Gene Vance

For the American soldier, see Gene Arden Vance Jr.

Ellis Eugene Vance (February 25, 1923 – February 16, 2012) was an American professional basketball player. He played in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Chicago Stags and Tri-Cities Blackhawks / Milwaukee Hawks.

Gene Vance

Vance in 1948
Personal information
Born	(1923-02-25)February 25, 1923 Peru, Illinois, U.S.
Died	February 16, 2012(2012-02-16) (aged 88) Champaign, Illinois, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school	Clinton (Clinton, Illinois)
College	Illinois (1941–1943, 1946–1947)
NBA draft	1947: – round, –
Drafted by	Chicago Stags
Playing career	1947–1952
Position	Guard / forward
Number	25
Career history
1947–1949	Chicago Stags
1949–1952	Tri-Cities Blackhawks / Milwaukee Hawks
Career BAA and NBA statistics
Points	1,437 (8.3 ppg)
Rebounds	103 (2.9 rpg)
Assists	399 (2.3 apg)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball Reference

Vance played college basketball for the Illinois Fighting Illini where he led the team as a member of the famed "Whiz Kids" of the 1940s. He and the other Whiz Kids, Andy Phillip, Art Mathisen, Ken Menke, and Jack Smiley, are regarded as some of Illinois' all-time greats, but only he and Phillip are on the team's all-century team. Vance and his Whiz Kids teammates left basketball to serve in World War II in 1943. Vance was selected by the Stags in the 1948 NBA draft, and played professionally for five seasons. He served as the athletic director of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign from 1967 to 1972.^[1]

Vance was married to Grace Hoberg from 1943 until her death from stomach cancer in 1980. They had four children and seven grandchildren together. Vance later married Janann Duffy. He died on February 16, 2012, at age 88.^[1]

Honors

• 1973, Inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association's Hall of Fame as a player.^[2]
• 2004, Elected to the "Illini Men's Basketball All-Century Team".^[3]
• December 18, 2006, The post office in his hometown of Clinton was named the "Gene Vance Post Office" in his honor.
• September 13, 2008 Awarded as one of the thirty-three honored jerseys which hang in the State Farm Center to show regard for being the most decorated basketball players in the University of Illinois' history.

College and professional statistics

University of Illinois

Season	Games	Points	PPG	Big Ten Record	Overall Record	Postseason
1941–42	23	98	4.2	13–2	18–05	Big Ten Champions
1942–43	18	126	7.0	12–0	17–1	Big Ten Champions Premo-Porretta National Champions
1946–47	20	135	6.75	8–4	14–6	—
Totals	61	359	5.9	33–6	49–12

BAA/NBA

Legend
GP	Games played	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game
PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1947–48	Chicago	48	–	.264	.603	–	1.0	8.4
1948–49	Chicago	56	–	.338	.724	–	3.0	10.3
1949–50	Tri-Cities	35	–	.338	.717	–	3.5	8.7
1950–51	Tri-Cities	29	–	.404	.701	3.2	2.0	4.8
1951–52	Milwaukee	7	16.9	.269	.643	2.1	1.3	3.3
Career		175	16.9	.315	.687	3.0	2.3	8.3

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1948	Chicago	5	–	.258	.765	–	.2	9.4
1949	Chicago	2	–	.229	.833	–	3.5	10.5
1950	Tri-Cities	3	–	.226	.500	–	3.0	6.3
Career		10	–	.242	.697	–	1.7	8.7