Category:Allentown Jets
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The Allentown Jets were a minor league basketball team that played in the Eastern Professional Basketball League (EPBA) (later the Eastern Basketball Association and Continental Basketball Association) from 1958 to 1981. The team was one of the most dominant franchises in CBA/Eastern League history, winning eight playoff championships and 12 division titles.
The Jets began play during the 1958-59 EPBA season when Jim Burke, Bill Donlin, Dick Heller, Johnny Kimock and Clarence Trainer purchached the defunct Wilmington Jets EPBA franchise and moved it to Allentown. The Jets played their home games primarily in the 3,500 seat Rockne Hall of Allentown Central Catholic High School.
In its first season, the Jets finished in last place with a 6-22 record, but that quickly changed when the Jets obtained a working agreement with the NBA New York Knickerbockers. With that agreement in place, the Jets became a development team for the Knicks, with 27 New York players spending time with the Jets at the beginnings or ends of their careers.
The Jets won a total of eleven regular season championships - 1961 62, 63, 64, 68, 70, 72, 74, 76, 77 and 1980. In seven of those seasons, the Jets won both the regular season as well as playoff championships. Four Jet players won the EPBL/EBA most valuable player award. Roman Thurmon in 1962, Andy Johnson in 1964, Walt Simon in 1965 and Hawthorne Wingo in 1972. Many Jet players eventually found their way to playing in New York and Madison Square Garden. The Jets drew national attention when both them and the EBA were featured in a March 1971 Sports Illustrated article. The rival American Basketball Association (ABA) raided the EBA for talent starting in the 1967-68 season, drawing on more than a few Allentown Jets to sign and play in the new league. Jet players were also signed to new NBA teams when it expanded to 14 teams by 1970.
At least twice, the Jets played NBA teams in exhibitions. In April 1959, the Knicks beat the Jets 131-102, and in April 1961, the Boston Celtics beat the Jets 120-106. The 1976 United States Olympic Team played one of their final tune-up games against the Jets on July 9th, beating the Jets 122-103. The 1976 US Olympic Team went undefeated at the Montreal Olympics, winning the Gold Medal.
The end began during the 1978-79 season when the EBA changed its name to the Continental Basketball Association, and expanded with teams fro Maine to Allentown to Anchorage, Alaska, and eventually to Hawaii. The Jets had also changed their name to the Lehigh Valley Jets for the 1979-1980 season and moved to Northampton Community College for their home games. Although they did win the 1980 CBA championship, the changes lost their luster of the EBA and Rockne Hall teams. They dropped out of the CBA after the 1980-81 season, hoping to form a new league like the old EBA, but that never happened and the team went into history.
Media in category "Allentown Jets"
The following 157 files are in this category, out of 157 total.
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1958 - Allentown Jets - Program - 13 Dec - Allentown PA.jpg 2,206 × 3,000; 1.2 MB
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1958 - Allentown Jets - Program - 20 Dec - Allentown PA.jpg 2,195 × 3,000; 1.19 MB
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1958 - Allentown Jets - Program - 21 Nov - Allentown PA.jpg 2,187 × 3,000; 1.16 MB
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1958 - Allentown Jets - Program - 26 Dec - Allentown PA.jpg 2,187 × 3,000; 1.16 MB
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1958 - Allentown Jets - Program - 28 Nov - Allentown PA.jpg 2,171 × 3,000; 1.13 MB
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1959 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program 1 - Allentown PA.jpg 720 × 1,024; 177 KB
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1959 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program 2 - Allentown PA.jpg 726 × 1,024; 207 KB
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1960 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 779 × 1,024; 144 KB
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1960 - Allentown Jets- Basketball Program - Allentown PA.jpg 992 × 1,400; 238 KB
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1961 - Al Barden - Bob Nemeth - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,000 × 1,400; 248 KB
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1961 - Allentown Jets - Booster Sticker - Allentown PA.jpg 1,200 × 1,195; 246 KB
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1961 - Brendan McCann - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,000 × 1,400; 167 KB
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1961 - Gene Hudgins - Allentown Jets Basketball Program - Allentown PA.jpg 983 × 1,400; 127 KB
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1961 - Gene Huggins - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 983 × 1,400; 107 KB
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1962 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program 3 - Allentown PA.jpg 719 × 1,024; 191 KB
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1962 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 759 × 1,024; 155 KB
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1962 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program2 Allentown PA.jpg 756 × 1,024; 178 KB
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1962 - Allentown Jets Professional Basketball Team Photo Allentown PA.jpg 1,024 × 845; 171 KB
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1962 - Allentown Jets Program - Allentown PA.jpg 1,180 × 1,600; 542 KB
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1962 - Allentown Jets v Wilkes-Barre Program - 25 Jan - Allentown PA.jpg 928 × 1,400; 285 KB
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1962 - Season Schedule - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,400 × 1,078; 207 KB
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1962 - Team Photo - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 371 × 512; 53 KB
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1963 - Allentown Jets v Scranton Program - 7 Dec - Allentown PA.jpg 982 × 1,400; 273 KB
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1963 - Allentown Jets v Trenton Program - 13 Dec - Allentown PA.jpg 937 × 1,400; 327 KB
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1963 - Gbby Silo - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 965 × 1,400; 298 KB
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1963 - Hank Whitney - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 936 × 1,400; 288 KB
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1963 - Joe Roberts - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 973 × 1,400; 328 KB
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1963 - John Nacincik - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,008 × 1,400; 138 KB
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1963 - Season Schedule - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,978 × 1,400; 508 KB
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1964 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - Blue - Allentown PA.jpg 983 × 1,400; 226 KB
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1964 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - Purple - Allentown PA.jpg 935 × 1,400; 230 KB
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1964 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 750 × 1,024; 138 KB
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1964 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program2 Allentown PA.jpg 856 × 1,024; 126 KB
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1964 - Allentown Jets v Camden Program - 12 Dec - Allentown PA.jpg 959 × 1,400; 244 KB
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1964 - Allentown Jets v Trenton Program - 2 Nov - Allentown PA.jpg 945 × 1,400; 256 KB
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1964 - Allentown Jets vs Trenton Colonials - Program - Allentown PA.jpg 784 × 1,024; 157 KB
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1964 - Season Schedule - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 2,000 × 1,455; 508 KB
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1964 - Team Photo - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,008 × 1,400; 168 KB
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1964 - Team Photo - Allentown Jets Basketball Program - Allentown PA.jpg 997 × 1,400; 215 KB
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1965 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program 4 - Allentown PA.jpg 713 × 1,024; 146 KB
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1965 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program 5 - Allentown PA.jpg 717 × 1,024; 165 KB
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1965 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 746 × 1,024; 159 KB
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1965 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program2 Allentown PA.jpg 742 × 1,024; 110 KB
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1965 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program3 Allentown PA.jpg 805 × 1,024; 140 KB
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1965 - Hank Whitney - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 997 × 1,400; 135 KB
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1965 - John Nacincik - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,025 × 1,400; 114 KB
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1965 - Ken McIntyre - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,002 × 1,400; 112 KB
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1965 - Season Schedule - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 2,000 × 1,449; 504 KB
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1965 - Walt Simon - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,011 × 1,400; 165 KB
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1966 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - Allentown PA.jpg 947 × 1,400; 243 KB
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1966 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - Blue - Allentown PA.jpg 561 × 816; 140 KB
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1966 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 731 × 1,024; 140 KB
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1966 - Allentown Jets Championship Program - Allentown PA.jpg 1,133 × 1,487; 306 KB
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1966 - Allentown Jets Championship Program 2 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,176 × 1,510; 214 KB
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1966 - John Jones - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,039 × 1,400; 176 KB
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1967 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - 1 - Allentown PA.jpg 671 × 1,017; 145 KB
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1967 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - 2 - Allentown PA.jpg 686 × 997; 162 KB
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1967 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 750 × 1,024; 148 KB
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1967 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program2 Allentown PA.jpg 724 × 1,024; 143 KB
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1967 - Mike Riordan - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,030 × 1,400; 185 KB
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1967 - Team Photo - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,131 × 1,400; 166 KB
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1968 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 768 × 1,024; 207 KB
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1968 - Allentown Jets v Scranton Program - 13 Jan - Allentown PA.jpg 956 × 1,400; 233 KB
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1968 - Allentown Jets v Scranton Program - 16 Dec - Allentown PA.jpg 952 × 1,400; 252 KB
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1968 - Allentown Jets v Trenton - Program - 25 Nov - Allentown PA.jpg 970 × 1,400; 289 KB
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1968 - Team Photo - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,128 × 1,400; 161 KB
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1969 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - Allentown PA.jpg 1,039 × 1,400; 273 KB
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1969 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program 2 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,061 × 1,400; 255 KB
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1969 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 749 × 1,024; 141 KB
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1969 - Team Photo - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 983 × 1,400; 171 KB
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1970 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - 1 - Allentown PA.jpg 949 × 1,400; 268 KB
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1970 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - Allentown PA.jpg 949 × 1,400; 277 KB
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1970 - Allentown Jets v Wilmington - Program - 24 Jan - Allentown PA.jpg 962 × 1,400; 248 KB
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1971 - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,030 × 1,400; 222 KB
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1971 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - 1 - Allentown PA.jpg 957 × 1,400; 254 KB
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1971 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - Allentown PA.jpg 976 × 1,400; 268 KB
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1971 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program - 18 Dec - Allentown PA.jpg 992 × 1,400; 436 KB
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1971 - George Lehmann - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,030 × 1,400; 256 KB
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1971 - Greg Fillmore - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 982 × 1,380; 205 KB
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1971 - Hawthorne Wingo - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 950 × 1,400; 213 KB
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1971 - Johnny Mathis - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,160 × 1,600; 556 KB
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1971 - Ken Wilburn - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,030 × 1,400; 226 KB
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1971 - Milt Williams - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,030 × 1,400; 210 KB
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1971 - Pete LaMantia - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,030 × 1,400; 179 KB
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1972 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - 11 Mar - Allentown PA.jpg 1,028 × 1,400; 207 KB
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1972 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - 5 Nov - Allentown PA.jpg 1,028 × 1,400; 223 KB
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1972 - Allentown Jets - Game - Allentown PA.jpg 1,026 × 1,400; 355 KB
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1972 - Allentown Jets - Program - 15 Jan - Allentown PA.jpg 2,004 × 1,480; 557 KB
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1972 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program 2 - Allentown PA.jpg 981 × 1,400; 258 KB
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1972 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program 3 - Allentown PA.jpg 705 × 1,024; 167 KB
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1972 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 790 × 1,024; 112 KB
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1972 - Roster - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 369 × 512; 51 KB
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1972 - Youth Night Ticket - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,400 × 796; 153 KB
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1973 - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,800 × 1,428; 756 KB
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1973 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - 5 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,017 × 1,400; 176 KB
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1973 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - 1 - Allentown PA.jpg 932 × 1,500; 294 KB
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1973 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - Allentown PA.jpg 850 × 1,400; 268 KB
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1973 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program - 2 - Allentown PA.jpg 741 × 1,024; 176 KB
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1973 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program - 3 - Allentown PA.jpg 740 × 1,024; 161 KB
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1973 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program - 4 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,029 × 1,432; 276 KB
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1973 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 743 × 1,024; 140 KB
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1974 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - 1 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,031 × 1,400; 207 KB
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1974 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - 2 - Allentown PA.jpg 986 × 1,400; 243 KB
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1974 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - Allentown PA.jpg 1,020 × 1,400; 202 KB
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1974 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program -3 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,007 × 1,400; 242 KB
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1974 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Anniversary Allentown PA.jpg 723 × 1,024; 135 KB
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1975 - Allentown Jets - Bumper Sticker - Allentown PA.jpg 552 × 143; 30 KB
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1975 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - Allentown PA.jpg 1,591 × 2,116; 489 KB
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1975 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Anniversary Allentown PA.jpg 1,102 × 1,519; 267 KB
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1975 - Allentown Jets vs Trenton Capitals - Allentown PA.jpg 1,022 × 1,400; 346 KB
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1975 - Green Program - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,020 × 1,400; 214 KB
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1975 - Green Program - Allentown Jets 2 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,002 × 1,400; 241 KB
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1975 - Orange Program - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,009 × 1,400; 202 KB
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1975 - Red Program - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 997 × 1,400; 216 KB
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1975 - Team Photo - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,400 × 1,022; 178 KB
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1975 - White Program - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,021 × 1,400; 238 KB
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1976 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - Allentown PA.jpg 1,508 × 1,937; 504 KB
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1976 - Allentown Jets Basketball Program Allentown PA.jpg 759 × 1,024; 149 KB
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1976 - Allentown Jets vs All Stars Program - Allentown PA.jpg 575 × 900; 123 KB
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1976 - Game Ticket - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,032 × 562; 179 KB
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1976 - Team Photo - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,400 × 1,036; 171 KB
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1976 - Tickets - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 692 × 1,024; 160 KB
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1977 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - 1 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,028 × 1,400; 230 KB
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1977 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - 2 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,023 × 1,400; 189 KB
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1977 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - 27 Nov - Allentown PA.jpg 1,009 × 1,400; 305 KB
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1977 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - 3 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,012 × 1,400; 210 KB
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1977 - Allentown Jets - Basketball Program - 4 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,031 × 1,400; 214 KB
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1977 - Allentown Jets - Pocket Schedule - Allentown PA.jpg 1,483 × 1,982; 399 KB
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1977 - Allentown Jets vs Anchorage Northern Knights - Allentown PA.jpg 1,075 × 1,400; 240 KB
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1977 - Allentown Jets vs Lancaster Red Roses - Allentown PA.jpg 1,075 × 1,400; 243 KB
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1977 - Allentown Jets vs Lancaster Red Roses 2 - Allentown PA.jpg 1,103 × 1,400; 225 KB
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1977 - Allentown Jets vs Rodchester Zeniths - Allentown PA.jpg 1,083 × 1,400; 244 KB
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1977 - Clyde Soule - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 348 × 512; 34 KB
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1977 - Clyde Souls and Eddie Mast - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,012 × 1,400; 225 KB
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1977 - Eddie Mast - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 342 × 512; 35 KB
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1977 - Greg Jackson - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 343 × 512; 33 KB
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1977 - Greg Jackson and Greg Sanderst - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,045 × 1,400; 212 KB
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1977 - Greg Sanders - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 341 × 512; 32 KB
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1977 - Hugh Caberra and Jerry Radocha - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,028 × 1,400; 232 KB
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1977 - Hugo Cabrera - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 343 × 512; 35 KB
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1977 - Italian Festa Ticket - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 512 × 357; 60 KB
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1977 - Jerry Christian and Larry Williams - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,031 × 1,400; 211 KB
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1977 - Jerry Christian Profile - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 415 × 552; 49 KB
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1977 - Jerry Radocha - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 341 × 512; 33 KB
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1977 - Jerry Radocha Profile - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 512 × 492; 43 KB
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1977 - John Baum and Stan Novak - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,023 × 1,400; 207 KB
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1977 - John Baun - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 345 × 512; 32 KB
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1977 - Ken Rood - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 347 × 512; 38 KB
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1977 - Ken Rood and George Berry - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,045 × 1,400; 236 KB
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1977 - Larry Williams - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 345 × 512; 34 KB
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1977 - Larry Williams and Walter Lockett - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 1,045 × 1,400; 234 KB
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1977 - Walter Luckett - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 352 × 512; 37 KB
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1977 - Walter Luckett Profile - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 430 × 512; 48 KB
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1978 - Schedule - Allentown Jets - Allentown PA.jpg 390 × 512; 51 KB