 Birch, circa 1938 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 10, 1910 Homestead, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | June 5, 1982 (aged 72) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Homestead (Homestead, Pennsylvania) |
| College | Duquesne (1932–1935) |
| Playing career | 1938–1948 |
| Position | Guard |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1938–1939 | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| 1941–1945 | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| 1945–1946 | Youngstown Bears |
| 1946–1948 | Youngstown Cubs |
| As coach: | |
| 1945–1946 | Youngstown Bears |
| 1946–1947 | Pittsburgh Ironmen |
| 1951–1954 | Fort Wayne Pistons |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Paul Vincent "Polly" Birch (January 4, 1910 – June 5, 1982) was an American basketball player and coach. He coached the now-defunct Pittsburgh Ironmen of the Basketball Association of America (a forerunner of the National Basketball Association (NBA)) in 1946, and the NBA's Fort Wayne Pistons from 1951 through 1954. Birch had played for the Pistons during the early 1940s, and the Youngstown Bears of the NBL.[1]