Lon Darling

Alonzo Lewis "Lon" Darling (June 25, 1902 – April 19, 1951) was an early influencer in American professional basketball, having created the barnstorming team the Oshkosh All-Stars, is credited with being the organizer of the National Basketball League (NBL), and was a two-time NBL Coach of the Year. The Oshkosh All-Stars saw great success over their twelve-year tenure in the NBL, winning the Western Division six times and the league championship twice, in 1941 and 1942. The All-Stars also won the World Professional Basketball Tournament in 1942.

National Basketball League Formation At age 20, Darling began work as a seed distributor, first with the Oshkosh Seed Company, then as an Oshkosh-area distributor for the Milwaukee-based firm Hunkel Seed Co. Since the seed work was seasonal, Darling sought work during its off-season. Lon's brother was Bernard "Boob" Darling, a professional football player for the Green Bay Packers who spent his entire five-year career with the organization. Boob is a member of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.