He Lived for Sports

Photo from Ross Adam Wood, Sr.   

Edward Wachter (1883-1966) was an amazing athlete and teacher, who worked to make sports available to youth in his city, Troy, NY.

He was one of eight children of Edward and Theresa Wachter, who immigrated from Bavaria in Germany to the U.S. about 1875. Edward, Sr. was a watchmaker. By 1900 the family had settled in Troy.

Ed was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1961. The Pro-Basketball Encyclopedia entry for him begins…” Lanky, aggressive, quick, and versatile, center Ed Wachter was a skillful and accurate jump and free throw shooter. Skipping high school and college, Wachter played professional basketball from 1899 (1896?) to 1924. Wachter was consistently among the scoring leaders in his leagues and played on more championship teams than anyone else in his generation.” In fact, Ed was one of the first professional basketball players. He played for teams in Utica, McKeesport, Pa., Haverill and Pittsfield, Ma., Albany, and Troy. His Company E team, based out of Schenectady, had 29 consecutive wins in 1905, garnering what was then the international championship. In his career, he scored close to 30,000 point, (Utica Daily Press, March 14, 1966) played in over 1800 games, and was the scoring leader in every league in which he played.

Postcard sent by Ed Wachter in 1908. He is in the second row at left, his brother on the right.
From HOF BB Players.com

Ed was deeply involved with the rules of what was then a new game, and is credited with many innovations which are fundamental to the game of basketball today, from the bounce pass and the fast break, to introducing the rule requiring the fouled player to take the free throws. Prior to 1911, any player could shoot the foul shot.  He worked to establish universal rules for all levels of play. While at Harvard, he wrote a little booklet on “How to Play Basketball” (1928). He said for a successful basketball team (It) is the same, old recipe needed for success in any sport: condition, teamwork and spirit.” He said, “They must be found together. If any two of them are disconnected, the chain will not be complete.”

Ed Wachter bubble gum card from HOF BB Players.com, 1933 Goudey Sport Kings.

But Ed was not “just” the greatest basketball player ever to come out of Troy. Around 1920 he was the backbone of the Laureate Boat Club. He was the organizer of many of its sculling regattas on the Hudson River, and a skilled oarsman, rowing in boats of all sizes, along with his brother Joe. Many newspaper articles report his prowess in races.

As his professional basketball days wound down, Ed turned to coaching. Just before 1920 he coached basketball at R.P.I.,  at what was then Albany State Teachers College, and  at Williams and LaFayette Colleges. In 1920 he went to Harvard, where he coached basketball and sculling- he developed the program- until 1933, when the athletic program was cut back due to the Great Depression. Another brother, Lewis, coached at Dartmouth at this time. A heartfelt petition to the director of athletics at Harvard by current and former scullers pleaded that Ed be retained. The signers said it would be impossible to find his equal as a coach, teacher, and man. (Troy Times June 1, 1933)

But Harvard let Ed go, and he returned to his hometown. First, he became director of physical education for the Troy School District. By 1936 he had become the Commissioner of Recreation for the city of Troy, a position he held for 22 years. When he retired in 1958, the Troy Times Record couldn’t say enough good things about him- ageless, “hard to imagine the recreation activities of the city without him”, “He has done a splendid job,” and more. He had been chosen President of the Knickerbacker Playgrounds , and would still be “a potent factor in the extension of physical and social opportunities for the youth of Troy through organized play.”

September 14, 1961, Uncle Sam Day at Oakwood Cemetery- Ed Wachter, center, as Uncle Sam.

Throughout his years as recreation commissioner, Ed gave frequent speeches all around the area, still famous for his basketball playing and coaching. He was in demand as a master of ceremonies, and participant in many ceremonies. This just continued after his retirement, when he added dressing up as Uncle Sam for some celebrations.

When you visit the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Ma., be sure to find the plaque for Ed Wachter, known in his era as “the greatest scoring center” in basketball, and a great contributor to recreational opportunities for youth in his home town of Troy.

Thanks to the Basketball Hall of Fame and to Mark Tully and his website Hall of Fame Basketball Players for the illustrations and some of the information.

Blog post and research by Schaghticoke Town Historian and HCM Volunteer, Christina S. Kelly.

Ed Wachter’s plaque at the Basketball Hall of Fame.