John Hargis (basketball)
Encyclopedia
John Arlington "Shotgun" Hargis (August 20, 1920 – January 2, 1986) was an American
professional basketball player, first in the National Basketball League
(NBL) and then in the National Basketball Association
(NBA). He was born in Nacogdoches, Texas
and attended Nacogdoches High School
.
Hargis enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin
in the early 1940s and played college basketball there. In both 1942–43
and 1946–47
, he led the Longhorns
to the NCAA Final Four, where they would lose to eventual national champion Wyoming
and win the third-place game over CCNY
, respectively. In each of those two seasons he was named All-Southwest Conference and, in 1947, a consensus Second Team All-American
. After the 1943 season, Hargis enlisted in the United States military and fought in World War II
for three years, then returned to Austin to finish college in 1947.
After school, Hargis played for the Anderson Packers
for three seasons, then split time between the Fort Wayne Pistons and Tri-Cities Blackhawks during his fourth and final year as a professional. For the first two years, the Packers were a member of the NBL. In 1949–50, however, they merged into the NBA. As a rookie in 1947–48, Hargis was second on the team in scoring (642 points; 10.9 ppg
). In his second season he scored 448 points (7.8 ppg), and then in his final season with the Packers, Hargis averaged 10.7 ppg while scoring 643 points. In addition to moderate personal success, the Packers also won the NBL championship in Hargis' second year on the team.
In April 1950, Hargis was drafted by the Fort Wayne Pistons from the Anderson Packers in a dispersal draft because their franchise had folded. After only playing in a handful of games for the Pistons, he was sold in December 1950 to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. Hargis finished out the rest of the season with them but was not re-signed to any team and never played professionally again.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball player, first in the National Basketball League
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...
(NBL) and then in the National Basketball Association
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...
(NBA). He was born in Nacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of...
and attended Nacogdoches High School
Nacogdoches High School
Nacogdoches High School is located in NE Nacogdoches, Texas.Nacogdoches High School is the high school of the Nacogdoches Independent School District. It serves all of the city of Nacogdoches, and most of Nacogdoches County.-History:...
.
Hargis enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
in the early 1940s and played college basketball there. In both 1942–43
1943 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page....
and 1946–47
1947 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-External links:* on Shrp Sports * , source for much of the information on this page....
, he led the Longhorns
Texas Longhorns men's basketball
The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team represents The University of Texas at Austin in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Longhorns currently compete in the Big 12 Conference....
to the NCAA Final Four, where they would lose to eventual national champion Wyoming
1942–43 Wyoming Cowboys basketball team
The 1942–43 Wyoming Cowboys basketball team represented the University of Wyoming in NCAA men's competition in the 1942–43 season. The Cowboys won the Mountain States Conference championship and were the first basketball team from the Rocky Mountains to win an NCAA Basketball Championship...
and win the third-place game over CCNY
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
, respectively. In each of those two seasons he was named All-Southwest Conference and, in 1947, a consensus Second Team All-American
1947 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The Consensus 1947 College Basketball All-American team, as determined by aggregating the results of three major All-American teams. To earn "consensus" status, a player must win honors from a majority of the following teams: the Helms Athletic Foundation, Converse, and True Magazine.-1947...
. After the 1943 season, Hargis enlisted in the United States military and fought in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for three years, then returned to Austin to finish college in 1947.
After school, Hargis played for the Anderson Packers
Anderson Packers
The Anderson Packers also known as the Anderson Duffy Packers was a professional basketball team based in Anderson, Indiana, in the 1940s and 1950s....
for three seasons, then split time between the Fort Wayne Pistons and Tri-Cities Blackhawks during his fourth and final year as a professional. For the first two years, the Packers were a member of the NBL. In 1949–50, however, they merged into the NBA. As a rookie in 1947–48, Hargis was second on the team in scoring (642 points; 10.9 ppg
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
). In his second season he scored 448 points (7.8 ppg), and then in his final season with the Packers, Hargis averaged 10.7 ppg while scoring 643 points. In addition to moderate personal success, the Packers also won the NBL championship in Hargis' second year on the team.
In April 1950, Hargis was drafted by the Fort Wayne Pistons from the Anderson Packers in a dispersal draft because their franchise had folded. After only playing in a handful of games for the Pistons, he was sold in December 1950 to the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. Hargis finished out the rest of the season with them but was not re-signed to any team and never played professionally again.