Team History: Long Beach Flying Wheels

Sports Biography:

Pioneer in early wheelchair basketball. Helped write the 1st set of rules for the first PVA teams playing out of Veterans Administrtation Hospitals in 1946. Was first Coach & Manager of the Birmingham VA (Ca) Team, that went on to become the “Flying Wheels”. Bob was the driving force that helped stimulate the interest in wheelchair basketball by organizing the early “barnstorming” tours of the Flying Wheels around the US. These tours helped develop other teams in Veterans Aministration Centers across the county and also helped develop the early “hometown teams” that started after World War II. Through his efforts, many sports for disabled veterans were adapted, including bowling, swimming, & archery.