1946–47 Boston Celtics season
Encyclopedia
The 1946–47 Boston Celtics season was the 1st season of the Boston Celtics
in the Basketball Association of America
(BAA/NBA). Walter A. Brown
was the man who was responsible for starting the franchise. On an early June day in 1946, Brown, who operated the Boston Garden arena and was part of the National Hockey League's
Boston Bruins
, was the driving force behind the Basketball Association of America and the Celtics birth. After considering several team names, including Whirlwinds, Unicorns and Olympics, Brown opted for Celtics. He hoped to grab the attention of Boston's large Irish American
population. John Davis "Honey" Russell was hired as the first Celtics coach, and the team soon began its inaugural season, losing its first game 59-53 to the Providence Steamrollers
. Although the Celtics would eventually become the signature franchise of the NBA, the club had a lacklustre first season as they started with 0 wins and 5 losses. The Celtics won their first game of the season against the Toronto Huskies
.
in front of 4,329 fans. The game would be delayed an hour when the wooden backboard was damaged after a practice dunk during warm-ups. After the backboard was repaired, the Celtics lost to the Chicago Stags
by a score 57-55.
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in the Basketball Association of America
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(BAA/NBA). Walter A. Brown
Walter A. Brown
Walter A. Brown was the original owner of the Boston Celtics as well as an important figure in the development of ice hockey in the United States.-Life:...
was the man who was responsible for starting the franchise. On an early June day in 1946, Brown, who operated the Boston Garden arena and was part of the National Hockey League's
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, was the driving force behind the Basketball Association of America and the Celtics birth. After considering several team names, including Whirlwinds, Unicorns and Olympics, Brown opted for Celtics. He hoped to grab the attention of Boston's large Irish American
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
population. John Davis "Honey" Russell was hired as the first Celtics coach, and the team soon began its inaugural season, losing its first game 59-53 to the Providence Steamrollers
Providence Steamrollers
The Providence Steamrollers were a National Basketball Association team based in Providence, Rhode Island. As of November 2011, the Steamrollers remain the last pro sports franchise from one of the Big Four leagues to be based in Rhode Island....
. Although the Celtics would eventually become the signature franchise of the NBA, the club had a lacklustre first season as they started with 0 wins and 5 losses. The Celtics won their first game of the season against the Toronto Huskies
Toronto Huskies
The Toronto Huskies were a team in the Basketball Association of America during the 1946–47 season, based in Toronto, Ontario...
.
Roster
Regular season
On November 5, the Celtics played their first game at the Boston GardenBoston Garden
The Boston Garden was an arena in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Designed by boxing promoter Tex Rickard, who also built the third iteration of New York's Madison Square Garden, it opened on November 17, 1928 as "Boston Madison Square Garden" and outlived its original namesake by some 30 years...
in front of 4,329 fans. The game would be delayed an hour when the wooden backboard was damaged after a practice dunk during warm-ups. After the backboard was repaired, the Celtics lost to the Chicago Stags
Chicago Stags
The Chicago Stags were a National Basketball Association team based in Chicago, Illinois, U.S..- Franchise history :The Chicago Stags were founded in 1946 and folded in 1950. Despite their short history, they were able to acquire the draft rights to a young Bob Cousy in a trade with the Tri-Cities...
by a score 57-55.
Eastern Division
| Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Capitols Washington Capitols The Washington Capitols were a charter Basketball Association of America team based in Washington, D.C. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach.... |
49 | 11 | .817 | - |
| Philadelphia Warriors | 35 | 25 | .583 | 14 |
| New York Knicks New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
33 | 27 | .550 | 16 |
| Providence Steamrollers Providence Steamrollers The Providence Steamrollers were a National Basketball Association team based in Providence, Rhode Island. As of November 2011, the Steamrollers remain the last pro sports franchise from one of the Big Four leagues to be based in Rhode Island.... |
28 | 32 | .467 | 21 |
| Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... |
22 | 38 | .367 | 27 |
| Toronto Huskies Toronto Huskies The Toronto Huskies were a team in the Basketball Association of America during the 1946–47 season, based in Toronto, Ontario... |
22 | 38 | .367 | 27 |
Game log
| 1946–47 Game Log | |
|---|---|
| 1946-47 Schedule | |
Season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | AST | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | .320 | .677 | 62 | 10.3 | |||||||
| 58 | .256 | .627 | 60 | 9.8 | |||||||
| 55 | .292 | .581 | 47 | 6.4 | |||||||
| 55 | .267 | .553 | 46 | 6.0 | |||||||
| 43 | .291 | .667 | 24 | 6.0 | |||||||
| 35 | .241 | .634 | 24 | 6.0 | |||||||
| 24 | .246 | .438 | 20 | 5.5 | |||||||
| 60 | .280 | .614 | 29 | 5.3 | |||||||
| 49 | .247 | .464 | 40 | 4.6 | |||||||
| 40 | .266 | .607 | 58 | 4.5 | |||||||
| 53 | .314 | .465 | 17 | 3.1 | |||||||
| 33 | .225 | .511 | 16 | 2.6 | |||||||
| 18 | .275 | .632 | 6 | 4.1 | |||||||
| 17 | .192 | .536 | 10 | 2.6 | |||||||
| 13 | .200 | .500 | 10 | 1.5 | |||||||
| 7 | .059 | .000 | 3 | 0.9 | |||||||
| 6 | .227 | .750 | 1 | 2.2 | |||||||
| 6 | .286 | 1.000 | 0 | 1.3 | |||||||
| 4 | .333 | 1.000 | 0 | 1.5 | |||||||
| 1 | .000 | - | 0 | 0.0 |
Transactions
| December 12, 1946 |
To the Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... Moe Becker |
To the Pittsburgh Ironmen Pittsburgh Ironmen The Pittsburgh Ironmen were a charter member of the Basketball Association of America . The team was based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They ended their only season in the BAA in 1946-47 with a record of 15-45, finishing in fifth and last place in the Western Division and worst overall in the league... Tony Kappen |
| December 23, 1946 |
To the Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... Jack Garfinkel |
To the Rochester Royals Sacramento Kings The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association... (NBL National Basketball League (United States) Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The... ) cash |
| January 2, 1947 |
To the Boston Celtics Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which... Charlie Hoefer |
To the Toronto Huskies Toronto Huskies The Toronto Huskies were a team in the Basketball Association of America during the 1946–47 season, based in Toronto, Ontario... Red Wallace |
See also
- 1946–47 BAA season