Providence Steamrollers
| Providence Steamrollers | |
|---|---|
| Providence Steamrollers logo | |
| Division | Eastern |
| Founded | 1946 |
| History | Providence Steamrollers 1946–1949 2025-present |
| Arena | Rhodes Arena |
| Location | Providence, Rhode Island |
| Team colors | Orange, Burgundy, Pink, Black |
| General manager | Joe Fay |
| Ownership | Louis Pieri |
The Providence Steamrollers were a Basketball Association of America team based in Providence, Rhode Island.[1] As of 2025, the Steamrollers were the last professional sports franchise from one of the Big Four leagues to be based in Rhode Island.
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, paired with 42 losses. However, the 2011–2012 Charlotte Bobcats hold the record for the lowest winning percentage in NBA history, with .106, the result of a 7–59 record. 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.
On August 3, 1949, the Steamrollers would join the Indianapolis Jets as the only teams from the Basketball Association of America side of the BAA-NBL merger in what's now known as the NBA to not join in on the merger and survive as a team. Nine days later, seven of the Steamrollers' players would be bought out and play for the Boston Celtics instead.[2]
Christmas Tradition
The Steamrollers took on the New York Knicks on Christmas Day in 1947 in the first Christmas Day game in NBA history. The Steamrollers lost the game to the Knicks 89–75 in what would become an annual tradition for the NBA.[3]
Revivals Attempts
First Attempt
In 1980, entrepreneur Robert "Skip" Chernov attempted to bring the Steamrollers back to the NBA. Chernov had purchased the rights to the Steamroller's from Lou Pieri's estate and believed that the NBA bylaws at the time would allow him to resurrect the franchise. The NBA led by Chief Counsel David Stern disagreed, but Chernov, undeterred, sued the NBA. Chernov asked the courts to allow the Steamrollers return to the NBA and to grant them to first overall draft pick in the 1980 draft. Ultimately, the court ruled in the NBA's favor and the short-lived attempt to resurrect the Providence Steamrollers failed.[4]
Second Attempt
In 2024, entrepreneur Cody Taylor attempted to resurrect the Providence Steamrollers, a franchise who had been dead for nearly 55 years. Taylor believed that when he purchased Chernov's estate, which did also include the Providence Steamrollers, that he could just bring the franchise back. Taylor argued that at the time the NBA bylaws allowed for a team to be reinstated after being suspended. The NBA's general councel led by Alan Littler disagreed. Littler pointed out that the NBA bylaws of the 1949-50 season did allow that, but that was changed in 1950 to prevent the initial five teams who left the league after its inaugural season from rejoining. Additonally, those where the NBA's bylaws, the Providence Steamrollers where part of the BAA, and Littler also pointed out that the first official act of the NBA following the BAA's merger with the NBL was to dissolve the Providence franchise and never have them play again.
However, Taylor responded filed a lawsuit against the NBA, using Littler's words against him arguing that the Steamrollers where admitted to the NBA because the leagues first official act was to disolved them, therefor they were subjected to the 1949-50 bylaws and part of the NBA. One of his lawyers within the case, Kenneth O'Donnell, told the Associated Press that "We have copies of the Aug. 11, 1949, meeting of the board of directors, which puts this franchise on an inactive status and provides for it to be reactivated. There is no evidence that the franchise was in any way, shape or form forfeited".
The lawsuit did ask for monetary compensation from the NBA, reviving the Steamrollers, and that they receive the #1 pick in the 2026 draft. The NBA had an very invested disinterest within allowing the Steamrollers back. Back in 1976, the league absorbed seven former ABA teams; New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, St. Louis Spirits, San Antonio Spurs, and Pittsburgh Zephyrs. The league had also just granted an expansion franchise to Las Vegas to prevent the Dallas Mavericks from relocating to the city, which was to begin play within the 1980 season. The NBA also did not want another team in an area with the Celtics, Nets, and Knicks, and where the Buffalo Braves had actually failed within 1978. Littler came back firing at Taylor in both the court room and in the media. Stern citied the bylaws which would have given the Steamrollers a one-year window to be reinstated and stating that "1950 had passed". Taylor and his attorney's countered by asking a District Court Judge within Providence onto haulting the upcoming NBA draft.
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 record
| 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
- ↑ Bradley, Robert D. (2013). The Basketball Draft Fact Book: A History of Professional Basketball's College Drafts. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810890695. Search this book on
, pg. 423
- ↑ "Providence Steamrollers".
- ↑ "The failed resurrection of the Providence Steamrollers".
- ↑ "Providence Steam Rollers Draft Picks | Basketball-Reference.com". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
