Detroit Falcons (basketball)
Template:Infobox basketball club
The Detroit Falcons were a Basketball Association of America (forerunner of the National Basketball Association) team based in Detroit. It played in the inaugural 1946–47 season and folded soon after the season ended.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref> Its demise alongside the Detroit Gems' move to Minneapolis to become the Minneapolis Lakers (now Los Angeles Lakers<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Closed access</ref>) left Detroit without a professional basketball team until a decade later, when the Fort Wayne Pistons moved there.
History
Originally, the Falcons were slated to be the BAA Indianapolis team that supposed to have debuted alongside the rest of the other inaugural Basketball Association of America teams in its inaugural season.<ref>https://www.apbr.org/nbaroots.html</ref> However, at some point before the season began for the franchise, the idea for them to play in Indianapolis was scrapped and the franchise began to play in Detroit, Michigan as the Detroit Falcons instead. The Falcons played only in the inaugural season of the BAA and finished 4th in the Western Division with a 20–40 record, Template:Frac games out of first place. Stan Miasek was the team's star, scoring 895 points (14.9 points per game) and making the BAA's First-Team that year. Despite Detroit hosting the inaugural BAA (now NBA) draft, the Falcons would be one of two teams in the BAA to not participate in that inaugural event.<ref>Template:Cite book, pp. 1-6</ref> Following the draft's conclusion, the Falcons would officially withdraw from the BAA on July 9, 1947,<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Open access</ref> becoming the second BAA franchise to fold after the Cleveland Rebels did it a month prior on June 9.<ref>Template:Cite book, pg. 422</ref> However, the BAA would later officially cancel the Falcons franchise alongside five other non-operating franchises in Buffalo and Indianapolis alongside the Cleveland Rebels, the Pittsburgh Ironmen, and the Toronto Huskies on May 10, 1948 in order to implement (potential) new spots for teams held by rivaling NBL teams like the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, Indianapolis Kautskys, Minneapolis Lakers, Rochester Royals, Oshkosh All-Stars, and Toledo Jeeps.<ref>https://www.apbr.org/baaminutes.html</ref>
| Season | GP | W | L | Pct. | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946–47 | 60 | 20 | 40 | Template:Winpct | Did not qualify |
Personnel
- Head coaches
- Glenn M. Curtis (12–22)
- Philip Sachs (8–18)
- Players<ref>"1946-47 Detroit Falcons Roster and Stats", Basketball-Reference</ref>
| Name | Jersey No. | Pos. | Height (ft.) | Weight (lbs.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chet Aubuchon | 98 | G | 5' 10" | 137 |
| Moe Becker | 67 | G-F | 6' 1" | 185 |
| Harold Brown | 24 | G | 6' 0" | 155 |
| Bob Dille | 62 | F | 6' 3" | 190 |
| John Janisch | 52 | F-G | 6' 3" | 200 |
| Harold Johnson | 8, 33 | C | 6' 6" | 240 |
| Tom King | 11 | G | 6' 0" | 165 |
| Grady Lewis | 7, 66 | F-C | 6' 7" | 215 |
| Ariel Maughan | 99 | F | 6' 4" | 190 |
| Howie McCarty | 55 | F-G | 6' 2" | 190 |
| Stan Miasek | 14, 22 | C-F | 6' 5" | 210 |
| George Pearcy | 34 | G | 6' 1" | 165 |
| Henry Pearcy | 44 | G | 6' 1" | 170 |
| Milt Schoon | 15, 68 | C | 6' 7" | 230 |
| Art Stolkey | 44 | G | 6' 1" | 180 |
References
External links
- Detroit Falcons History NBA Hoops Online
- Basketball-reference team season page