Players

Don LaPorte

Year Inducted: 1993

Category: Players

Schools / Organizations:

(Chicago) Gage Park High School

Biography:

Don LaPorte played his basketball for Gage Park High School in Chicago in the Junior Public League (for players 5’8″ or under) from 1946-49.  Don was a starter for 3 seasons and averaged 12.7 ppg over 65 games.  He was an all-section choice and in 1948 and 1949 Don was an All-Chicago Public League guard and an all-area player.  In 1949 he was one of only 5 players to receive unanimous selection from the Chicago Daily News and the Chicago Herald-American for all section and all city honors.  Don was known for his defensive play and held Eddie Glazer, Chicago’s high scorer with a 30 point average in 1947-48 to only 8 points.  He didn’t stop there  as he held the 2nd leading scorer, Wally Pielcarski of Tilden Tech by limiting him to 3 points (two weeks later Wally scored 91 points agains Dunbar).  As a senior Don did the same type of work agains Fenger’s Sam Esposito and Marshall’s Eddie Platt.

Don LaPorte died on May 2, 2018 at the age of 88.