Providence Steamrollers
The Providence Steamrollers were a Basketball Association of America team based in Providence, Rhode Island.[1] As of 2023, the Steamrollers were the last professional sports franchise from one of the Big Four leagues to be based in Rhode Island.
| Providence Steamrollers | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Division | Eastern |
| Founded | 1946 |
| Folded | 1949 |
| History | Providence Steamrollers 1946–1949 |
| Arena | Rhode Island Auditorium |
| Location | Providence, Rhode Island |
| Team colors | Burgundy, pink, black |
| Ownership | Louis Pieri |
Franchise history
The Steamrollers were one of the original eleven NBA franchises (when the league was called the Basketball Association of America). The franchise posted an all-time record of 46–122 (.274) before folding after three seasons.
The Steamrollers still hold the dubious NBA record for the fewest games won in a season with six, in the 1947–48 season. However, the 2011–2012 Charlotte Bobcats hold the record for the lowest winning percentage in NBA history, with .106. During that 1947–48 season, the Steamrollers' coach Nat Hickey activated himself as a player for two games, the second of which was two days before his 46th birthday, setting a still-standing record as the oldest player in NBA history.
Players of note
- Ernie Calverley – Second-team All-NBA and led league in assists during NBA's first season
- George Nostrand – Tallest player in the NBA's first year
- Howie Shannon – Leading NBA rookie in 1949
- Nat Hickey – Oldest player in NBA history
- Kenny Sailors – Led team in scoring in 1948 and 1949
Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
| Providence Steamrollers Hall of Famers | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coaches | ||||
| Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | |
| Ken Loeffler | Head Coach | 1948–1949 | 1964 | |
Draft
| Player name | College | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Howie Shannon | Kansas State University | 1949 |
| Ed Leede | Dartmouth College | 1949 |
| Warren Perkins | Tulane University | 1949 |
| Ray Corley | Georgetown University | 1949 |
| Bob Royer | Indiana State University | 1949 |
| Paul Courtey | University of Oklahoma | 1949 |
| Carl Schaeffer | University of Alabama | 1949 |
| Bill Tanzler | University of Florida | 1949 |
| Jack Theolan | DePaul University | 1949 |
| Andy Tonkovich | Marshall University | 1948 |
| Al Bennett | Oklahoma State University | 1948 |
| Jack Coleman | University of Louisville | 1948 |
| Ed Faber | Trinity University | 1948 |
| Verl Heap | Arizona State University | 1948 |
| Otto Schnellbacher | University of Kansas | 1948 |
| Brady Walker | Brigham Young University | 1948 |
| Walt Dropo | University of Connecticut | 1947 |
| Joe Barry | 1947 | |
| Dick Furey | University of St. Thomas | 1947 |
| Bob Hubbard | Springfield College | 1947 |
| Bob Joyce | Bates College | 1947 |
| Roy Lipscomb | St. Mary's College of Maryland | 1947 |
| John Mills | Hofstra University | 1947 |
| Al Nicolas | University of Rhode Island | 1947 |
Coaches and others
- Robert Morris (1946–47)
- Hank Soar (1947–48)
- Nat Hickey (1948)
- Ken Loeffler (1948–49)
Season-by-season records
| BAA champions | Division champions | Playoff berth |
| Season | League | Division | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | GB | Playoffs | Awards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946–47 | BAA | Eastern | 4th | 28 | 32 | .467 | 21 | — | — |
| 1947–48 | BAA | Eastern | 4th | 6 | 42 | .125 | 21 | — | — |
| 1948–49 | BAA | Eastern | 6th | 12 | 48 | .200 | 26 | — | — |
| Regular season record | 46 | 122 | .274 | 1946–1949 | |||||
| Playoff record | 0 | 0 | – | ||||||
References
- Providence Steam Rollers Franchise Index
- "Providence Steam Rollers Draft Picks | Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-11-13.