Canadian basketball player (1923–1989)
Norman Henry Baker (February 17, 1923 – April 23, 1989) was a Canadian professional basketball and lacrosse player.
Early life and career
Baker started his career at the age of ten while playing for the Nanaimo Mosquitoes.[1] He became the youngest player to win a Canadian senior national championship as the team won in 1939.[1] As a sixteen-year-old, Baker led the Mosquitoes to a win over the Harlem Globetrotters and was called "one of the greatest natural players I have ever seen" by Globetrotters founder Abe Saperstein.[2]
Baker won two more championships with the Mosquitoes in 1942 and 1946.[1] While serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force, he won another championship in 1943 for the Pat Bay Gremlins.[1] Baker set a league scoring record with the Gremlins when he posted 38 points in a game against Windsor.[1]
Professional career
Baker became professional in 1946 when he played for the Chicago Stags of the Basketball Association of America (BAA).[1] He was released after only four games with the team.[3] Baker stated that the main reason he did not stay was because he had trouble with his contract and was only offered $900 a month.[4]
Baker played lacrosse for the Westminster Adanacs in 1947.[1]
Baker played 70 games for the Vancouver Hornets of the Pacific Coast Professional Basketball League from 1947 to 1948 and averaged 28.0 points per game.[1] He joined the New York Celtics, Stars of America and Boston Whirlwinds as the touring opponent of the Harlem Globetrotters.[4] He played for the Whirlwinds in the 1950–51 and 1952–53 seasons.[1]
Baker was the only non-American player on a basketball team billed as "The Stars of the World" that toured thirteen countries in Europe and Africa in 1950.[1]
After his playing career ended, Baker worked as a police officer.[3] He coached basketball and lacrosse.[3]
Legacy
Baker was voted as Canada's "Most Outstanding Player of the Century" in 1950.[1]
He was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 1966,[1] Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1978,[4] Canada Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979,[5] and Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.[2]
BAA career statistics
Regular season
| Year
|
Team
|
GP
|
FG%
|
FT%
|
APG
|
PPG
|
| 1946–47
|
Chicago
|
4 |
.000 |
.000 |
.0 |
.0
|
| Career
|
4 |
.000 |
.000 |
.0 |
.0
|
References
External links
