Today a 6'-4" basketball player is considered
small, but when Bernie Janicki played his college
basketball at Duke University from 1950 to 1954 he set school
records in rebounding. His individual school records included most
career rebounds (1098), most rebounds in a season (436 in 30 games),
and most rebounds in a single game (31 against North Carolina in
1952). He received honorable mention on the 1954 Converse All
American team and was named Duke’s MVP that year. Bernie’s
collegiate success came as no surprise to fans who had seen him play
at Ambridge High School from 1947 to 1950, where he was the top scorer in
Section 3 of the WPIAL and made the section's All Star team. In
addition to his rebounding skill, he also showed scoring talent
topped by a high single game total of 32 points against New Castle
in 1949. After graduating from college, Bernie played for the strong
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company team in the National Industrial
Basketball League in 1954 and 1955. Then he served in the US Air
Force for twenty years, retiring in 1975 with the rank of lieutenant
colonel. His service included action in Vietnam as a pilot in 1966
and 1967. Bernie played service basketball for the Air
Force from 1955 to 1960 and coached teams at Forbes Air Force Base
in Kansas and Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois, compiling strong
winning records. After his retirement, he was assistant basketball
coach at Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California,
in 1977 and 1978. After that he served as assistant manager of the
golf course at Mather Air Force Base in California.
Today a 6'-4" basketball player is considered
small, but when Bernie Janicki played his college
basketball at Duke University from 1950 to 1954 he set school
records in rebounding. His individual school records included most
career rebounds (1098), most rebounds in a season (436 in 30 games),
and most rebounds in a single game (31 against North Carolina in
1952). He received honorable mention on the 1954 Converse All
American team and was named Duke’s MVP that year. Bernie’s
collegiate success came as no surprise to fans who had seen him play
at Ambridge High School from 1947 to 1950, where he was the top scorer in
Section 3 of the WPIAL and made the section's All Star team. In
addition to his rebounding skill, he also showed scoring talent
topped by a high single game total of 32 points against New Castle
in 1949. After graduating from college, Bernie played for the strong
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company team in the National Industrial
Basketball League in 1954 and 1955. Then he served in the US Air
Force for twenty years, retiring in 1975 with the rank of lieutenant
colonel. His service included action in Vietnam as a pilot in 1966
and 1967. Bernie played service basketball for the Air
Force from 1955 to 1960 and coached teams at Forbes Air Force Base
in Kansas and Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois, compiling strong
winning records. After his retirement, he was assistant basketball
coach at Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California,
in 1977 and 1978. After that he served as assistant manager of the
golf course at Mather Air Force Base in California.