The National Basketball League: A History, 1935-1949
The NBA has gained worldwide popularity with its high-flying stars and slam-dunking giants, but the early professional hoops game was played below the rim. This book provides the first history of the National Basketball League, which held court from the mid-1930s until its merger with the Basketball Association of America in 1949. Originally formed in Akron and Indianapolis, the league operated mainly in the Midwest but extended as far east as Rochester and Syracuse and west to Denver,...
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The NBA has gained worldwide popularity with its high-flying stars and slam-dunking giants, but the early professional hoops game was played below the rim. This book provides the first history of the National Basketball League, which held court from the mid-1930s until its merger with the Basketball Association of America in 1949. Originally formed in Akron and Indianapolis, the league operated mainly in the Midwest but extended as far east as Rochester and Syracuse and west to Denver, building major franchises with hometown loyalties. Most of its stars were college graduates, a major change from previous professional leagues, and it was the first modern major professional league to integrate. Features include photographs, maps of league franchises, and tables of team standings, MVPs, and scoring leaders.
Introduction 31 Midwest Conference: 1935-1937 112 The National Basketball League Begins 323 The National Basketball League's Second Year: Movement Towards Stability 524 Changing a Bit, Staying the Same: The 1939-40 Season 685 Wisconsin Rhapsody: The 1940-41 Season 816 The NBL in Peace and (Mostly) War: The 1941-42 Season 947 The NBL Goes to War: The 1942-43 and 1943-44 Seasons 1128 The NBL Begins Regrowing: The 1944-45 Season 1319 Enter the Royals: NBL 1945-46 14210 An Explosion of Teams: The 1946-47 Season 15811 The Lakers Bring Dominance to the NBL: The 1947-48 Season 17812 Back to the Future: The Hometown League Reappears for the 1948-49 Season 20313 NBL Lessons and Accomplishments 225Appendix 1 NHL Standings, 1937-1949 235Appendix 2 Scoring Leaders in the Midwest Conference and NBL, 1935-1949 239Appendix 3 NBL All League Teams and MVPs, 1937-1949 242Chapter Notes 245Bibliography 265Index 281
