was named all-state guard.

Brodsky went on to play for Syracuse University. He captained his freshman team in 1922 and played two more years of varsity ball, including Coach Lew Andreas' first Orange squad. Brodsky graduated in 1924 and entered SU's Law School. In 1927 he began a 13-year career as basketball coach at his alma mater, Central High. During that stretch his teams won 11 city championships and two state titles. From 1940 to 1951, he was an outstanding official in the County High School League.

Brodsky won 13 letters at Central in football, basketball and baseball. Brodsky enjoyed a highly successful business career in the insurance business as president of Brodsky Insurance. He also active in Temple Society of Concord, a member of Lafayette Country Club and a Director of the Jewish Home of Central New York.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1927: Began coaching at Central Tech

1979: Inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame