The National Basketball League: A History, 1935-1949

by Murry R. Nelson

Overview

The NBA has gained worldwide popularity with its high-flying stars and slam-dunking giants, but the early professional hoops game was played below the rim. This book provides the first history of the National Basketball League, which held court from the mid-1930s until its merger with the Basketball Association of America in 1949. Originally formed in Akron and Indianapolis, the league operated mainly in the Midwest but extended as far east as Rochester and Syracuse and west to Denver, building major franchises with hometown loyalties. Most of its stars were college graduates, a major change from previous professional leagues, and it was the first modern major professional league to integrate. Features include photographs, maps of league franchises, and tables of team standings, MVPs, and scoring leaders.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786440061
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	04/23/2009
Pages:	294
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Murry R. Nelson is a professor emeritus of Education and American Studies at Penn State University. He is the author of a history of the New York Celtics, as well as biographies of Bill Russell, Shaquille O’Neal and Abe Saperstein.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments     
Preface     
Introduction     

1. Midwest Conference: 1935–1937     
2. The National Basketball League Begins     
3. The National Basketball League’s Second Year: Movement Towards Stability     
4. Changing a Bit, Staying the Same: The 1939-40 Season     
5. Wisconsin Rhapsody: The 1940-41 Season     
6. The NBL in Peace and (Mostly) War: The 1941-42 Season     
7. The NBL Goes to War: The 1942-43 and 1943-44 Seasons     
8. The NBL Begins Regrowing: The 1944-45 Season     
9. Enter the Royals: NBL 1945-46     
10. An Explosion of Teams: The 1946-47 Season     
11. The Lakers Bring Dominance to the NBL: The 1947-48 Season     
12. Back to the Future: The Hometown League Reappears for the 1948-49 Season     
13. NBL Lessons and Accomplishments     

Appendix 1. NBL Standings, 1937–1949     
Appendix 2. Scoring Leaders in the Midwest Conference and NBL, 1935–1949     
Appendix 3. NBL All League Teams and MVPs, 1937–1949     
Chapter Notes     
Bibliography     
Index     

Editorial Reviews

this thoroughly researched history of the National Basketball League is an enjoyable read and forms an important chapter not only in American sports history but also illustrates the salient role of sports in the social history of small towns and cities in Middle America”—Journal of Sport History.

From the Publisher

this thoroughly researched history of the National Basketball League is an enjoyable read and forms an important chapter not only in American sports history but also illustrates the salient role of sports in the social history of small towns and cities in Middle America

Journal of Sport History