1948–49 Fort Wayne Pistons season

The 1948–49 BAA season was the first season for the Fort Wayne Pistons in the NBA/BAA and eighth season as a franchise.[1]

1948–49 Fort Wayne Pistons season
Head coachCarl Bennett (0–6)
Curly Armstrong (22–32)
ArenaNorth Side High School Gym
Results
Record22–38 (.367)
PlaceDivision: 5th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
< 1947–48 1949–50 >

Despite their NBL success which included four championship series births and two titles the team wasn't able to translate that success to the new league and missed the playoffs for the first time in team history. The team was led by center John Mahnken (9.5 ppg) and forward Blackie Towery (7.5 ppg).[2]

Draft picks edit

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 8 Ward Williams F   United States Indiana

Roster edit

Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G/F 31 Armstrong, Curly 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1918-11-01 Indiana
F/C 29 B. Black, Charles 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) 1921-06-15 Kansas
PF Crocker, Dillard 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1925-01-19 Western Michigan
G/F 35 Hale, Bruce 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1918-08-30 Santa Clara
G/F 36 Hamilton, Ralph 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 188 lb (85 kg) 1921-06-10 Indiana
C 30 Henry, Bill 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1924-12-27 Rice
F/C 32 Kinney, Bob 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1920-09-16 Rice
PG 35 Kirk, Walt 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 173 lb (78 kg) 1924-09-03 Illinois
G/F 26 Klier, Leo 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1923-05-21 Notre Dame
C 24 Mahnken, John 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1922-06-16 Georgetown
F/C 29 Mogus, Leo 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1921-04-13 Youngstown State
G/F 23 Niemiera, Richie 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1921-05-26 Notre Dame
F/C 30 Pelkington, Jake 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1916-01-03 Manhattan
F/C Pugh, Roy 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1922-10-16 SMU
G/F 37 Smiley, Jack 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1922-12-22 Illinois
G/F 20 Tough, Bob 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1920-08-28 St. John's
F/C 24 Towery, Blackie 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1920-06-20 Western Kentucky
G/F 28 Triptow, Dick 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1922-11-03 DePaul
F 25 Williams, Ward 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1923-06-26 Indiana
Head coach

Curly Armstrong


Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  •   Injured

Roster
Last transaction: {{{access-date}}}

Regular season edit

Season standings edit

Record vs. opponents edit

1948–49 BAA records
Team BAL BOS CHI FWP IND MIN NYK PHI PRO ROC STL WAS
Baltimore 4–2 1–4 4–1 5–0 1–4 2–4 4–2 2–4 1–4 2–3 3–3
Boston 2–4 0–5 4–1 3–2 2–3 3–3 3–3 3–3 1–4 3–2 1–5
Chicago 4–1 5–0 4–2 5–1 2–4 3–2 2–3 5–0 2–4 3–3 3–2
Fort Wayne 1–4 1–4 2–4 3–3 2–4 1–4 5–0 4–1 0–6 1–4 2–3
Indianapolis 0–5 2–3 1-5 3–3 0–6 1–4 1–4 4–1 1–5 3–3 2–3
Minneapolis 4–1 3–2 4–2 4–2 6–0 4–1 4–1 5–0 4–2 4–2 2–3
New York 4–2 3–3 2–3 4–1 4–1 1–4 2–4 5–1 1–4 3–2 2–3
Philadelphia 2–4 3–3 3–2 0–5 4–1 1–4 4–2 6–0 0–5 3–2 2–4
Providence 4–2 3–3 0–5 1–4 1–4 0–5 1–5 0–6 2–3 0–5 0–6
Rochester 4–1 4–1 4–2 6–0 5–1 2–4 4–1 5–0 3–2 6–0 2–3
St. Louis 3–2 2–3 3–3 4–1 3–3 2–4 2–3 2–3 5–0 0–6 2–3
Washington 3–3 5–1 2–3 3–2 3–2 3–2 3–2 4–2 6–0 3–2 3–2

Game log edit

# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 November 3 New York 76–80 Jake Pelkington (15) 0–1
2 November 6 @ St. Louis 55–65 Dick Triptow (12) 0–2
3 November 7 Baltimore 77–78 Leo Klier (16) 0–3
4 November 11 @ Providence 87–90 Leo Klier (16) 0–4
5 November 12 @ Boston 75–84 Jack Smiley (21) 0–5
6 November 13 @ Washington 71–80 Carlisle Towery (15) 0–6
7 November 14 Indianapolis 79–73 Walt Kirk (18) 1–6
8 November 17 Philadelphia 80–72 Carlisle Towery (20) 2–6
9 November 21 Chicago 69–70 Bob Tough (14) 2–7
10 November 23 @ Philadelphia 90–80 Pelkington, Tough (16) 3–7
11 November 25 @ Baltimore 64–69 Tough, Towery (14) 3–8
12 November 27 @ New York 70–80 Pelkington, Smiley (12) 3–9
13 November 28 Boston 80–74 Richie Niemiera (19) 4–9
14 November 30 @ Indianapolis 77–62 Dick Triptow (13) 5–9
15 December 1 Minneapolis 84–74 Bob Tough (18) 6–9
16 December 4 @ St. Louis 62–76 Bob Kinney (12) 6–10
17 December 5 Chicago 79–88 Leo Klier (20) 6–11
18 December 8 St. Louis 70–60 Leo Klier (25) 7–11
19 December 10 @ Chicago 70–78 Leo Klier (18) 7–12
20 December 12 New York 78–89 Leo Mogus (22) 7–13
21 December 16 @ Providence 76–61 Klier, Mogus (15) 8–13
22 December 18 @ Rochester 64–84 Leo Mogus (15) 8–14
23 December 19 Rochester 78–83 (OT) Dick Triptow (13) 8–15
24 December 23 @ Indianapolis 60–71 Curly Armstrong (11) 8–16
25 December 25 @ Washington 74–88 John Mahnken (20) 8–17
26 December 26 Washington 91–73 John Mahnken (16) 9–17
27 January 1 @ Minneapolis 72–92 Klier, Mahnken (16) 9–18
28 January 2 Boston 69–90 Bob Tough (17) 9–19
29 January 8 @ Philadelphia 73–67 John Mahnken (20) 10–19
30 January 9 Indianapolis 80–78 Curly Armstrong (20) 11–19
31 January 15 @ Rochester 62–73 John Mahnken (12) 11–20
32 January 16 Providence 76–56 Bruce Hale (15) 12–20
33 January 19 @ Chicago 104–96 (2OT) John Mahnken (14) 13–20
34 January 20 @ Minneapolis 65–83 Curly Armstrong (10) 13–21
35 January 23 Rochester 80–81 (OT) John Mahnken (17) 13–22
36 January 26 Philadelphia 88–80 Leo Mogus (22) 14–22
37 January 28 @ Indianapolis 63–77 Jack Smiley (16) 14–23
38 January 29 @ St. Louis 73–86 Bruce Hale (20) 14–24
39 January 30 Baltimore 78–93 Bruce Hale (26) 14–25
40 February 2 Minneapolis 79–82 (OT) Curly Armstrong (26) 14–26
41 February 5 @ Rochester 61–80 Hale, Mahnken (11) 14–27
42 February 6 Washington 82–72 Bruce Hale (15) 15–27
43 February 8 vs Philadelphia 89–87 Bill Henry (20) 16–27
44 February 9 Indianapolis 67–70 Bill Henry (17) 16–28
45 February 12 @ New York 58–85 Bruce Hale (12) 16–29
46 February 13 New York 82–73 Richie Niemiera (16) 17–29
47 February 15 @ Chicago 69–83 Curly Armstrong (13) 17–30
48 February 16 Baltimore 84–68 Bill Henry (20) 18–30
49 February 20 St. Louis 64–70 Bruce Hale (18) 18–31
50 February 24 @ Minneapolis 73–77 John Mahnken (21) 18–32
51 February 27 Minneapolis 74–50 Dick Triptow (17) 19–32
52 March 4 @ Boston 70–76 Black, Triptow (12) 19–33
53 March 6 Rochester 66–78 Bill Henry (16) 19–34
54 March 8 vs Boston 60–63 Dick Triptow (11) 19–35
55 March 9 Providence 84–80 Bruce Hale (18) 20–35
56 March 12 @ Washington 60–87 Bruce Hale (10) 20–36
57 March 13 Chicago 81–78 Bruce Hale (16) 21–36
58 March 17 vs Providence 74–72 Bruce Hale (12) 22–36
59 March 19 @ Baltimore 79–99 Bill Henry (17) 22–37
60 March 20 St. Louis 82–87 Bill Henry (16) 22–38

References edit

  1. ^ 1948–49 Fort Wayne Pistons
  2. ^ "1948-49 Fort Wayne Pistons Roster and Stats".