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42-745: The Hammond Calumet Buccaneers were a professional team of basketball that competed in the National Basketball League for only the 1948–49 season. They were based in Hammond, Indiana , and played in the Hammond Civic Center for home games. The team ranked third in the Eastern Division, and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Syracuse Nationals . This article about

84-680: A basketball team in Indiana is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . National Basketball League (United States) The league was initially founded as the Midwest Basketball Conference (MBC) in 1935. It changed its name in 1937 in an attempt to attract a larger audience and avoid confusion with the Big Ten Conference , ofted referred to as the Midwest Conference. The league

126-574: A game. Today, NBA games consist of four 12 minute quarters and each team takes over 75 shots per game. Edwards held a number of game scoring records. He was the first professional basketball player to score 35 points in a game when he did so against the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons on March 5, 1942. He led the NBL in scoring his first three years and in 1939 he led the league in every recorded offensive statistic. He ended his career as

168-516: A rugged 6' 4" (1.93 m) center named Leroy "Cowboy" Edwards . Edwards was a consensus NCAA "All American" and Helms Foundation "College Player of the Year" as a member of the 1934–35 University of Kentucky Wildcats . He left Kentucky after two years to pursue a professional basketball career, which was unheard of at the time. He led the NBL in scoring for three consecutive seasons, 1937–1940. He set numerous NBL and professional basketball scoring records and

210-659: A three-year battle with the NBL to win both players and fans. The BAA played its games in larger cities and venues. However, NBL tended to have the bigger stars. NBL teams dominated the World Professional Basketball Tournament , an annual invitational tournament held in Chicago and sponsored by the Chicago Herald American . NBL teams won seven out of ten editions of the tournament. On August 3, 1949, representatives from

252-641: Is generally credited with the introduction of the "3 second rule" in basketball which is still in existence today. Edwards played in all 12 NBL seasons with the Oshkosh All-Stars, and retired just prior to its merger with the BAA to form the NBA. The Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons —so nicknamed because they were owned by Fred Zollner , whose company made pistons for engines—were led by tough veteran Bobby McDermott . The Pistons finished second in 1942 and 1943 and won

294-783: The Brooklyn Dodgers . Neither team fared well. Toledo signed several black players to start the season, including Bill Jones , who had starred at the University of Toledo , but the team lost its first four games and folded due to financial difficulties. Chicago stocked its roster with several members of the Harlem Globetrotters , who worked during the week at the Studebaker plant, but it also folded after compiling an 8–15 record. Five current National Basketball Association (NBA) teams trace their history back to

336-539: The National AAU Basketball League (NABL). The Wingfoots are still an AAU Elite team in the NABL. Leroy Edwards Leroy Harry Edwards (April 11, 1914 – August 25, 1971), nicknamed " Cowboy " and " Lefty ", was one of the greatest basketball players of his era. He was an NCAA All-American at the University of Kentucky and also one of the most lauded professional players in

378-544: The Oshkosh All-Stars and their center Leroy "Cowboy" Edwards . The middle years saw the emergence of the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons , who were later instrumental in the survival of the NBA during its infancy. The final period of note during the NBL's existence centered on George Mikan and the emergence of the big man in basketball. The Oshkosh All-Stars appeared in the championship series for five consecutive years (1938–42). They won two titles, they were led by

420-472: The 12-year-old NBL and 3 year old BAA met at the BAA offices in New York's Empire State Building to finalize a merger. Maurice Podoloff , the president of BAA, became the president of the NBA while Ike Duffey , president of the NBL, became the chairman. The new National Basketball Association (NBA) was made up of 17 teams that represented both small towns and large cities across the country. The NBA claims

462-626: The 1949–50 NBL season. When the NBL and BAA merged, this team joined the NBA without playing a single NBL game. Also still surviving are the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots , the initial NBL champion in 1938. The Wingfoots suspended operations for World War II and were not included in the NBL/BAA merger. Instead, they remained in the National Industrial Basketball League (NIBL), which in 1961 became

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504-404: The BAA's history as its own and considers the 1949 deal as an expansion, not a merger. For example, at NBA History online, its table of one-line "NBA Season Recaps" begins 1946–47 without comment. It celebrated "NBA at 50" in 1996, with announcement of its 50 Greatest Players among other things. The NBA does not recognize NBL records and statistics except under certain circumstances. As such,

546-822: The Detroit Vagabond Kings. That franchise was awarded to a famous barnstorming team, the New York Rens , composed entirely of African Americans, to play out the season in Dayton, Ohio , as the Dayton Rens . In 1949, after a three-year battle with the Basketball Association of America (BAA) for fans and players, the NBL merged with the BAA and became the National Basketball Association. A few years after

588-526: The Kentucky freshmen team to an undefeated season. In 1934–35, his sophomore year and his first of varsity eligibility, he led the Wildcats to a 19–2 record. Averaging nearly 20 ppg, he set a single season point record that lasted until 1947 when teams began playing more games each season. One loss was to a very good Michigan State squad (32–26) and the other to New York University  (NYU) at

630-567: The NBL grew in America. Games consisted either of four ten-minute quarters or three fifteen-minute periods. The choice was made by the home team. Some of the teams were independent, while others were owned by companies that also found jobs for their players. Chicago newspaper sports editor Leo Fischer acted as president of the NBL from 1940 to 1944. In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) incorporated resulting in

672-1103: The NBL. Three teams joined the BAA in 1948: the Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los Angeles Lakers ), the Rochester Royals (now the Sacramento Kings ), and the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (now the Detroit Pistons ). Two more teams were part of the merger that created the NBA in 1949: the Buffalo Bisons/ Tri-Cities Blackhawks (now the Atlanta Hawks ), and the Syracuse Nationals (now the Philadelphia 76ers ). Five former NBA teams also trace their history back to

714-819: The NBL: the Anderson Packers , Denver Nuggets , Indianapolis Jets (as the Kautskys), Sheboygan Red Skins and Waterloo Hawks played in the NBL/BAA/NBA. The Jets played in the BAA for the 1948–49 season only; the remaining teams for the 1949–50 season only. Anderson, Sheboygan, and Waterloo joined the National Professional Basketball League in 1950. The NBL also created the Indianapolis Olympians for

756-618: The Oshkosh All-Stars. Oshkosh was favored because with Edwards at center, the All-Stars had beaten the Rens 7 out of 10 games they had played during the previous two years. That night the Rens beat Oshkosh 34–25. Edwards was the leading scorer of the tournament, scoring 49 points in three games, including a 12-point performance in the final. In total, the New York Rens and Oshkosh All-Stars played each other 33 times, with Oshkosh holding

798-545: The United States' National Basketball League 's history. Edwards was a 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) center who starred at Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis , Indiana . Back then, he was known as the "East Side Terror", and it was between his sophomore and junior years that he learned how to do a hook shot after watching a barn-storming basketball team perform the feat. He played for

840-653: The Zollner Pistons and Oshkosh for supremacy were the Sheboygan Red Skins . Beginning in 1941, the season before Fort Wayne joined the NBL, Sheboygan appeared in five of six championship series. They lost to Oshkosh in the 1941 finals, beat Fort Wayne for the title in 1943 but lost to the Zollner Pistons in 1944 and 1945, and were swept in the 1946 finals by the league's newest member, the powerhouse Rochester Royals , who boasted Hall of Famers Al Cervi , Bob Davies and Red Holzman . The NBL's third era

882-632: The best record of all teams that were invited to the World Professional Basketball Tournament, winning 20 games and losing 10. The Oshkosh All Stars were crowned the World Professional Basketball Tournament champions in Chicago in 1942, and Edwards was the all-time leading point scorer in the tournaments history. On February 14, 1945, United Press International recognized him as one of the Top 5 Basketball Players of All Time. The New York Renaissance (Rens, for short)

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924-486: The defender out of the way. As long as his move wasn't too obvious, the ref would not call a foul. Meyer said this was the first time he ever saw that move. Edwards died of a heart attack on August 25, 1971, at roughly 7:30 p.m., at the age of 57 at his home in Lawrence, Indiana while mowing his yard. His wife and bystanders attempted to resuscitate him, but were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead at arrival at

966-630: The edge with 17 wins. The entire New York Rens team is in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame . Their team played over 3000 games and won 85% of them. John Isaacs , a member of the Hall of Fame Rens team, was asked about Edwards. His comments were that Edwards was a great player who could play in any era. Isaacs also said that Edwards never complained to the officials during a game and would play hard. He added that Hall of Famer Tarzan Cooper and Edwards would talk to each other during

1008-564: The game, 23–22. Edwards is generally recognized as the player responsible for the implementation of the three-second rule . Enacted in 1936, it was originally designed to limit rough play near the basket. The rule limits the time players can remain in the area in front of the basket known as the "paint" or free-throw lane. The rule has been modified and is still used today. In a different game that season, Edwards set another college basketball record, scoring 34 points against Creighton University . After coach Adolph Rupp 's retirement in 1972 he

1050-656: The games. He recalled one game when Edwards said something to Cooper about a rough move that he made. Cooper responded by quipping 'who do you think I learned it from?' Hall of Fame center George Mikan of the Chicago Gears and the Minneapolis Lakers , who stood 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m), was named the best basketball player from 1900 to 1950 by the National Association of Basketball Coaches  (NABC). Mikan, however, did not get

1092-520: The hospital. He had been an employee of Chrysler 's Indianapolis plant before his death. Whether Leroy Edwards was playing college basketball for Kentucky or professionally against the New York Renaissance, Harlem Globetrotters or the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons , he contributed to basketball's development and popularity in the United States. He excited fans in an era without television coverage and very little radio publicity. Edwards,

1134-454: The league title in 1944 and 1945. Like many teams of that era, it was not uncommon for Fort Wayne to play its games in taverns, armories, high-school gyms or ballrooms. Under Zollner, the Pistons would eventually play an important role in the survival and growth of the NBA. Zollner's financial support of the NBA helped the league stay afloat during its tumultuous formative years. Challenging

1176-664: The merger, the NBA adopted the BAA history as its own. The NBL contributed significantly to the foundation of the NBA, but it also had major accomplishments in other areas, most notably in offering opportunities for African-American players. In the 1942–43 season, with many players in the armed forces, two NBL clubs, the Toledo Jim White Chevrolets and the Chicago Studebakers , filled their rosters by signing African-Americans—five years before Jackie Robinson would break baseball's color barrier with

1218-409: The old Madison Square Garden . NYU and Kentucky were considered the best two college teams in the country at that time and playing for the national championship. A then-record 16,500 fans attended the match. A controversy occurred when sports writers said that Kentucky would have won this game if the two NYU players who were hanging onto Edwards throughout the game had fouls called on them. NYU won

1260-457: The opportunity to play against Edwards when Edwards was in his prime. They played against each other when Edwards was older and having chronic knee problems. Still, whenever they met on the court Edwards usually had the upper hand. Mikan later wrote in his book that Edwards was 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) tall, weighed 260 lbs. and was the strongest player in professional basketball (although those measurements are exaggerated). When Mikan

1302-451: The records and statistics of the BAA and NBL prior to the merger in 1949 are considered in official NBA history only if a player, coach, or team participated in the newly formed NBA after 1949 for one or more seasons. The history of the NBL falls into three eras, each contributing significantly to the growth of professional basketball and the emergence of the NBA . The first dynasty centered on

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1344-719: The second highest scorer in National Basketball League history. During Edwards's 12-year career, he was selected to the NBL First Team All-League six times and the Second Team All-League twice. He was also the League MVP three times. Oshkosh won the league championship six times and participated in nine of ten World Professional Basketball Tournament events held in Chicago between 1939 and 1948. Edwards' team had

1386-440: The sectional final against Shortridge High School , a team they had beaten twice during the regular season, but still finished the year with a 22–3 record. Edwards played one season of varsity basketball at the University of Kentucky . Due to NCAA rules, college freshmen were not allowed to play varsity sports at the time. As a freshman in 1933–34, he set a college scoring record 24 points per game in 17 games as he guided

1428-623: The varsity team in 1930–31, 1931–32 and 1932–33, leading the team in scoring his final two seasons while also helping to win the Indianapolis City Crown all three of his varsity seasons. Edwards was an all-state player who twice led the North Central Conference in scoring and also led Arsenal to the state quarterfinals as a junior in an era when there were no divisional breakdowns based on school enrollment. In his senior season of 1932–33, Arsenal Tech lost in

1470-410: Was an excellent defensive player. He accomplished so much at a time when game scores and point totals were much lower than today. In those days, the actual playing time was shorter. The game had 15–17 minute halves and no 24 second shot clock. Play was slower and teams would play zone defense and hold on to the ball for long periods of time, making it very difficult for a player to score many points in

1512-878: Was asked who was the best center he had ever seen play the game and his answer was Leroy Edwards. He said Edwards was the strongest player that he ever coached and he played above the rim. Edwards, selected to the First Team All- Southeastern Conference , was also named the Helms Athletic Foundation National College Player of the Year . Edwards left the University of Kentucky after just his sophomore year—an extremely rare decision for basketball players during that era—to start what would become an historical professional basketball career. When Edwards decided to play professional basketball he

1554-432: Was asked who was the best player he ever faced he did not hesitate to say that it was Leroy Edwards. Hall of Famer Ray Meyer , Mikan's coach at DePaul University , wrote that Edwards was not merely a good basketball player, but a great one. Meyer was impressed with his agility. Edwards, he wrote, had a great move with his back to the basket. He would turn left, dribble with his right hand and he'd use his left hand to push

1596-634: Was considered the premier player in the country. In 1936 he signed his first pro contract with the Oshkosh All-Stars , a team in Wisconsin that played in the National Basketball League (NBL). This league was the forerunner to the National Basketball Association  (NBA). He played for them from 1936 to 1949. He was a prolific scorer with either hand, left or right, could shoot from the outside and

1638-422: Was created by three corporations: General Electric , Firestone and Goodyear . It was primarily made up of Great Lakes area small-market and corporate teams. The league began rather informally. Scheduling was left to the discretion of each of the teams, as long as the team played at least ten games and four of them were on the road. Games played increased yearly as the popularity of professional basketball and

1680-573: Was dominated by George Mikan , the 6'10" (2.08 m), three-time NCAA "All-American" center from DePaul University in Chicago. As a rookie, he led the Chicago American Gears to the 1947 NBL title, but before the next season, owner Maurice White pulled his team out of the league and formed his own 24-team circuit called the Professional Basketball League of America . That venture quickly failed, and Mikan

1722-531: Was signed by the NBL's Minneapolis Lakers , where he teamed with the versatile Jim Pollard to win the 1948 championship. After the 1947–48 season, Mikan's Lakers quit the League to join the Basketball Association of America (BAA), along with three other NBL clubs: Rochester, Fort Wayne, and Indianapolis. The NBL added an all-black team in December of its final season, when one of its replacement clubs folded,

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1764-399: Was the best black team of the era 1920–1940s. As in most sports, times were very difficult for black players. Nevertheless, the Rens were an excellent team with quality players; their record for the 1939 season was 112 wins and 7 losses. The epitome of their success came that year in Chicago at the first World Professional Basketball Tournament. The Rens had reached the finals and were playing

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