1946–47 Toronto Huskies season

The 1946–47 BAA season was the Toronto Huskies' inaugural and sole season of existence. The NBA's first game was played at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on November 1, 1946. The New York Knickerbockers defeated the Toronto Huskies 68–66 at Maple Leaf Gardens. The teams were part of the Basketball Association of America, the forerunner to the NBA.^[1] The Huskies finished last in their division and folded after one season. Throughout the season, the Huskies had four head coaches: Ed Sadowski 3–9, Lew Hayman 0–1, Dick Fitzgerald 2–1, and Red Rolfe 17–27.

1946–47 Toronto Huskies season
Head coach	Ed Sadowski (3–9) Lew Hayman (0–1) Dick Fitzgerald (2–1) Red Rolfe (17–27)
Arena	Maple Leaf Gardens
Results
Record	22–38 (.367)
Place	Division: 6th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Radio	CFRB

Roster

Toronto Huskies roster

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Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From F 10 Fitzgerald, Dick 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1920-11-18 Seton Hall F 12 Fucarino, Frank 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1920-07-24 LIU Brooklyn F/C 16 Hermsen, Kleggie 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1923-03-12 Minnesota G/F 21 Hurley, Roy 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1922-08-12 Murray State G 19 Kasid, Ed 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1923-08-13 Vocational HS (MN) G 14 McCarron, Mike 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 180 lb (82 kg) 1922-03-02 Seton Hall F 16 Militzok, Nat 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1923-05-03 Cornell F/C 15 Miller, Harry 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1923-07-28 North Carolina F/C 22 Mogus, Leo 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) 1921-04-13 Youngstown State G 11 Mullens, Bob 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1922-11-01 Fordham G/F 18 Schulz, Dick 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 192 lb (87 kg) 1917-01-03 Wisconsin C 20 Siewert, Ralph 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 230 lb (104 kg) 1923-12-31 Dakota Wesleyan G 23 Wallace, Red 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1918-07-12 Scranton

Head coach Red Rolfe Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended   Injured Roster Last transaction: {{{access-date}}}

Regular season

The attendance for the inaugural match was 7,090 with ticket prices ranging from 75 cents to two dollars and fifty cents. On that night, anyone taller than George Nostrand, the tallest Husky at 6'8", was given free admission.^[2]

Attendance quickly dwindled and the Toronto Star published an estimate that team owners Eric Cradock (co-owner of the Montreal Alouettes football team) and Harold Shannon lost $100,000 in one season of operations. The managing director of the Huskies was Lew Hayman, who was also the coach and general manager of the Alouettes. Previously, he had been a star basketball player at Syracuse University. Other key figures included team president Charles Watson, co-founders Ben Newman and Salter Hayden and Annis Stukus.

Season standings

#	Eastern Division v t e
	Team	W	L	PCT	GB
1	x-Washington Capitols	49	11	.817	–
2	x-Philadelphia Warriors	35	25	.583	14
3	x-New York Knicks	33	27	.550	16
4	Providence Steamrollers	28	32	.467	21
5	Boston Celtics	22	38	.367	27
6	Toronto Huskies	22	38	.367	27

Record vs. opponents

1946-47 BAA Records
Team	BOS	CHI	CLE	DET	NYK	PHI	PIT	PRO	STL	TOR	WAS
Boston	—	0–6	2–4	3–3	4–2	1–5	5–1	1–5	1–5	4–2	1–5
Chicago	6–0	—	5–1	3–3	3–3	5–1	6–0	3–3	3–4	4–2	1–5
Cleveland	4–2	1–5	—	4–2	4–2	3–3	4–2	2–4	1–5	6–0	1–5
Detroit	3–3	3–3	2–4	—	1–5	2–4	3–3	2–4	0–6	3–3	1–5
New York	2–4	3–3	2-4	5–1	—	2–4	6–0	4–2	4–2	3–3	2–4
Philadelphia	5–1	1–5	3–3	4–2	4–2	—	5–1	4–2	3–3	5–1	1–5
Pittsburgh	1–5	0–6	2–4	3–3	0–6	1–5	—	3–3	1–5	3–3	1–5
Providence	5–1	3–3	4–2	4–2	2–4	2–4	3–3	—	2–4	3–3	0–6
St. Louis	5–1	4–3	5–1	6–0	2–4	3–3	5–1	4–2	—	2–4	2–4
Toronto	2–4	2–4	0–6	3–3	3–3	1–5	3–3	3–3	4–2	—	1–5
Washington	5–1	5–1	5–1	5–1	4–2	5–1	5–1	6–0	4–2	5–1	—

Game log

Regular season

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	High points	Record
1	November 1, 1946	New York Knickerbockers	68–66	Toronto Huskies	Ed Sadowski (18)	0–1
2	November 3, 1946	Toronto Huskies	60–71	Cleveland Rebels	George Nostrand (17)	0–2
3	November 8, 1946	Detroit Falcons	71–73	Toronto Huskies	Fitzgerald, Sadowski (16)	1–2
4	November 9, 1946	Toronto Huskies	54–64	Chicago Stags	Ed Sadowski (15)	1–3
5	November 15, 1946	Providence Steamrollers	68–85	Toronto Huskies	Ed Sadowski (30)	2–3
6	November 16, 1946	Toronto Huskies	49–53	Boston Celtics	Ed Sadowski (14)	2–4
7	November 18, 1946	Toronto Huskies	48–54	Pittsburgh Ironmen	Ed Sadowski (21)	2–5
8	November 19, 1946	Cleveland Rebels	74–72	Toronto Huskies	Ed Sadowski (25)	2–6
9	November 22, 1946	Boston Celtics	82–83	Toronto Huskies	Dick Fitzgerald (15)	3–6
10	November 23, 1946	Toronto Huskies	50–74	Washington Capitols	Mike McCarron (14)	3–7
11	November 26, 1946	Washington Capitols	78–68	Toronto Huskies	Ed Sadowski (23)	3–8
12	November 29, 1946	Cleveland Rebels	87–72	Toronto Huskies	Ed Sadowski (20)	3–9
13	November 30, 1946	Toronto Huskies	65–79	Providence Steamrollers	Mike McCarron (20)	3–10
14	December 5, 1946	Toronto Huskies	65–61	Chicago Stags	Charlie Hoefer (14)	4–10
15	December 7, 1946	Toronto Huskies	68–59	Providence Steamrollers	Ray Wertis (13)	5–10
16	December 10, 1946	Philadelphia Warriors	85–73	Toronto Huskies	Mike McCarron (24)	5–11
17	December 13, 1946	Pittsburgh Ironmen	62–52	Toronto Huskies	Mike McCarron (13)	5–12
18	December 15, 1946	Toronto Huskies	50–46	St. Louis Bombers	Mike McCarron (14)	6–12
19	December 17, 1946	Toronto Huskies	62–78	Cleveland Rebels	Kleggie Hermsen (13)	6–13
20	December 20, 1946	New York Knickerbockers	70–74	Toronto Huskies	Kleggie Hermsen (24)	7–13
21	December 27, 1946	Chicago Stags	88–80	Toronto Huskies	Leo Mogus (21)	7–14
22	December 29, 1946	Toronto Huskies	52–48	Detroit Falcons	Mike McCarron (13)	8–14
23	December 31, 1946	Chicago Stags	76–87	Toronto Huskies	Kleggie Hermsen (20)	9–14
24	January 3, 1947	Boston Celtics	58–53	Toronto Huskies	Leo Mogus (15)	9–15
25	January 6, 1947	Detroit Falcons	61–76	Toronto Huskies	Kleggie Hermsen (23)	10–15
26	January 8, 1947	Toronto Huskies	76–63	New York Knickerbockers	Dick Schulz (20)	11–15
27	January 9, 1947	Toronto Huskies	55–74	Philadelphia Warriors	Kleggie Hermsen (11)	11–16
28	January 11, 1947	Toronto Huskies	66–81	Washington Capitols	Hurley, Nostrand (16)	11–17
29	January 14, 1947	Philadelphia Warriors	104–74	Toronto Huskies	Leo Mogus (13)	11–18
30	January 17, 1947	Detroit Falcons	74–64	Toronto Huskies	Kleggie Hermsen (14)	11–19
31	January 21, 1947	St. Louis Bombers	71–72	Toronto Huskies	Leo Mogus (26)	12–19
32	January 24, 1947	Providence Steamrollers	96–93	Toronto Huskies	Red Wallace (23)	12–20
33	January 27, 1947	Cleveland Rebels	88–82	Toronto Huskies	Red Wallace (16)	12–21
34	January 28, 1947	Toronto Huskies	70–80	Cleveland Rebels	Red Wallace (20)	12–22
35	January 31, 1947	Washington Capitols	74–83	Toronto Huskies	Red Wallace (38)	13–22
36	February 2, 1947	Toronto Huskies	75–90	Chicago Stags	Mike McCarron (27)	13–23
37	February 5, 1947	Toronto Huskies	58–55	Pittsburgh Ironmen	Red Wallace (16)	14–23
38	February 6, 1947	Toronto Huskies	61–79	Philadelphia Warriors	Leo Mogus (16)	14–24
39	February 8, 1947	Toronto Huskies	46–69	New York Knickerbockers	Leo Mogus (13)	14–25
40	February 14, 1947	Pittsburgh Ironmen	73–84	Toronto Huskies	Leo Mogus (27)	15–25
41	February 16, 1947	Toronto Huskies	64–80	St. Louis Bombers	Leo Mogus (16)	15–26
42	February 18, 1947	St. Louis Bombers	57–65	Toronto Huskies	Red Wallace (16)	16–26
43	February 19, 1947	Toronto Huskies	59–69	Washington Capitols	Mike McCarron (13)	16–27
44	February 21, 1947	Boston Celtics	61–67	Toronto Huskies	Leo Mogus (21)	17–27
45	February 23, 1947	Toronto Huskies	52–61	Detroit Falcons	Red Wallace (15)	17–28
46	February 25, 1947	Providence Steamrollers	60–83	Toronto Huskies	Nat Militzok (16)	18–28
47	February 28, 1947	Philadelphia Warriors	69–77	Toronto Huskies	Mike McCarron (20)	19–28
48	March 1, 1947	Toronto Huskies	48–63	New York Knickerbockers	Leo Mogus (12)	19–29
49	March 3, 1947	Toronto Huskies	66–76	Philadelphia Warriors	Red Wallace (21)	19–30
50	March 5, 1947	Toronto Huskies	63–60	Pittsburgh Ironmen	Leo Mogus (22)	20–30
51	March 7, 1947	Washington Capitols	86–70	Toronto Huskies	Leo Mogus (18)	20–31
52	March 8, 1947	Toronto Huskies	65–67	Boston Celtics	Leo Mogus (22)	20–32
53	March 11, 1947	St. Louis Bombers	71–79	Toronto Huskies	Leo Mogus (21)	21–32
54	March 12, 1947	Toronto Huskies	57–69	Boston Celtics	Leo Mogus (21)	21–33
55	March 13, 1947	Toronto Huskies	64–71	Providence Steamrollers	Nat Militzok (16)	21–34
56	March 18, 1947	Pittsburgh Ironmen	70–64	Toronto Huskies	Nat Militzok (14)	21–35
57	March 21, 1947	Chicago Stags	99–83	Toronto Huskies	Mike McCarron (29)	21–36
58	March 23, 1947	Toronto Huskies	40–60	St. Louis Bombers	Mike McCarron (14)	21–37
59	March 28, 1947	New York Knickerbockers	61–71	Toronto Huskies	Mike McCarron (22)	22–37
60	March 29, 1947	Toronto Huskies	63–66	Detroit Falcons	Mike McCarron (18)	22–38

^[3]

Player stats

Note: GP= Games played; FG= Field Goals; FT= Free Throws; FTA = Free Throws Attempted; AST = Assists; PTS = Points

Player	GP	FG	FT	FTA	AST	PTS
Mike McCarron	60	236	177	288	59	649
Leo Mogus	41	186	172	237	56	544
Red Wallace	37	170	85	148	38	425
Dick Fitzgerald	60	118	41	60	40	277
Kleggie Hermsen	21	95	64	97	15	254
Dick Schulz	41	87	74	107	39	248
Roy Hurley	46	100	39	64	34	239
Bob Mullens	28	98	42	68	36	238
Ed Sadowski	10	73	45	66	8	191
Harry Miller	53	58	36	82	42	152
Charlie Hoefer	23	54	32	46	9	140
Frank Fucarino	28	53	34	60	7	140
Bob Fitzgerald	31	47	45	70	26	139
George Nostrand	13	46	24	61	10	116
Nat Militzok	21	38	24	39	14	100
Ray Wertis	18	38	23	37	18	99
Ralph Siewert	14	5	6	10	4	16
Ed Kasid	8	6	0	6	6	12
Gino Sovran	6	5	1	2	1	11
Hank Biasatti	6	2	2	4	0	6

^[4]

Playoffs

• The Huskies did not qualify for the postseason.

Transactions

Main article: List of 1946–47 BAA season transactions

Trades

December 4, 1946	To Toronto Huskies Kleggie Hermsen^[5]	To Cleveland Rebels George Nostrand
December 16, 1946	To Toronto Huskies Leo Mogus^[5] Dick Schulz Cash	To Cleveland Rebels Ed Sadowski Ray Wertis
January 2, 1947	To Toronto Huskies Red Wallace^[5]	To Boston Celtics Charlie Hoefer
January 21, 1947	To Toronto Huskies Bob Mullens^[5]	To New York Knicks Bob Fitzgerald

Purchases

Player	Date bought	Previous team
Nat Militzok^[6]	February, 1947	New York Knicks

References

1. NBA.com History of Basketball in Canada
2. Prince George Citizen - Canada's Sovran remembers a different pro basketball league than today's NBA^{[permanent dead link]}
3. 1946–47 Toronto Huskies Games – Basketball-Reference.com
4. "1946-47 Toronto Huskies Roster and Stats".
5. "1946-47 Toronto Huskies Transactions". Basketball Reference. Retrieved July 4, 2017.
6. "Nat Militzok Stats". Basketball Reference. Retrieved July 4, 2017.

External links

• 1946-47 Huskies Season on Basketball Reference