History of the Akron Firestone Non-Skids

The Akron Firestone Non-Skids were one of the greatest teams of the early National Basketball League era and one of the most successful industrial basketball organizations of the 1930s. Sponsored by the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company of Akron, Ohio, the Non-Skids grew from a company basketball program into a major professional team that helped establish the National Basketball League.

Firestone became one of the original members of the NBL in 1937 and immediately established itself as a championship contender. The Non-Skids finished first in the Eastern Division during each of their first three NBL seasons and won consecutive league championships in 1939 and 1940.

Across four official NBL seasons, Akron compiled a remarkable 70-27 regular-season record, a .722 winning percentage. The Non-Skids reached the playoffs every season, won three division titles and captured two NBL championships.

The team featured several of the best players of the pre-NBA era, including John Moir, Jack Ozburn, Soup Cable, Glenn Roberts, Roy "Goose" Burris, Irving Terjesen and Wesley Bennett. Head coach Paul Sheeks guided Firestone through its championship years.

The Non-Skids also developed one of early professional basketball's most important rivalries with the neighboring Akron Goodyear Wingfoots. The two company teams combined to win the first three NBL championships, making Akron the center of professional basketball during the league's formative years.

The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company

The history of the Non-Skids began with the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company, one of the largest tire manufacturers in the United States.

Founded by Harvey Firestone, the company was headquartered in Akron, which became known as the rubber capital of the world.

Firestone employed thousands of workers and developed extensive recreational and athletic programs for employees.

Basketball became one of the company's most successful sports.

Industrial Basketball

Industrial basketball played a major role in the development of the professional game during the 1920s and 1930s.

Professional basketball salaries were generally too small to support players year-round. Company-sponsored teams solved that problem by providing talented athletes with regular employment.

Players worked for the sponsoring company while representing it on the basketball court.

Firestone could therefore recruit accomplished college and independent players by offering something many professional teams could not: dependable jobs during the Great Depression.

The Non-Skids Name

The team became known as the Firestone Non-Skids.

The nickname came directly from Firestone's tire products and advertising.

Like many industrial basketball clubs, the team functioned simultaneously as an athletic organization and a form of corporate promotion.

Firestone and Goodyear

The Non-Skids' greatest rival was the Akron Goodyear Wingfoots.

Goodyear and Firestone were competing tire manufacturers headquartered in the same city.

The rivalry extended naturally to basketball.

Employees and supporters packed local gyms whenever the two teams met.

During the late 1930s, their games frequently featured some of the best basketball players in the country.

The Early National Professional Basketball League

Firestone entered major professional league competition before the later NBL existed.

The Non-Skids participated in the National Professional Basketball League during the 1932-33 season.

This short-lived league should not be confused with the National Basketball League that began in 1937.

Firestone became one of the strongest teams in the circuit.

The 1933 Championship

The Non-Skids defeated the Toledo Crimson Coaches to win the championship of the 1932-33 National Professional Basketball League.

The league disappeared after the season, but the title established Firestone as one of the strongest professional basketball organizations in the Midwest.

Independent Competition

After the early professional league folded, Firestone continued competing against industrial, independent and Amateur Athletic Union teams.

The organization remained active during a period when professional basketball leagues frequently appeared and disappeared.

Firestone's corporate backing gave the team unusual stability.

The Midwest Basketball Conference

In 1935, the Non-Skids became one of the original members of the newly organized Midwest Basketball Conference.

The MBC represented an important attempt to create a stable professional basketball league throughout the Midwest.

The league included industrial clubs and independent teams from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Michigan and New York.

The 1935-36 Season

Firestone immediately became one of the league's strongest teams.

The Non-Skids finished the 1935-36 season with an 11-7 record.

That gave Firestone first place in the Eastern Division.

Pittsburgh finished second at 10-7, followed by Buffalo and Dayton.

1935-36 Eastern Division

The 1936 MBC Playoffs

The postseason used an unusual round-robin format.

Firestone entered the championship tournament along with Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Chicago.

The Chicago Duffy Florals emerged as the league champion.

Firestone's strong regular season did not result in a championship.

The 1936-37 Season

The following season brought the rivalry between Firestone and Goodyear to the center of the league.

Goodyear finished 16-2.

Firestone went 13-5.

The two Akron teams finished first and second in the Eastern Division by a wide margin.

A Strong Start

Firestone opened the season with six consecutive victories.

Goodyear began 8-0.

The remarkable starts turned the Akron rivalry into one of the biggest stories in professional basketball.

January 19, 1937

One notable meeting came at the Firestone Clubhouse on January 19, 1937.

Goodyear defeated Firestone 31-27.

The result helped the Wingfoots maintain control of the division race.

1936-37 Eastern Division

Goodyear Eliminates Firestone

The Akron rivals met in the postseason.

Goodyear swept Firestone two games to none.

The Wingfoots then defeated the Fort Wayne General Electrics to win the Midwest Basketball Conference championship.

Firestone had again produced an excellent regular season but fallen short of the title.

The National Basketball League Is Created

After the 1936-37 season, the Midwest Basketball Conference was reorganized under a new name: the National Basketball League.

Firestone became one of the 13 original NBL teams.

The league's industrial foundation was obvious.

Firestone, Goodyear and General Electric were among the corporations backing teams.

Paul Sheeks

Paul Sheeks became the defining coach of the Firestone Non-Skids' NBL years.

Sheeks guided one of the deepest and most disciplined rosters in early professional basketball.

His teams emphasized defense, intelligent passing and balanced scoring.

The Firestone Clubhouse

The Non-Skids played home games at the Firestone Clubhouse in Akron.

The facility was part of the company's extensive employee recreation program.

It became one of the best-known venues in early NBL basketball.

Games against Goodyear drew particular interest from Akron's large tire-industry workforce.

The 1937-38 NBL Season

Firestone immediately became the top team in the Eastern Division.

The Non-Skids finished 14-4.

The .778 winning percentage was the best record in the East.

Goodyear finished immediately behind them at 13-5.

One Forfeit Victory

Firestone's 14-win total included a forfeit victory over Columbus Athletic Supply.

Forfeits were not uncommon in early professional basketball because travel, finances and scheduling problems could prevent teams from appearing for games.

1937-38 Eastern Division Standings

The Akron Rivals Meet Again

The postseason again matched Firestone against Goodyear.

Despite Firestone finishing first during the regular season, Goodyear won the series.

The Wingfoots swept the Non-Skids two games to none.

Goodyear then defeated the Oshkosh All-Stars to win the first championship in NBL history.

A Painful Beginning

Firestone had now finished ahead of Goodyear during the regular season but watched its local rival win the league championship.

The defeat would become motivation for the next two years.

John Moir

One of the most important additions to Firestone was John Moir.

The 6-foot-2 forward had starred at Notre Dame and was one of the most highly regarded college players in the country.

Moir quickly became a major scorer and helped transform the Non-Skids into the NBL's dominant team.

Jack Ozburn

Jack Ozburn became another major Firestone star.

The guard-forward had played college basketball at Kentucky.

Ozburn developed into one of the strongest all-around players in the NBL and later became an important contributor during both championship seasons.

Soup Cable

Howard "Soup" Cable was one of the best-known early professional basketball players.

The forward played at Purdue and later competed for several major professional teams.

Cable gave Firestone another experienced scorer and frontcourt presence.

Glenn Roberts

Glenn Roberts was one of the most historically interesting players associated with Firestone.

The forward-center had played college basketball at Emory & Henry.

Roberts became known for using a two-handed jump shot at a time when most players still shot from a stationary set position.

He is sometimes cited as one of the early pioneers of the jump shot.

Roy "Goose" Burris

Roy "Goose" Burris was another dependable Firestone player.

The forward had starred at Purdue.

Burris contributed scoring and toughness to the championship teams.

Irving Terjesen

Irving "Rip" Terjesen played forward and center.

The former New York University athlete added frontcourt depth to an already talented roster.

Wesley Bennett

Wesley Bennett was another important member of the Firestone rotation.

Bennett played forward and had extensive experience in industrial basketball.

The 1938-39 Season

The 1938-39 Firestone Non-Skids became one of the most dominant teams in NBL history.

Akron finished 24-3.

The .889 winning percentage remains one of the greatest regular-season marks of the pre-NBA professional era.

A Ten-and-a-Half Game Division Lead

Firestone won the Eastern Division by an enormous margin.

Goodyear and Cleveland both finished 14-14.

Akron finished 10.5 games ahead of both clubs.

The Best Team in Basketball

Firestone scored 44.6 points per game.

The Non-Skids allowed only 35.9.

That differential of nearly nine points per game was enormous in the low-scoring basketball environment of the late 1930s.

1938-39 NBL Standings

The 1939 NBL Championship

The championship opponent was the Oshkosh All-Stars.

Oshkosh had become the strongest Western Division organization and featured legendary center Leroy Edwards.

The series matched two of the greatest early NBL teams.

Firestone Defeats Oshkosh

Firestone won the championship series and captured its first NBL title.

The victory ended the disappointment of the previous two playoff losses to Goodyear.

The Non-Skids were finally NBL champions.

1939 NBL Champions

The 1939-40 Season

Firestone returned as the defending champion and once again finished first in the Eastern Division.

The Non-Skids went 19-9.

The .679 winning percentage was the best record in the division.

Detroit finished second at 17-11.

The League Becomes More Competitive

The gap between Firestone and its opponents had narrowed.

The Non-Skids averaged 44.3 points per game and allowed 40.6.

They remained excellent but were no longer overwhelming teams by nearly nine points every night.

1939-40 Eastern Division

An Unusual Regular-Season/Playoff Game

Firestone's final scheduled regular-season game against Detroit also counted as the first game of the NBL playoff series between the teams.

Such scheduling arrangements illustrate how flexible league procedures remained during the early NBL era.

Firestone Defeats Detroit

The Eastern Division playoff series went three games.

Firestone defeated the Detroit Eagles two games to one.

The Non-Skids advanced to the championship series for the second consecutive year.

Oshkosh Again

The championship opponent was once again the Oshkosh All-Stars.

Oshkosh had survived a competitive Western Division race and defeated Sheboygan in the playoffs.

For the second consecutive season, the NBL championship came down to Firestone and Oshkosh.

A Five-Game Championship Series

The 1940 Finals became a closely contested five-game series.

Firestone ultimately defeated Oshkosh three games to two.

The victory gave the Non-Skids their second consecutive NBL championship.

Back-to-Back NBL Champions

Akron Owns the First Three NBL Championships

Firestone's repeat meant that every NBL championship through the league's first three seasons belonged to Akron.

No city was more important to the early NBL than Akron.

The 1940-41 Season

The Non-Skids returned in 1940-41 attempting to win a third consecutive championship.

The season was much more difficult.

Firestone finished 13-11.

The .542 winning percentage placed the team third.

The Best Offense in the League

Firestone remained dangerous offensively.

The Non-Skids averaged 42.3 points per game, the highest scoring average in the seven-team NBL.

They allowed 40.4 points per game.

Despite the positive scoring differential, the club could not match its previous dominance.

Jack Ozburn Leads the Team

Jack Ozburn became Firestone's leading scorer.

He appeared in all 24 games and scored 211 points.

Ozburn averaged 8.8 points per game.

John Moir

Moir also appeared in all 24 games.

He scored 153 points, averaging 6.4 points per game.

Moir remained one of Firestone's most important frontcourt players.

The 1941 Playoffs

Firestone qualified for the postseason for the fourth consecutive year.

The opponent was the Oshkosh All-Stars.

This time, the result was very different from the previous two championship series.

Oshkosh swept Firestone two games to none.

The Non-Skids' attempt to win a third straight NBL title was over.

1940-41 Season Summary

The End of the Firestone Non-Skids

Firestone did not return to the NBL for the 1941-42 season.

The team disbanded as a major professional basketball organization.

The reasons reflected both changing company priorities and the increasingly difficult economics of professional basketball.

World War II soon accelerated those changes.

World War II

The United States entered World War II in December 1941.

Firestone became heavily involved in wartime manufacturing.

Industrial production became far more important than company-sponsored professional basketball.

Players entered military service and businesses redirected resources toward the war effort.

Goodyear Remains One More Season

The rival Goodyear Wingfoots remained in the NBL for 1941-42.

After that season, Goodyear also withdrew from major professional league basketball.

The era of Akron dominating the NBL had ended.

Akron Firestone Non-Skids NBL Record

NBL Franchise Summary

Midwest Basketball Conference Record

MBC and NBL Combined

Across the two Midwest Basketball Conference seasons and four NBL seasons, Firestone compiled a regular-season record of 94-39.

That .707 winning percentage demonstrates how consistently strong the organization was during its major-league period.

Major Championships

Notable Akron Firestone Non-Skids Players

• John Moir
• Jack Ozburn
• Howard "Soup" Cable
• Glenn Roberts
• Roy "Goose" Burris
• Irving Terjesen
• Wesley Bennett
• Paul Nowak
• Howard Cable
• Bob Kessler

John Moir's Legacy

Moir became one of the best players in early NBL history.

The former Notre Dame star joined Firestone during the club's rise to dominance and became an important part of both championship teams.

His combination of size, scoring and intelligence made him one of the league's strongest forwards.

Jack Ozburn's Legacy

Ozburn became one of the defining players of the championship era.

He could play guard or forward and developed into a consistent scorer.

By 1940-41, he was the team's leading offensive player.

Glenn Roberts and the Jump Shot

Roberts occupies an unusual place in basketball history.

Several players have been credited with developing the jump shot, and there is no universally accepted single inventor.

Roberts was nevertheless one of the earliest players known for consistently jumping while releasing his shot.

His presence with Firestone connected the Non-Skids to one of basketball's most important technical developments.

Paul Sheeks

Coach Paul Sheeks guided Firestone during its greatest period.

His teams won through balance and discipline rather than relying entirely on one superstar.

The Non-Skids were particularly effective defensively during their championship run.

The Firestone-Goodyear Rivalry

The rivalry between Firestone and Goodyear was one of the defining features of early NBL basketball.

The two teams shared a city, represented rival corporations and regularly competed for league supremacy.

Goodyear won the first NBL championship.

Firestone responded by winning the next two.

Three Straight Championships for Akron

For the first three seasons of the National Basketball League, no team outside Akron won the title.

This made the city one of the earliest true capitals of American professional basketball.

Industrial Basketball Built the Early NBL

The success of Firestone and Goodyear demonstrated the importance of industrial sponsorship.

The Great Depression made it difficult for independent professional teams to survive on ticket revenue alone.

Large companies could provide players with salaries through regular jobs and fund travel and equipment.

The NBL grew directly out of that system.

Why Firestone Left Professional Basketball

Firestone's departure came even though the team remained competitive.

The Non-Skids went 13-11 in their final season and reached the playoffs.

The organization did not collapse because it suddenly became a bad basketball team.

Instead, corporate priorities changed as the United States moved toward full wartime mobilization.

Not an NBA Franchise Ancestor

The Firestone Non-Skids have no direct franchise connection to a current NBA team.

They left the NBL years before the league's surviving franchises joined the Basketball Association of America structure under the NBA name in 1949.

The team is therefore remembered as a distinct historical organization.

Other NBL Teams That Survived Into the NBA

Several teams that competed against Firestone later developed into modern NBA franchises:

• Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons - Detroit Pistons
• Rochester Royals - Sacramento Kings
• Minneapolis Lakers - Los Angeles Lakers
• Syracuse Nationals - Philadelphia 76ers
• Tri-Cities Blackhawks - Atlanta Hawks

Firestone disappeared before those later transformations occurred.

Akron's Forgotten Basketball Dynasty

Modern basketball history often emphasizes NBA dynasties.

The early NBL had its own dominant teams.

Firestone was one of them.

Over the 1938-39 and 1939-40 seasons, the Non-Skids went 43-12 in regular-season play and won two championships.

The 24-3 team remains one of the greatest regular-season teams of the pre-NBA era.

The Oshkosh Rivalry

Oshkosh became Firestone's most important non-Akron rival.

The All-Stars faced Firestone in both the 1939 and 1940 championship series.

Firestone won both.

Oshkosh finally gained revenge by eliminating the Non-Skids in the 1941 playoffs.

Firestone's Four NBL Playoff Appearances

The Firestone Clubhouse Legacy

The Firestone Clubhouse became an important early professional basketball venue.

Unlike later NBA arenas, it was part of a corporate recreation complex rather than a building designed primarily for a professional franchise.

That setting perfectly reflected the industrial roots of the National Basketball League.

Akron Firestone Non-Skids Timeline

Why the Akron Firestone Non-Skids Matter

The Firestone Non-Skids were one of the teams that helped professional basketball survive during the Great Depression.

Their corporate sponsorship provided financial stability at a time when many independent teams could not survive.

Firestone also helped establish the Midwest Basketball Conference and later the National Basketball League.

The NBL became one of the direct foundations of the modern NBA.

A Founding NBL Power

Few original NBL teams were as successful.

Firestone reached the playoffs in every season it participated.

The Non-Skids finished first three times in four years.

They won 72 percent of their regular-season games.

They won two championships.

Legacy of the Akron Firestone Non-Skids

The Akron Firestone Non-Skids were one of the first dynasties in the history of organized professional basketball.

The team emerged from the industrial athletic program of the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company and became a professional powerhouse years before the NBA existed.

Firestone first demonstrated its championship ability in the short-lived National Professional Basketball League, winning that league's 1933 title.

The Non-Skids then became one of the original members of the Midwest Basketball Conference in 1935.

Firestone finished 11-7 in 1935-36 and won the Eastern Division.

The following year, the club improved to 13-5 but finished behind the dominant Goodyear Wingfoots.

The Akron rivals met in the playoffs, where Goodyear swept Firestone and eventually won the MBC championship.

When the MBC became the National Basketball League in 1937, both Akron teams remained among the league's elite organizations.

Firestone went 14-4 and finished first in the Eastern Division during the inaugural NBL season.

However, Goodyear again eliminated the Non-Skids and went on to win the championship.

Firestone responded by assembling one of the strongest teams in early professional basketball history.

John Moir, Jack Ozburn, Soup Cable, Glenn Roberts, Goose Burris and the rest of Paul Sheeks' roster dominated the 1938-39 season.

The Non-Skids finished 24-3, an .889 winning percentage.

They averaged 44.6 points while allowing only 35.9.

Firestone then defeated the Oshkosh All-Stars to win the 1939 NBL championship.

The following season proved that the title was no accident.

Akron went 19-9, won the Eastern Division and defeated the Detroit Eagles in the playoffs.

Firestone again faced Oshkosh for the championship.

The series went five games before the Non-Skids prevailed three games to two.

Firestone had won back-to-back NBL championships.

The titles also completed an extraordinary three-year run for Akron basketball. Goodyear had won the 1938 championship, followed by Firestone in 1939 and 1940.

The first three championships in NBL history therefore all belonged to teams from the same Ohio city.

Firestone's dynasty ended in 1940-41.

The club remained competitive at 13-11 and led the league in scoring, but Oshkosh swept the Non-Skids in the playoffs.

Firestone left the NBL after the season.

Across four NBL campaigns, the Non-Skids compiled an extraordinary 70-27 record.

They reached the playoffs all four years, finished first three times and won two championships.

Including their two Midwest Basketball Conference seasons, Firestone went 94-39 during six seasons of major organized league basketball.

The Non-Skids never became part of the NBA. Corporate priorities shifted, World War II transformed American industry and Firestone moved away from major professional basketball.

Yet their impact remained significant.

Firestone helped demonstrate that professionally organized basketball could survive in the industrial Midwest. The company provided players with jobs, facilities and financial stability, helping create the foundation upon which the NBL was built.

The rivalry with the Goodyear Wingfoots gave early professional basketball one of its most compelling local competitions.

Most importantly, the Non-Skids were champions.

Their 1939 and 1940 titles, the extraordinary 24-3 season, and their .722 NBL winning percentage make the Akron Firestone Non-Skids one of the greatest forgotten teams of the pre-NBA era.