| Gene Rock | |
| Position: | Guard |
| Number: | 15 |
| Height Ft: | 5 |
| Height In: | 9 |
| Weight Lbs: | 155 |
| Birth Date: | 4 November 1921 |
| Birth Place: | Caruthers, California, US |
| Death Place: | San Diego, California, US |
| High School: | Huntington Park (Huntington Park, California) |
| College: | USC (1941–1943, 1946–1947) |
| Career Start: | 1947 |
| Career End: | 1948 |
| Draft Year: | 1947 |
| Draft League: | BAA |
| Years1: | 1947 |
| Team1: | Birmingham Skyhawks |
| Years2: | 1947–1948 |
| Team2: | Chicago Stags |
| Highlights: |
|
| Stats League: | BAA |
| Stat1label: | Points |
| Stat1value: | 10 (0.9 ppg) |
| Stat2label: | Assists |
| Stat2value: | 0 (0.0 apg) |
| Stat3label: | Games played |
| Stat3value: | 11 |
Eugene Rock (November 4, 1921 – October 31, 2002) was an American professional basketball player who played in the Professional Basketball League of America (PBLA) and the Basketball Association of America (BAA) during the 1947–48 season.[1] [2] A native of Huntington Park, California, Rock attended Huntington Park High School before enrolling at the University of Southern California to play basketball.[1] While at USC, Rock earned varsity letters in 1942, 1943 and 1947.[3] Like many male college athletes during his day, Rock served in the military for two years before finishing college; he attained the rank of Captain in the Marine Corps.[3] Rock led the Trojans in scoring during 1942–43 (12.6 points per game) and again in 1946–47 (11.1 ppg).[3] During the former season, USC finished with a then-school record 23–5 mark en route to winning the Pacific Coast League Southern Division title.[3] Rock was also a teammate of future College Basketball Hall of Fame coaches Alex Hannum and Tex Winter.
After his college career ended, Rock played for the Birmingham Skyhawks in the PBLA, which was a professional basketball league that lasted for less than one full season due to underfunding. He averaged 6.9 points per game in seven games before the league folded.[2] Rock then signed with the Chicago Stags of the BAA. In 11 games played, he averaged 0.9 points.[1] His basketball career ended after the season, and Rock worked for the Los Angeles Police Department where he became a captain.[3] He served in the vice squad, Hollywood division.[4] Rock retired in 1979 and lived the rest of his life in the San Diego area. On October 31, 2002, he succumbed to cancer.[3]
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | ||||
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | ||||
| FT% | Free-throw percentage | ||||
| APG | Assists per game | ||||
| PPG | Points per game | ||||
| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947–48 | Chicago | 11 | .222 | .500 | .0 | .9 |
| Career | 11 | .222 | .500 | .0 | .9 | |
| Year | Team | GP | FG% | FT% | APG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Chicago | 2 | .000 | .000 | .0 | .0 |
| Career | 2 | .000 | .000 | .0 | .0 | |