Michael Martin Basca was born on December 4, 1917 to Michael Sr. and Mary Basca.His father emigrated from Austria at an early age, and Mary emigrated from Austria- Hungary in 1903. Michael Sr. was a steelworker at Phoenixville Steel and football coach at Sacred Heart in 1920-1921.  His mother was a homemaker.  Michael was the second of 5 children:  Joseph, Michael, Dorothy, Steven, and Paul (“Mitty”). The family lived at 7 East Morgan St. in Phoenixville, PA. At an early age, Michael would go house to house in the neighborhood seeking odd jobs for a ‘‘Nickel’’. He soon became widely known as “Nickels” Basca. The nickname was later shortened to ‘Nick’.

  Michael attended the Sacred Heart School in Phoenixville located on Hall Street, between Main and Starr Streets, for grades 1-8. It was here that the legend of ‘Nick’ Basca as a football star began.  On October 17, 1930, Sacred Heart played the Phoenixville High School Freshman.  Little ‘Nick’ was 13 years old, 4 foot 6 inches and weighed only 97 pounds. He was the shortest player on the field, yet he was involved in virtually every play, making several breathtaking tackles and scored a touchdown leading his team to an 18-0 victory. Every opponent stood head and shoulders above ‘Nick’, yet he stood eye to eye with them, and did not flinch. 

Michael’s talent was not a fluke. On December 6^th, Sacred Heart played Mont Clare.  ‘Nick’ as quarterback, led his team to a 26-6 victory. He scored a touch down, and had a 75-yard run, being tackled at the 1 yard line.

After graduation from Sacred Heart, Michael attended Phoenixville High School, then located on Nutt St., where the Phoenixville Hospital stands today.  Despite his growing fame, he was known as a nice guy, and loved a good joke, but on the field he was all business.

The yearbooks says:

It has been a long time since our school has had an all around athlete like “Nick.”   Many a maiden has fallen for Michael, but to no avail, for his bashfulness is an outstanding characteristic.

1933 Team - Click to Enlarge

Michael continued his distinction in football (jersey number 60) all three years, as well as baseball his 1^st and 2^nd year and basketball all 3 years. The Phoenixville 1934 football team was the school’s finest.  It was this year that the team was named the “Phantoms” by sportswriter Herb Good of The Philadelphia Record. Phoenixville High School sports teams retain that name today.
 

The Phantoms won the Chester County Title, as well as the Philadelphia Suburban Conference Championship.  They finished that season with a record of 9 wins, no losses and no ties. Of the 28 teams in the conference, the Phantoms were the least scored against (27 points) and scored 226 points, of which ‘Nick’ scored 89!

Image Donated by Corbis - Bettmann Click the image to see a larger version.

Members of the Villanova University football team appear to be dancing in step during a fall practice on campus. From left, Russ Mazzei, Thomas McMahon, John Buzz Howlett, and Nick Basca. September 8, 1939.

After graduation from Phoenixville high school in 1935, Michael attended the Pennington College Preparatory School in New Jersey.  Here he continued his legend as a football star. One notable game was October 19, 1935 against the West Chester State Teachers College. Three stars of the famed 1934 Phoenixville team were playing for West Chester, against the Pennington team. ‘Nick’ scored a touchdown, passed for another touchdown, and kicked the extra point to win a close 13 -12 game for Pennington.

In 1938, Michael began his studies at Villanova University, and continued his stellar athletic performance under coach Clipper Smith.  ‘Nick’ did much of the passing, punting and drop kicking, becoming a triple threat to the teams’ opponents.  His performance won him a place on the all State Team, several All-Eastern teams, as well as team captain his senior year.

Nick's Blue-Grey jersey, up for auction on the HuntAuctions.com memorabilia web site.

‘Nick’ was chosen to play on the North Team for the North-South game at Montgomery, Alabama played in December 1940.  He was a key to the 14-12 win, and was given a standing ovation by the southern fans.

Michael graduated with a BS in Education in 1941. He was chosen to play with the Boston All Stars in their game against the Chicago Bears, and with Eastern College All Stars against the New York Giants.   Several Professional Football teams expressed interest in ‘Nick’: the New York Giants, Chicago Cardinals, Pittsburg Steelers, Green Bay Packers, Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns, and the Philadelphia Eagles. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles by Bert Bell.   Nick (left) with Pete Dobrus at Eagles Training Camp

Michael demonstrated his ability, while adjusting to the pro league.  He scored a touchdown against the Detroit Lions, and broke a key Chicago Cardinals pass.

‘‘Nick’’ played his last professional game against the Washington Redskins at Griffith Stadium, Washington DC.  The game was played on December 7,1941 – the Day Pearl Harbor was attacked. The Eagles lost to the Redskins 20-14 after an early lead.  ‘Nick’ scored 2 extra points as a kicker that day

Michael enlisted in the Army on December 10, 1941.  He received basic training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and then was stationed at Pine Camp, New York.   He married Francis Snyder of Watertown, New York in July of 1942. Michael then served at Camp Bowie, Texas, and participated in maneuvers in the southwestern desert area.

Nick’ was one of the first four to be chosen to play on the Eastern Army All-Stars Football Team to raise funds for the Army Emergency Relief fund.   The team trained at Yale, during their brief six-week season.They played eight games in eight different cities, (in one case 3 games in 8 days) playing professional teams such as the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the New York Giants.

Nick was sent overseas to England in December 1943 to join the Patton’s Famed Third Army, in the Fourth Armored Division.  They trained extensively, and acted as a decoy for the coming Invasion of Normandy, (The Germans were closely watching, they were sure the famed division would spearhead the coming invasion of Europe). On July 11 the division landed in France, through the “Utah” landing beach at Normandy.  The division entered combat on July 17, driving south to secure the Brittany Peninsula (Normandy).  Then the hard charging Army turned east and swept across France over 250 miles to the city of Nancy. It was towards the end of this amazing sweep, that Michael met his fate in the French town of Obreck, northeast of Nancy. Corporal Michael Basca died in combat on November 11, 1944 (Armistice Day), when a German 88 mm-round hit the tank he was commanding.

Michael’s brother Steven was recovering from wounds 60 miles distant.  His hospital chart records that he rose up screaming at the time ‘Nick’s’ tank was destroyed.

Michael was buried in the American Catholic Military Cemetery in Limey, France. He was returned to his home country in December 28, 1949 to be buried with his family. Funeral services were held at his parents’ residence on January 19, 1949, with a Solemn Requiem Mass at the Sacred Heart Church.  Michael was buried at the St. Michael’s Cemetery, in Mont Claire. Pallbearers were from Members of Company B, 111^th Infantry Regiment; the color guard consisted of local veterans, with a ceremonial firing squad from Valley Forge General hospital.  Nearly 800 friends and relatives attended the burial. 

On November 11, 1946, The Phoenix Moose Lodge 1273 initiated the ‘Nick’ Basca Memorial Trophy, which would be awarded to the winner of the Chester County Championship football team.

Homecoming weekend at Villanova was renamed ‘Nick’ Basca Weekend, until they dropped football in 1980.

Brothers Steve, as well as Paul served during World War II.  Both were promising football stars before the war. Steve received 3 Purple Hearts.

The Eagles-Redskins game on December 7^th can be viewed as a tale of two stars.  Sammy Baugh of the Redskins was an experienced and talented NFL Player in his 4th season. After he learned of the Attack on Pearl Harbor he returned to his home in Texas, and waited to be drafted into the Armed Forces.  He then learned he would be exempted, and continued to play in the NFL until 1947.  He was inducted into the Football Hall of Fame in 1963.

‘Nick’ Basca with an extraordinary record for 10 years in school and college ball was an NFL Rookie with the Eagles.  As such, he was not always a starter, but he was proving his talent in the big league.  When we were attacked, he immediately enlisted in our Armed Forces, and died defending our Country.  If ‘Nick’ had stayed home and continued his phenomenal career, might he have also been inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame?

It is believed that Michael 'Nick' Basca was one of eleven NFL Players who gave their lives in World War II.