Fred Joseph Scolari was born in San Ramon, CA on March 1, 1922, and attended Galileo High School. At 5' 10", he played basketball in high school, and at USF as a point guard. After college, he joined the Washington Capitols, and then the Syracuse Nationals, the Baltimore Bullets, the Fort Wayne Pistons, and the Boston Celtics, for a pro career of nine years.
Scolari became known for his unorthodox, yet effective shooting style, in which he released the ball from his hip. He led the BAA in free-throw percentage the 1946-1947 season. He was also a well-regarded defender, and was voted to the All-BAA Second Team in 1947 and in 1948.
After his basketball career, he became a successful insurance salesman. He later served as Director of the Salesian Boys and Girls Club in San Francisco. In 1948, he was elected to the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame (Wikipedia).
