1946–47 Tri-Cities Blackhawks season

1946–47 Tri-Cities Blackhawks season
Head coach	Nat Hickey
Arena	Buffalo Memorial Auditorium Wharton Field House
Results
Record	19–25 (.432)
Place	Division: 5th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

The 1946–47 season was the only season under the Buffalo Bisons name, as well as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks' inaugural season in the National Basketball League (NBL). The team originally began play as the Buffalo Bisons, based in Buffalo, New York, but moved during the middle of the season (after only 13 games played in 1946^[1]) to Moline, Illinois on Christmas Day, becoming the Tri-Cities Blackhawks.^[2] Due to the sudden nature of their move from Buffalo to Moline, the Blackhawks (now known as the Atlanta Hawks) inherited the original 5–8 record of the Bisons, as well as their brief history of existence there.

Roster

Source:^[3]

1946–47 Buffalo Bisons/Tri-Cities Blackhawks roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From F/C – Anthony, Paul 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1924-01-23 Washington & Jefferson G/F – Gates, Pop 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 205 lb (93 kg) 1917-08-30 Franklin HS (NY) G – Gauchat, Bob 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1921-03-05 Canisius G/F – Grenert, Al 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1919-07-08 NYU F/C – Grunzweig, Nick 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1918-07-21 Niagara G – Hassett, Billy 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1921-10-21 Notre Dame G/F – Hickey, Nat 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1902-01-30 Hoboken HS (NJ) F/C – Lewinski, Ed 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) 1918-09-10 Bowen HS (IL) G – Moeller, Ed 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1919-01-08 Ohio State C – Otten, Don 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 240 lb (109 kg) 1921-04-18 Bowling Green G/F – Rader, Howie 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1921-03-29 Long Island G/F – Rader, Len 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1921-03-29 Long Island G/F – Rooney, Pat 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Erasmus Hall HS (NY) G/F – Schu, Wilbur 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1922-12-18 Kentucky G – Siegel, Vic 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 160 lb (73 kg) 1920-08-24 Iowa F/C – Sims, Bob 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 220 lb (100 kg) 1915-07-03 Western Michigan G – Starzyk, Dick 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1921-03-21 Marquette G – Thurston, Mel 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1919-01-16 Canisius G – Waxman, Stan 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1922-05-20 Long Island

Head coach Nat Hickey Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Regular season

The Buffalo Bisons won its first game 50–39 over the Syracuse Nationals on November 8, 1946.^[4] The team's last Buffalo appearance was a 50–38 loss to the Sheboygan Red Skins on December 16. The Bisons left town for a December road trip with their future in doubt; the team struggled to draw crowds in Buffalo, and two of their scheduled home games were canceled. On December 25, it was announced that the franchise was moving to Moline, where they finished the season as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks. The Blackhawks missed the postseason with a 19–25 record (5–8 in Buffalo and 14–17 in Moline).^[5]

Eastern Division standings

Pos.	Eastern Division	Wins	Losses	Win %
1	Rochester Royals	31	13	.705
2	Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons	25	19	.568
T–3	Syracuse Nationals	21	23	.477
	Toledo Jeeps	21	23	.477
5	Buffalo Bisons / Tri-Cities Blackhawks‡	19	25	.432
6	Youngstown Bears	12	32	.273
^‡ After 13 games the franchise moved from New York to Illinois.

Playoffs

Did not qualify

Awards and records

None

References

1. Buffalo Bisons HISTORY
2. 1946–47 NBL season
3. Tri-Cities Blackhawks - Pro Basketball Encyclopedia
4. Team that's now Atlanta Hawks bailed on Buffalo 70 years ago
5. 1946-47 Buffalo Bisons / Tri-Cities Blackhawks