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National Industrial Basketball League

U.S. amateur basketball league (1947–1961)

National Industrial Basketball League
Summary

U.S. amateur basketball league (1947–1961)

FieldValue
titleNational Industrial Basketball League
sportBasketball
pixels100px
founded1947
countryUSAUnited States
teams25
folded1963
championCleveland Pipers (1st title)
most_champsPhillips 66ers (11)

The National Industrial Basketball League was founded in 1947 to enable U.S. mill workers a chance to compete in basketball. The league was founded by the industrial teams (teams sponsored by the large companies and made up of their employees) belonging to the National Basketball League (NBL) that did not join the National Basketball Association when the NBL merged with the Basketball Association of America.

The NIBL teams participated every year in the AAU National tournament against teams from other amateur or semi-professional leagues.

League history

The league's inaugural year, 1947–48, featured five teams in an eight-game schedule—the Milwaukee Harnischfegers (which won the round robin schedule with an 8–0 record), Peoria Caterpillars, Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys, Akron Goodyear Wingfoots, and Fort Wayne General Electrics. The following season (1948–1949), with a 16-game schedule, the new lineup was league champion Bartlesville Phillips 66ers (15-1 record), Denver Chevvies, Peoria Caterpillars, Akron Goodyears/Akron Goodyear Wingfoots, and Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys.

In the 1949–50 season, with the addition of the Dayton Industrialists making the league a six-team circuit, the Phillips 66ers repeated as champions. The league expanded again in the 1950–51 season to eight teams, adding the (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas) and San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets. The Dayton team renamed as the Dayton Air Gems, and the Phillips 66ers repeated for their third consecutive title.

High point of league expansion

The league expanded to 11 teams, in 1951-52 with such new teams as the Los Angeles Fibber McGee & Mollys, Artesia REA Travelers, and Santa Maria Golden Dukes. The 66ers just edged the Oakland Atlas-Pacific Engineers and the San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets for their fourth title, with a 17–5 record to their opponents 16-6 records that tied for second. The next season (1952-53), the league dropped down to nine teams, but saw new opponents in the Houston Ada Oilers and the Los Angeles Kirby's Shoes. The 66ers beat the Caterpillars for the title by one game, with a 13–3 record.

The Peoria Cats tied the 66ers for the 1953-54 title, each with a 10–4 record. The next two seasons, the 66ers and the Cats took first and second respectively. A new team in the greatly reduced circuit of five teams in 1955-56 was the Wichita Vickers.

The 1956-57 season was one of the most competitive in the NIBL history. While the 66ers again took first with a 13–7 record, four teams tied for second with 11-9 records, including the newly added Denver-Chicago Truckers. This proved to be the last season for the Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys, who finished last for the seventh time with a 3–17 record.

The 1957–58 season saw the Vickers move to the forefront, tying the 66ers for the league title with a 21–9 record. A new team that year was the Kansas City Kaycee's.

End of the Phillips 66ers winning streak

In the 1958–59 season, the 66ers failed to take the league title for the first time since their coming to the league, finishing in third place. The Truckers finished first with a 21–9 record, with the Vickers runner-up at 19–11. Joining the league that season was the Seattle Buchan Bakers. However, in the 1959–60 season, the 66ers regained their title as league champions.

The 1963–64 Phillips 66ers, from left to right: [standing] Don Watkins (team manager), Jerry Shipp, Ken Charlton, Jim Hagan, Mike Moran, Terry Cerkvenik, Bud Browning, [kneeling] Ken Saylors, Del Ray Mounts, Denny Price, Larry Pursiful, Charlie Bowerman and Bob Turner.

Demise

By the early 1960s, NIBL teams were increasingly struggling to compete with the salaries offered in professional league. Top college graduates increasingly gravitated to the NBA, and the NIBL began to decline in popularity and profitability. This is evidenced by the disbandment of the Peoria Cats at the end of the 1959–60 season.

In the NIBL's final season, 1960–61, the league had dropped down to only six members divided into two divisions, Eastern (Cleveland Pipers, Akron Goodyears, New York Tuck Tapers) and Western (Denver-Chicago Truckers, Phillips 66ers, and Seattle Buchan Bakers). Instead of the round-robin schedule determining a winner, the league sponsored a four-team playoff. The Pipers beat the Truckers for the championship, 136–100. The 66ers beat the Goodyears for in a match for third place, 114–112.

In 1961, the league dropped their industrial sponsors and merged with other amateur leagues to form the National Alliance of Basketball Leagues (NABL). The Pipers and the Tapers left to join the newly formed American Basketball League in 1961.

An amateur league

In the 1950s the salaries were about the same as the NBA and there was a job for all players in their companies. Some of them ended up being president of their companies, working there for a lifetime. Most of players wanted no part of the uncertain professional game, and instead were accepting a position with the companies, rejecting offers even from NBA.

The NIBL was dedicated to remaining amateur at a time when basketball was desperately trying to carve out some postwar space in the pro sports landscape. But professional basketball staggered forward and the NIBL flourished, mostly because its stability allowed companies to poach stars such as Bob Kurland.

The NIBL merged with other AAU leagues and reorganized into the National AAU Basketball League (NABL) in 1961.

Notable alumni

Basketball Hall of Fame alumni

  • Don Barksdale (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas) Inducted, 2012
  • Bob Boozer (Peoria Caterpillars) Inducted, 2016
  • Larry Brown (Akron Goodyears) Inducted, 2002
  • Ace Gruenig (Denver Chevvies) Inducted, 1963
  • Alex Hannum (Coach, Wichita Vickers) Inducted, 1998
  • Gus Johnson (Cleveland Pipers) Inducted, 2010
  • Bob Kurland (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers) Inducted, 1961
  • Clyde Lovellette (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers) Inducted, 1988
  • Hank Luisetti (Coach, Denver Chevvies & Coach, San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets) Inducted, 1959
  • John McLendon (Coach, Cleveland Pipers) Inducted, 1979 and 2016
  • George Yardley (San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets) Inducted, 1996
Hall of Famer Bob Boozer

Future NBA/ABA All-Stars

  • Don Barksdale (Oakland Bittners|Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas)
  • Dick Barnett (Cleveland Pipers)
  • Vince Boryla (Denver Chevvies)
  • Bob Boozer (Peoria Caterpillars)
  • Larry Brown (Akron Goodyears)
  • Gus Johnson (Cleveland Pipers)
  • Clyde Lovellette (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
  • Tom Meschery (San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets)
  • Chuck Noble (Akron Goodyears)
  • Don Ohl (Peoria Caterpillars)
  • Lee Shaffer (Cleveland Pipers)
  • Ben Warley (Cleveland Pipers)
  • George Yardley (San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets)

Olympic players and coaches

Other notable alumni

  • Bud Adams (Owner, Houston Ada Oilers)
  • Jim Ashmore (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
  • Joe Belmont (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
  • Al Bunge (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
  • Art Bunte (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
  • Bill Calhoun (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas)
  • Ken Charlton (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
  • Gene Conley (Washington Tapers)
  • Johnny Cox (Cleveland Pipers), (Akron Goodyears)
  • Howie Crittenden (Peoria Caterpillars)
  • Johnny Dee (Coach, Denver-Chicago Truckers)
  • Billy Donovan Sr. (Los Angeles Fibber McGee & Mollys)
  • Chuck Hanger (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas)
  • Jerry Harper (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers), Houston Ada Oilers
  • Swede Halbrook (Wichita Vickers)
  • Phil Jordon (Seattle Buchan Bakers)
  • George King (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
  • Ron Livingstone (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas)
  • Bill Logan (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
  • Dave Minor (Denver Chevvies)
  • Bill Morris (Coach, Buchan Bakers)
  • Red Murrell (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
  • Paul Neumann (New York Tuck Tapers)
  • Jim Palmer (Dayton Industrials)
  • Bobby Plump (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers), movie Hoosiers
  • Ken Pryor (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
  • Terry Rand (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
  • Hank Rosenstein (Coach, New York Tuck Tapers)
  • Harv Schmidt (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
  • Lloyd Sharrar (Cleveland Pipers, Akron Wingfoots)
  • Arnold Short (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
  • Glen Smith (Denver Central Bankers)
  • George Steinbrenner (Owner, Cleveland Pipers)
  • Jack Stone (Los Angeles Fibber McGee & Mollys)
  • Stan Stutz (Coach, New York Tuck Tapers)
  • Rolland Todd (Buchan Bakers)
  • Bumper Tormohlen (Cleveland Pipers)
  • Hank Vaughn (Coach, Akron Goodyears)
  • Ed Voss (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas)
  • Hoarce Walker (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
  • Walt Walowac (Akron Wingfoots)
  • Bus Whitehead (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
  • Gene Wiley (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
  • Andy Wolfe (San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets)

Teams

  • Akron Goodyear Wingfoots/Akron Goodyears (1947–1961)
  • Bartlesville Phillips 66ers (1948–1961)
  • Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys (1947–1957)
  • Artesia CVE Travelers|Artesia REA Travelers (1951–1955)
  • Cleveland Pipers (1959–1961)
  • Dayton Air-Gems (1950–1952)
  • Dayton Industrials (1949–1950)
  • Denver Chevvies (1948–1951)
  • Denver Central Bankers (1951–1955)
  • Denver D-C Truckers (1956–1961)
  • Fort Wayne General Electrics (1947–1948)
  • Houston Ada Oilers (1952–1955)
  • Kansas City Kaycees (1957–1958)
  • Los Angeles Fibber McGee & Mollys (1951–1952)
  • Los Angeles Kirby's Shoes (1952–1953)
  • Milwaukee Harnischfegers (1947–1948)
  • Peoria Caterpillars (1947–1960)
  • New York Tuck Tapers (1959–1961)
  • Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas (1950–1951)
  • Oakland Atlas-Pacific Engineers (1951–1952)
  • San Francisco Investors (1959–1960)
  • San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets (1950–1952)
  • Santa Maria Golden Dukes (1951–1954)
  • Seattle Buchan Bakers (1958–1961)
  • Wichita Vickers (1955–1960)

List of champions

  • 1947–48 [[File:Giallo e Rosso (Bordato).png|20px]] Milwaukee Harnischfegers
  • 1948–49 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
  • 1949–50 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
  • 1950–51 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
  • 1951–52 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
  • 1952–53 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
  • 1953–54 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Bartlesville Phillips 66ers and [[File:600px Bianco viola reale.png|20px]] Peoria Cats
  • 1954–55 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
  • 1955–56 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
  • 1956–57 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
  • 1957–58 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Phillips 66ers and [[File:600px Bianco viola reale.png|20px]] Wichita Vickers
  • 1958–59 [[File:Verde Flag.png|20px]] Denver-Chicago Truckers
  • 1959–60 [[File:600px_Nero_e_Verde_(Bordato).png|20px]] Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
  • 1960–61 [[File:600px Rosso e Blu (Strisce).png|20px]] Cleveland Pipers

All-Star Game

  • 1958, Peoria: East - West 113-104
  • 1959, Denver: East - West 81-78

Standings (1947–1948 to 1960–1961)

1947–1948 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Milwaukee Harnischfegers801.000
Caterpillar Diesels53.625
Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys44.500
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots35.375
Fort Wayne General Electrics08.000
1948–1949 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Bartlesville Phillips 66ers151.938
Denver Chevvies115.688
Caterpillar Diesels88.500
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots412.250
Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys214.125
1949–1950 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Bartlesville Phillips 66ers91.900
Caterpillar Diesels73.700
Denver Chevvies55.500
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots37.300
Dayton Industrialists37.300
Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys214.125
1950–1951 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Bartlesville Phillips 66ers223.888
Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas116.647
San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets128.600
Caterpillar Diesels1513.538
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots58.385
Dayton Air Gems512.294
Denver Chevvies514.263
Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys112.077
1951–1952 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Bartlesville Phillips 66ers175.773
Oakland Atlas-Pacific Engineers166.727
San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets166.727
Caterpillar Diesels139.591
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots1210.545
Los Angeles Fibber McGee & Mollys913.409
Artesia REA Travelers913.409
Denver Central Bankers814.364
Santa Maria Golden Dukes814.364
Dayton Air-Gems715.318
Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys517.227
1952–1953 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Phillips 66ers133.812
Peoria Cats124.750
Santa Maria Golden Dukes106.625
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots97.562
Houston Ada Oilers88.500
Los Angeles Kirby's Shoes79.438
Denver Central Bankers610.375
Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys511.312
Artesia REA Travelers214.125
1953–1954 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Phillips 66ers104.714
Peoria Cats104.714
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots95.643
Denver Central Bankers95.643
Santa Maria Golden Dukes77.500
Artesia CVE Travelers410.286
Houston Ada Oilers410.286
Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys311.214
1954–1955 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Phillips 66ers195.792
Peoria Cats168.667
Denver Central Bankers1212.500
Houston Ada Oilers1212.500
Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys1014.417
Artesia CVE Travelers816.333
Akron CVE Travelers717.292
1955–1956 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Phillips 66ers168.667
Peoria Cats159.625
Wichita Vickers159.625
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots915.375
Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys519.208
1956–1957 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Phillips 66ers137.650
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots119.550
Denver Denver-Chicago Truckers119.550
Peoria Cats119.550
Wichita Vickers119.550
Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys317.150
1957–1958 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Phillips 66ers219.700
Wichita Vickers219.700
Denver Denver-Chicago Truckers1614.533
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots1515.500
Peoria Cats1515.500
Kansas City Kaycees228.064
1958–1959 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Denver Denver-Chicago Truckers219.700
Wichita Vickers1911.633
Phillips 66ers1515.500
Akron Wingfoots1317.433
Peoria Cats1218.400
Seattle Buchan Bakers1020.333
1959–1960 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.
Phillips 66ers248.750
Wichita Vickers2210.688
Akron Wingfoots1814.563
Cleveland Pipers1616.500
Peoria Cats1616.500
San Francisco Investors1517.469
Seattle Buchan Bakers1418.438
Denver Denver-Chicago Truckers1220.375
New York Tuck Tapers725.219
1960–1961 seasonTeamWinsLossesWin Pct.Playoffs
Eastern Division
Cleveland Pipers2410.706
Akron Goodyears1519.441
New York Tuck Tapers1519.441
Western Division
Denver Denver-Chicago Truckers2212.647
Bartlesville Phillips 66ers1618.471
Seattle Buchan Bakers1024.294
Championship GameCleveland 136, Denver 100
Consolation GameBartlesville 114, Akron 112

Team profiles

DivisionTeamCityArenaCapacityClubFoundedNIBL YearsNIBL TitlesNational Industrial Basketball League
Akron Goodyear WingfootsAkron, OhioAkron Goodyear Hall5,00019181947–1961–
Phillips 66ersBartlesville, OklahomaBartlesville High School Gym and Phillips Gymnasium1,400 and 2,60019251948–196111
Peoria CaterpillarsPeoria, IllinoisRobertson Memorial Field House8,30019371947–19601
Fort Wayne General ElectricsFort Wayne, IndianaNorth Side High School Gym3,00019351947–1948–
Buchan BakersSeattle, WashingtonSeattle Civic Auditorium2,96319481948–1961–
Houston Ada OilersHouston, TexasJeppesen Gymnasium2,50019521952–1955–
Oakland BittnersOakland, California[?]()?19411950–1952–
Wichita VickersWichita, KansasWichita Civic Auditorium?19551955–1960–
Cleveland PipersCleveland, OhioCleveland Arena10,00019591959–19611

References

References

  1. Panella, Bob. (December 12, 1952). "Kirby's Host the Best". Hollywood Citizen-News.
  2. "Player Reunion to Highlight Goodyear Wingfoots 100th Anniversary".
  3. "Player Reunion to Highlight Goodyear Wingfoots 100th Anniversary".
  4. (March 22, 1953). "Kirby's drop out of cage league". Daily News.
  5. "AAU Buchan Bakers".
Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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