The National Basketball League: A History, 1935-1949 »

Murry R. Nelson is professor emeritus at Penn State University. He is the author of a history of the New York Celtics, as well as the biographies of Bill Russell and Shaquille O'Neal.

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 3

1 Midwest Conference: 1935-1937 11

2 The National Basketball League Begins 32

3 The National Basketball League's Second Year: Movement Towards Stability 52

4 Changing a Bit, Staying the Same: The 1939-40 Season 68

5 Wisconsin Rhapsody: The 1940-41 Season 81

6 The NBL in Peace and (Mostly) War: The 1941-42 Season 94

7 The NBL Goes to War: The 1942-43 and 1943-44 Seasons 112

8 The NBL Begins Regrowing: The 1944-45 Season 131

9 Enter the Royals: NBL 1945-46 142

10 An Explosion of Teams: The 1946-47 Season 158

11 The Lakers Bring Dominance to the NBL: The 1947-48 Season 178

12 Back to the Future: The Hometown League Reappears for the 1948-49 Season 203

13 NBL Lessons and Accomplishments 225

Appendix 1 NHL Standings, 1937-1949 235

Appendix 2 Scoring Leaders in the Midwest Conference and NBL, 1935-1949 239

Appendix 3 NBL All League Teams and MVPs, 1937-1949 242

Chapter Notes 245

Bibliography 265

Index 281