World Professional Basketball Tournament
Encyclopedia
World Professional Basketball Tournament was an invitational tournament
for professional basketball
teams in the United States
held in Chicago
, Illinois
by the Chicago Herald American. The annual event was held from 1939 to 1948. Many of the teams came from the National Basketball League
, though it also included teams from other leagues and barnstorming teams such as the New York Rens and Harlem Globetrotters
. Games were played at various sites including Chicago Coliseum
, International Amphitheater and Chicago Stadium
.
Tournament finals results
Tournament MVPs
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
for professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
teams in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
held in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
by the Chicago Herald American. The annual event was held from 1939 to 1948. Many of the teams came from 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...
, though it also included teams from other leagues and barnstorming teams such as the New York Rens and Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
. Games were played at various sites including Chicago Coliseum
Chicago Coliseum
The Chicago Coliseum was the name of a succession of three large indoor arenas in Chicago, Illinois from the 1860s to 1982 that each served as a sports venue, convention center, and exhibition hall over the course of their respective histories. The first Coliseum briefly made an appearance in the...
, International Amphitheater and Chicago Stadium
Chicago Stadium
The Chicago Stadium was an indoor sports arena and theater in Chicago. It opened in 1929, and closed in 1994.-History:The Stadium hosted the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL from 1929–1994 and the Chicago Bulls of the NBA from 1967–1994....
.
Tournament finals results
- 1939 New York RensNew York RenaissanceThe New York Renaissance, also known as the Renaissance Big Five and as the Rens, was an all-black professional basketball team established February 13, 1923, by Robert "Bob" Douglas in agreement with the Renaissance Casino and Ballroom...
34-25 Oshkosh All-StarsOshkosh All-StarsThe Oshkosh All-Stars were a professional basketball team based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. From 1937 to 1948 they played in the National Basketball League, a forerunner to the NBA. The team appeared in the NBL finals five consecutive years , winning twice... - 1940 Harlem GlobetrottersHarlem GlobetrottersThe Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
31-29 Chicago BruinsChicago BruinsThe Chicago Bruins were an American basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois that was a member of the American Basketball League. The Bruins later played in the National Basketball League and World Professional Basketball Tournament.... - 1941 Detroit EaglesDetroit EaglesThe Detroit Eagles were a professional basketball team based in Detroit, Michigan. Managed by Dutch Dehnert, they played in the National Basketball League from 1939 to 1941, then became a barnstorming team...
39-37 Oshkosh All-StarsOshkosh All-StarsThe Oshkosh All-Stars were a professional basketball team based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. From 1937 to 1948 they played in the National Basketball League, a forerunner to the NBA. The team appeared in the NBL finals five consecutive years , winning twice... - 1942 Oshkosh All-StarsOshkosh All-StarsThe Oshkosh All-Stars were a professional basketball team based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. From 1937 to 1948 they played in the National Basketball League, a forerunner to the NBA. The team appeared in the NBL finals five consecutive years , winning twice...
43-41 Detroit EaglesDetroit EaglesThe Detroit Eagles were a professional basketball team based in Detroit, Michigan. Managed by Dutch Dehnert, they played in the National Basketball League from 1939 to 1941, then became a barnstorming team... - 1943 Washington BearsWashington BearsThe Washington Bears were an all-black professional basketball team of the 1940s.Sponsored by movie theater owner Abe Lichtman, the Bears played their home games at Turner's Arena in Washington, DC. Most of the team was composed of former New York Renaissance players, such as Pop Gates, Tarzan...
43-31 Oshkosh All-StarsOshkosh All-StarsThe Oshkosh All-Stars were a professional basketball team based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. From 1937 to 1948 they played in the National Basketball League, a forerunner to the NBA. The team appeared in the NBL finals five consecutive years , winning twice... - 1944 Fort Wayne Zollner PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
50-33 Brooklyn EaglesNewark EaglesThe Newark Eagles was a professional Negro league baseball team that played in the second Negro National League from 1936 to 1948.- Formation :... - 1945 Fort Wayne Zollner PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
78-52 Dayton Acmes - 1946 Fort Wayne Zollner PistonsDetroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
73-57 Oshkosh All-StarsOshkosh All-StarsThe Oshkosh All-Stars were a professional basketball team based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. From 1937 to 1948 they played in the National Basketball League, a forerunner to the NBA. The team appeared in the NBL finals five consecutive years , winning twice... - 1947 Indianapolis Kautskys 62-47 Toledo Jeeps
- 1948 Minneapolis LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
75-71 New York RensNew York RenaissanceThe New York Renaissance, also known as the Renaissance Big Five and as the Rens, was an all-black professional basketball team established February 13, 1923, by Robert "Bob" Douglas in agreement with the Renaissance Casino and Ballroom...
Tournament MVPs
- 1939 Puggy Bell, New York Rens
- 1940 Sonny BoswellSonny BoswellWyatt "Sonny" Boswell was an early African American professional basketball player. He was born in Greenville, Mississippi and grew up in Toledo, Ohio, where he attended Scott High School. He played for the Harlem Globetrotters from 1939 to 1942.Boswell was known for taking long distance trick...
, Harlem Globetrotters - 1941 Buddy JeannetteBuddy JeannetteHarry Edward "Buddy" Jeannette was a professional basketball player and coach.Jeannette was widely regarded as the premier backcourt player between 1938 and 1948. He was named to the First Team of the NBL four times, and won titles with the NBL's Sheboygan Red Skins and Fort Wayne Pistons...
, Detroit Eagles - 1942 Ed Riska, Oshkosh All-Stars
- 1943 Curly ArmstrongCurly ArmstrongPaul Carlyle "Curly" Armstrong was an American basketball player.A 5'11" guard/forward, Armstrong starred at Central High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he reached two state championship games while leading his team to a 50-6 record...
, Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons - 1944 Bobby McDermottBobby McDermottRobert "Bobby" McDermott was an American professional basketball player, in the 1930s and 1940s....
, Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons - 1945 Buddy JeannetteBuddy JeannetteHarry Edward "Buddy" Jeannette was a professional basketball player and coach.Jeannette was widely regarded as the premier backcourt player between 1938 and 1948. He was named to the First Team of the NBL four times, and won titles with the NBL's Sheboygan Red Skins and Fort Wayne Pistons...
, Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons - 1946 George MikanGeorge MikanGeorge Lawrence Mikan, Jr. , nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball Association...
, Chicago American GearsChicago American GearsThe Chicago American Gears were a National Basketball League team who played from 1944 to 1947.Led by George Mikan and Bobby McDermott, they defeated the Rochester Royals to win the 1947 NBL Championship.... - 1947 Julie Rivlin, Toledo Jeeps
- 1948 George MikanGeorge MikanGeorge Lawrence Mikan, Jr. , nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball Association...
, Minneapolis Lakers