The American Basketball League was an early professional basketball league. During six seasons from 1925-26 to 1930-31, the ABL was the first attempt to create a major professional basketball league in the United States. Joseph Carr, who was, in 1925, the president of the National Football League, organized the ABL from nine of the best independent pro teams from the East and the Midwest.[1] George Halas of the NFL Chicago Bears was the owner of the Chicago Bruins, and department store magnate Max Rosenblum, a part owner of the NFL's Cleveland Bulldogs, financed the Cleveland Rosenblums. Future NFL (Washington Redskins) owner George Preston Marshall, the owner of a chain of laundries, was owner of the Washington Palace Five. Other teams were the Boston Whirlwinds, Brooklyn Arcadians, Buffalo Bisons, Detroit Pulaski Post Five, Fort Wayne Caseys, and Rochester Centrals. With the exception of 1927-28, the ABL season was divided into two halves, with the winner of the first half playing the winner of the second half for the championship.[1] Five games into the 1926-27 season, the Original Celtics were admitted to replace the Brooklyn franchise, and won 32 of the remaining 37 games, then shifted to New York the following season.
For the 1927-28 season, the ABL had an Eastern (New York, Philadelphia, Rochester and Washington) and Western (Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Fort Wayne) division, with the two best teams in each division going to playoffs, and a championship between the playoff winners. Playing in Madison Square Garden, the New York Celtics had a 40-9 record in the regular season and won the championship. At season's end, the champions were voted out of the league by the other owners.[1] The ABL played three more seasons and then, with only five teams playing at the end of 1930-31, folded during the Great Depression.[1]
After more than two years, the league was reorganized in 1933, but as an East Coast league, with teams in Pennsylvania and New York City metro area.[1]
American Basketball League teams, 1925/26 to 1930/31[]
- Baltimore Orioles (1926/27)
- Boston Whirlwinds (1925/26, expelled after 1st half)
- Brooklyn Arcadians (1925/26-26/27, replaced by New York Celtics after 5 games)
- Brooklyn Visitations (1927/28-30/31)
- Buffalo Bisons (1925/26)
- Chicago Bruins (1925/26-30/32)
- Cleveland Rosenblums (1925/26-30/31, also known as the Rosies)
- Detroit Lions (1925/26-26/27, as Detroit Pulaski Post Five in 1925/26 and at beginning of 1926/27; dropped out after 6 games)
- Detroit Cardinals (1927/28, also known as the Olympians; dropped out in January, 1928)
- Fort Wayne Hoosiers (1925/26-30/31, as Fort Wayne Caseys in 1925/26)
- New York Celtics (1926/27-27/28, 1929/30, 1937/38, also known as the Original Celtics; as Brooklyn Celtics in 1926/27; dropped out in December, 1929)
- New York Hakoahs (1928/29)
- Paterson Crescents (1928/29-30/31, as Paterson Whirlwinds in 1928/29; dropped out in December, 1930)
- Philadelphia Warriors (1926/27-28/29, also known as the Quakers; as Philadelphia Phillies in 1926/27)
- Rochester Centrals (1925/26-30/31)
- Syracuse All-Americans (1930/31, dropped out in January, 1931)
- Toledo Red Men Tobaccos (1930/31)
- Trenton Bengals (1928/29, also known as the Royal Bengals)
- Washington Palace Five (1925/26-27/28, also known as the Laundrymen; dropped out in January, 1928 and replaced by Brooklyn Visitations)
American Basketball League teams, 1933/34 to 1954/55[]
- Baltimore Bullets (1944/45-46/47) joined the BAA
- Brooklyn Visitations (1933/34-38/39, as Paterson Visitations in 1936/37; moved to Brooklyn in November, 1936)
- Boston Trojans (1934/35)
- Bridgeport Roesslers (1948/49-51/52, as Bridgeport Newfield Steelers in 1948/49; as Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols in 1949/50)
- Bronx Americans (1933/34)
- Brooklyn Celtics (1940/41, as Troy Haymakers in 1938/39; as Troy Celtics in 1939/40-40/41; absorbed Kingston Colonials in December, 1939; moved to Brooklyn during 1st half of 1940/41)
- Brooklyn Indians (1942/43-43/44, as Camden Indians in 1942/43; moved to Brooklyn in January, 1943; dropped out during 1st half of 1943/44)
- Brooklyn Gothams (1944/45-48/49, as Westchester Indians in 1944/45; moved to New York in January, 1945; as New York Gothams in 1944/45-45/46)
- Carbondale Aces (1950/51)
- Elmira Colonels (1951/52-52/53)
- Glens Falls-Saratoga (1949/50-52/53, as New York Harlem Yankees in 1949/50; as Saratoga Harlem Yankees 1950/51-51/52; moved to Schenectady during 1951/52; as Schenectady Yankees in 1951/52; moved to Saratoga during 1951/52; as Saratoga Harlem Yankees in 1951/52; dropped out in February, 1953)
- Harrisburg Senators (1942/43)
- Hartford Hurricanes (1946/47-49/50, as Elizabeth Braves in 1946/47-47/48; moved to Hartford in December, 1947)
- Jersey Reds (1933/34-39/40, as Union City Reds in 1933/34; merged into New York Jewels in January, 1940)
- Kingston Colonials (1935/36-39/40, merged with Troy Celtics in December, 1939)
- Lancaster Roses (1947/48, franchise terminated in December, 1947)
- Manchester British-Americans (1951/52-52/53)
- Middletown Guards Mike Lee averaged 43.2 points in 1952 for the Guards(1952/53)
- New Britain Mules (1933/34-34/35, as Hoboken Thourots in 1933/34; moved to Camden in November, 1933; as Camden Brewers in 1933/34; taken over and moved to New Britain in January, 1934; as New Britain Palaces in 1933/34; as New Britain Jackaways in 1934/35; merged with Newark Mules to form New Britain Mules for the 2nd half of 1934/35)
- New York Jewels (1933/34-42/43, as Brooklyn Jewels in 1933/34; as New York Jewels in 1934/35-36/37; renamed Brooklyn Jewels for 2nd half of 1936/37; as New Haven Jewels in 1937/38; moved to New York in November, 1937 and renamed New York Jewels; absorbed Jersey Reds in January, 1940; dropped out in 1st half of 1941/42)
- New York Yankees (1937/38, as Bronx Yankees in 1937/38; renamed New York Yankees during 1937/38; dropped out in January, 1938)
- New York Americans (1943/44)
- Newark Mules (1933/34-34/35, as Newark Bears in 1933/34; also known as Newark Joe Fays in 1933/34; merged with New Britain Jackaways for the 2nd half of 1934/35 to become the New Britain Mules)
- Passaic Red Devils (1935/36, also known as the Reds'; as Paterson Panthers in 1935/36; moved to Trenton in December, 1935; as Trenton Bengals in 1935/36; moved to Passaic for 2nd half of 1935/36)
- Paterson Crescents (1944/45-50/51, as Washington Capitols in 1944/45; moved to Paterson in January, 1945)
- Pawtucket Slaters (1952/53)
- Philadelphia SPHAs (1933/34-48/49, also known as the Hebrews)
- Schenectady Packers (1949/50, dropped out in November, 1949)
- Scranton Miners (1946/47-52/53, as Jersey City Atoms in 1946/47-47/48; moved to Scranton in January, 1948)
- Trenton Moose (1933/34)
- Trenton Tigers (1941/42-49/50)
- Troy Celtics (1946/47)
- Utica Pros (1950/51)
- Washington Brewers (1938/39-41/42, as Washington Heurichs in 1938/39, as Washington Heurich Brewers in 1939-40)
- Washington Capitols (1951/52, dropped out in January, 1952)
- Wilkes-Barre Barons (1938/39-39/40, dropped out in February, 1940)
- Wilkes-Barre Barons (1947/48-52/53)
- Wilmington Blue Bombers (1941/42)
- Wilmington Bombers (1943/44-46/47)
- Yonkers Chiefs (1946/47, as Newark Bobcats in 1946/47; moved to Yonkers during 1946/47; dropped out during 1946/47 season)
League Championships[]
| Year | Winner | Result | Runner Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925-26 | Cleveland Rosenblums | 3-0 | Brooklyn Arcadians |
| 1926-27 | Brooklyn Celtics | 3-0 | Cleveland Rosenblums |
| 1927-28 | Brooklyn Celtics | 3-1 | Fort Wayne Hoosiers |
| 1928-29 | Cleveland Rosenblums | 4-0 | Fort Wayne Hoosiers |
| 1929-30 | Cleveland Rosenblums | 4-1 | Rochester Centrals |
| 1930-31 | Brooklyn Visitations | 4-2 | Fort Wayne Hoosiers |
| 1931-32 | League suspended operations. | ||
| 1932-33 | League suspended operations. | ||
| 1933-34 | Philadelphia Sphas | 4-2 | Trenton Moose |
| 1934-35 | Brooklyn Visitations | 3-2 | New York Jewels |
| 1935-36 | Philadelphia Sphas | 4-3 | Brooklyn Visitations |
| 1936-37 | Philadelphia Sphas | 4-3 | Jersey Reds |
| 1937-38 | Jersey Reds | 4-2 | New York Jewels |
| 1938-39 | New York Jewels | 3-0 | Jersey Reds |
| 1939-40 | Philadelphia Sphas | 1-0 | Washington Heurich Brewers |
| 1940-41 | Philadelphia Sphas | 3-1 | Brooklyn Celtics |
| 1941-42 | Wilmington Blue Bombers | Won both halves to claim championship. | |
| 1942-43 | Philadelphia Sphas | 4-3 | Trenton Tigers |
| 1943-44 | Wilmington Bombers | 4-3 | Philadelphia Sphas |
| 1944-45 | Philadelphia Sphas | 2-1 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1945-46 | Baltimore Bullets | 3-1 | Philadelphia Sphas |
| 1946-47 | Trenton Tigers | Won forfeit, Baltimore Bullets could not play finals | |
| 1947-48 | Wilkes-Barre Barons | 2-1 | Paterson Crescents |
| 1948-49 | Wilkes-Barre Barons | 3-2 | Scranton Miners |
| 1949-50 | Scranton Miners | 1-0 | Bridgeport Aer-A-Sols |
| 1950-51 | Scranton Miners | 1-0 | Wilkes-Barre Barons |
| 1951-52 | Wilkes-Barre Barons | 1-0 | Scranton Miners |
| 1952-53 | Manchester British-Americans | 1-0 | Wilkes-Barre Barons |
| 1953-54 | League suspended operations. | ||
| 1954-55 | League disbanded. | ||
References[]
- David S. Neft and Richard M. Cohen, The Sports Encyclopedia: Pro Basketball (5th Edition) (St. Martin's Press, 1992)
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