National Basketball League Championship History
The National Basketball League operated under the NBL
name from 1937 through 1949 and became one of the most important early
professional basketball leagues in the United States.
The league produced 12 championship seasons. Its champions included
industrial teams such as the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots and Akron
Firestone Non-Skids as well as franchises that later became important
parts of NBA history, including the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons,
Rochester Royals and Minneapolis Lakers.
The final NBL championship was won by the
Anderson Duffey Packers in 1949. Later that year,
the NBL and Basketball Association of America combined to form the
National Basketball Association.
NBL Champions by Season
| Season |
Champion |
Series |
Runner-Up |
| 1937-38 |
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots |
2-1 |
Oshkosh All-Stars |
| 1938-39 |
Akron Firestone Non-Skids |
3-2 |
Oshkosh All-Stars |
| 1939-40 |
Akron Firestone Non-Skids |
3-2 |
Oshkosh All-Stars |
| 1940-41 |
Oshkosh All-Stars |
3-0 |
Sheboygan Red Skins |
| 1941-42 |
Oshkosh All-Stars |
2-1 |
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons |
| 1942-43 |
Sheboygan Red Skins |
2-1 |
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons |
| 1943-44 |
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons |
3-0 |
Sheboygan Red Skins |
| 1944-45 |
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons |
3-2 |
Sheboygan Red Skins |
| 1945-46 |
Rochester Royals |
3-0 |
Sheboygan Red Skins |
| 1946-47 |
Chicago American Gears |
3-2 |
Rochester Royals |
| 1947-48 |
Minneapolis Lakers |
3-1 |
Rochester Royals |
| 1948-49 |
Anderson Duffey Packers |
3-0 |
Oshkosh All-Stars |
NBL Championships by Team
| Team |
Championships |
Championship Seasons |
| Akron Firestone Non-Skids |
2 |
1938-39, 1939-40 |
| Oshkosh All-Stars |
2 |
1940-41, 1941-42 |
| Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons |
2 |
1943-44, 1944-45 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots |
1 |
1937-38 |
| Sheboygan Red Skins |
1 |
1942-43 |
| Rochester Royals |
1 |
1945-46 |
| Chicago American Gears |
1 |
1946-47 |
| Minneapolis Lakers |
1 |
1947-48 |
| Anderson Duffey Packers |
1 |
1948-49 |
NBL Championship Facts
-
The Akron Goodyear Wingfoots won the first NBL
championship in 1937-38, defeating the Oshkosh All-Stars 2-1.
-
The Akron Firestone Non-Skids,
Oshkosh All-Stars and
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons are tied for the most NBL
championships with two each.
-
The Akron Firestone Non-Skids became the first team to win consecutive
NBL titles, capturing the championship in 1938-39 and 1939-40.
-
Oshkosh followed with consecutive championships in 1940-41 and
1941-42.
-
Fort Wayne won consecutive championships in 1943-44 and 1944-45.
-
The Rochester Royals won the 1945-46 championship.
The franchise later became the Sacramento Kings.
-
The Minneapolis Lakers won the 1947-48 NBL title in
their only season in the league before moving to the BAA and eventually
becoming the Los Angeles Lakers.
-
The Anderson Duffey Packers won the final NBL
championship in 1948-49, sweeping the Oshkosh All-Stars 3-0.
-
The final NBL season was 1948-49. The NBL and BAA combined in 1949
to form the NBA.
The NBL's Place in NBA History
Several NBL franchises became part of the NBA's early history.
The Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons eventually became the Detroit Pistons,
the Rochester Royals became today's Sacramento Kings, and the
Minneapolis Lakers became the Los Angeles Lakers.
Other NBL clubs, including the Syracuse Nationals and Tri-Cities
Blackhawks, did not win an NBL championship but later joined the NBA.
Those franchises eventually became the Philadelphia 76ers and Atlanta
Hawks.
Because of those franchise connections, the NBL is an essential part
of the history of professional basketball and the development of the
modern NBA.
