About Mel Thurston
Lived 1919 – 1997 (aged 78). Mel Thurston was an American basketball player.
John Melvin Thurston (January 16, 1919 – October 8, 1997) was an American professional basketball player. Thurston played for the Tri-Cities Blackhawks between 1946 and 1948 when they were still in the National Basketball League, then played for the Providence Steamrollers of the Basketball Association of America during the second half of the 1947–48 BAA season. Due to the unique status of the first season of the Tri-Cities Blackhawks as a team, Thurston would be one of nine players from the team's inaugural season to only play for the Blackhawks during that same season as opposed to either also or only playing for the Buffalo Bisons precursor team from 1946 as well.
BAA career statistics Legend GP Games played FG% Field-goal percentage FT% Free-throw percentage APG Assists per game PPG Points per game
Regular season Year Team GP FG% FT% APG PPG 1947–48 Providence 14 .283 .500 .3 5.6Career 14 .283 .500 .3 5.6
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Important facts
People in Mel Thurston's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who was Mel Thurston?
American professional basketball player (1919-1997)
When was Mel Thurston born?
Mel Thurston was born on 16 January 1919 in Lockport.
When did Mel Thurston die?
Mel Thurston died on 8 October 1997 in Lockport.
What was Mel Thurston's occupation?
Mel Thurston was a basketball player.
What nationality was Mel Thurston?
Mel Thurston was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Mel Thurston. https://biography.guide/mel-thurston/
MLA: "Mel Thurston." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/mel-thurston/.
Chicago: "Mel Thurston." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/mel-thurston/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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