First season of the Pistons in the NBA/BAA
NBA professional basketball team 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]
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]
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 (DP) Unsigned draft pick(FA) Free agent(S) Suspended Injured Roster
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 —
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