| 1954–55 Fort Wayne Pistons season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Division champions | |||
| Head coach | Charles Eckman | ||
| Owner | Fred Zollner | ||
| Arena | War Memorial Coliseum | ||
| Results | |||
| Record | 43–29 (.597) | ||
| Place | Division: 1st (Western) | ||
| Playoff finish | NBA Finals (eliminated 3–4) | ||
Stats atBasketball Reference | |||
| |||
The1954–55 Fort Wayne Pistons season was the seventh season for thePistons in theNational Basketball Association (NBA)[1] and 14th season as a franchise.
With new coach and former refereeCharley Eckman, the Pistons finished 43-29 (.597), first in the NBA Western Division. During the early part of the season, the Pistons played two games against theBaltimore Bullets, including the very last match the original Bullets team ever played altogether, before that same Bullets squad folded operations early in the season on November 27, 1954; both of the games played would be Pistons victories that ultimately ended up being wiped out from the official record books for the NBA's history. If the games played were officially kept as a part of the season's record for the Pistons, their official record would have had Fort Wayne get a winning record of 45–29 instead of 43–29 for their season.[2] In the Western Division Finals, the Pistons eliminated theMinneapolis Lakers 3–1 in a best-of-five series to reach theNBA Finals. In the 7-game series with theSyracuse Nationals, the teams held home court advantage, although Fort Wayne would play "at home" inIndianapolis because Fort Wayne arena management did not plan for the Pistons to make the NBA Finals, and the arena was booked for a bowling conference after March 4.[3]
In the 7th game in Syracuse, Syracuse'sGeorge King made a free throw with 12 seconds left to put the Nationals up 92–91. King then stole the ball from Fort Wayne'sAndy Phillip with three seconds remaining to clinch the victory for Syracuse.[4][5]
Rumors about the finish continue with suggestions that some Fort Wayne players conspired withgamblers to throw the series to Syracuse.[6] In the 7th game, Fort Wayne led Syracuse 41–24 early in the second quarter, then allowed the Nationals to rally to win the game.[7]Andy Phillip, who turned the ball over with three seconds left in the game, was believed by at least one of his teammates,George Yardley, to have thrown the game. "There were always unwholesome implications about that ball game", Yardley would later comment.[8]
However, Phillip may not have acted alone. Other Pistons players were strongly believed to have thrown games during the 1954 and 1955 NBA seasons, with PistonJack Molinas banned from the league for gambling the year prior.[9] In fact, Yardley himself turned the ball over to Syracuse with apalming violation with 18 seconds remaining in Game 7.[10] The foul that gave Syracuse its winning free throw, meanwhile, was committed byFrankie Brian.[10] The NBA did not return to the 2–3–2 format until 1985.[11][12]
The team was led on the season by adouble-double from centerLarry Foust (17.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, NBA All-Star), guard Andy Phillip (9.6 ppg, 7.7 apg, NBA All-Star) and forward George Yardley (17.3 ppg, 9.9 rpg, NBA All-Star).
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head coach Legend
|
| W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| x-Fort Wayne Pistons | 43 | 29 | .597 | – | 21–6 | 9–14 | 13–9 | 28–8 |
| x-Minneapolis Lakers | 40 | 32 | .556 | 3 | 18–6 | 10–14 | 12–12 | 18–18 |
| x-Rochester Royals | 29 | 43 | .403 | 14 | 17–11 | 4–19 | 8–13 | 14–22 |
| Milwaukee Hawks | 26 | 46 | .361 | 17 | 6–11 | 9–16 | 11–19 | 14–22 |
| 1954–55 Game log | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | |||||
| 1 | October 30 | @Milwaukee | 91–72 | Hutchins,Yardley,Zaslofsky (14) | 1–0 | |||||
| 2 | October 31 | Boston | 86–90 | Mel Hutchins (22) | 2–0 | |||||
| 3 | November 6 | New York | 83–90 | Don Meineke (16) | 3–0 | |||||
| 4 | November 7 | Rochester | 84–109 | George Yardley (22) | 4–0 | |||||
| 5 | November 11 | Syracuse | 88–86 | Larry Foust (23) | 4–1 | |||||
| 6 | November 13 | @ Rochester | 103–98 | Mel Hutchins (22) | 5–1 | |||||
| 7 | November 14 | Milwaukee | 91–93 | Andy Phillip (23) | 6–1 | |||||
| 8 | November 18 | @ Syracuse | 82–91 | Larry Foust (30) | 6–2 | |||||
| 9 | November 20 | @Philadelphia | 82–99 | Don Meineke (15) | 6–3 | |||||
| 10 | November 21 | Rochester | 78–89 | Larry Foust (23) | 7–3 | |||||
| 11 | November 24 | N Philadelphia | 91–87 | Mel Hutchins (20) | 7–4 | |||||
| 12 | November 27 | Minneapolis | 81–97 | Mel Hutchins (22) | 8–4 | |||||
| 13 | November 28 | Milwaukee | 81–96 | George Yardley (17) | 9–4 | |||||
| 14 | November 30 | N Minneapolis | 90–92 | George Yardley (29) | 10–4 | |||||
| 15 | December 1 | @ Rochester | 101–96 (OT) | Larry Foust (37) | 11–4 | |||||
| 16 | December 2 | Boston | 98–116 | George Yardley (32) | 12–4 | |||||
| 17 | December 4 | @ New York | 90–88 | Larry Foust (24) | 13–4 | |||||
| 18 | December 5 | Rochester | 97–96 | Larry Foust (21) | 13–5 | |||||
| 19 | December 7 | N Milwaukee | 85–101 | George Yardley (29) | 14–5 | |||||
| 20 | December 8 | N Milwaukee | 68–92 | Max Zaslofsky (17) | 15–5 | |||||
| 21 | December 12 | Boston | 99–100 | Larry Foust (28) | 16–5 | |||||
| 22 | December 15 | N Philadelphia | 99–90 | George Yardley (24) | 16–6 | |||||
| 23 | December 18 | @ Rochester | 87–86 | Andy Phillip (24) | 17–6 | |||||
| 24 | December 19 | Milwaukee | 82–87 | Dick Rosenthal (22) | 18–6 | |||||
| 25 | December 23 | N Philadelphia | 92–82 | George Yardley (22) | 19–6 | |||||
| 26 | December 25 | @ Rochester | 73–80 | George Yardley (17) | 19–7 | |||||
| 27 | December 26 | Philadelphia | 96–109 | Frank Brian (31) | 20–7 | |||||
| 28 | December 30 | N Minneapolis | 76–93 | George Yardley (26) | 21–7 | |||||
| 29 | December 31 | Minneapolis | 103–91 | George Yardley (22) | 21–8 | |||||
| 30 | January 2 | Philadelphia | 66–89 | George Yardley (24) | 22–8 | |||||
| 31 | January 4 | N Minneapolis | 92–93 | George Yardley (28) | 23–8 | |||||
| 32 | January 5 | N Milwaukee | 97–92 | Max Zaslofsky (16) | 23–9 | |||||
| 33 | January 6 | N Rochester | 83–90 | Mel Hutchins (19) | 24–9 | |||||
| 34 | January 9 | Minneapolis | 86–89 | George Yardley (29) | 25–9 | |||||
| 35 | January 11 | Boston | 119–110 | Larry Foust (33) | 25–10 | |||||
| 36 | January 13 | @ Syracuse | 83–100 | Bob Houbregs (14) | 25–11 | |||||
| 37 | January 14 | N New York | 97–83 | George Yardley (20) | 25–12 | |||||
| 38 | January 15 | @ New York | 87–106 | Frank Brian (17) | 25–13 | |||||
| 39 | January 16 | Milwaukee | 78–89 | George Yardley (19) | 26–13 | |||||
| 40 | January 19 | N Boston | 105–84 | George Yardley (29) | 27–13 | |||||
| 41 | January 22 | @ Milwaukee | 85–83 | Larry Foust (18) | 28–13 | |||||
| 42 | January 23 | Rochester | 84–105 | Dick Rosenthal (18) | 29–13 | |||||
| 43 | January 25 | N Syracuse | 66–69 | Frank Brian (14) | 30–13 | |||||
| 44 | January 26 | @ Boston | 90–99 | Andy Phillip (15) | 30–14 | |||||
| 45 | January 27 | @ Syracuse | 79–94 | Mel Hutchins (16) | 30–15 | |||||
| 46 | January 29 | @ Minneapolis | 91–100 | Larry Foust (23) | 30–16 | |||||
| 47 | January 30 | Minneapolis | 92–99 | Larry Foust (34) | 31–16 | |||||
| 48 | January 31 | N New York | 91–84 | Frank Brian (27) | 31–17 | |||||
| 49 | February 2 | @ Rochester | 74–84 | Frank Brian (22) | 31–18 | |||||
| 50 | February 3 | Syracuse | 85–104 | Larry Foust (22) | 32–18 | |||||
| 51 | February 5 | @ Philadelphia | 96–88 | Larry Foust (25) | 33–18 | |||||
| 52 | February 6 | Rochester | 75–92 | George Yardley (19) | 34–18 | |||||
| 53 | February 10 | Philadelphia | 97–105 | Max Zaslofsky (19) | 35–18 | |||||
| 54 | February 11 | N Rochester | 91–83 | Foust, Yardley (16) | 35–19 | |||||
| 55 | February 12 | @ New York | 82–88 | Larry Foust (26) | 35–20 | |||||
| 56 | February 13 | Milwaukee | 78–90 | Larry Foust (19) | 36–20 | |||||
| 57 | February 14 | N New York | 92–88 | Larry Foust (19) | 36–21 | |||||
| 58 | February 17 | N New York | 93–86 | Andy Phillip (14) | 36–22 | |||||
| 59 | February 19 | @ Minneapolis | 92–98 | George Yardley (28) | 36–23 | |||||
| 60 | February 20 | Milwaukee | 87–96 | Larry Foust (22) | 37–23 | |||||
| 61 | February 23 | N Minneapolis | 97–120 | Larry Foust (26) | 38–23 | |||||
| 62 | February 24 | N Milwaukee | 85–95 | Mel Hutchins (20) | 39–23 | |||||
| 63 | February 26 | @ Minneapolis | 90–89 | Larry Foust (24) | 40–23 | |||||
| 64 | February 27 | New York | 95–83 | Larry Foust (22) | 40–24 | |||||
| 65 | February 28 | N Minneapolis | 88–90 | Andy Phillip (19) | 41–24 | |||||
| 66 | March 1 | N Boston | 118–98 | Max Zaslofsky (18) | 42–24 | |||||
| 67 | March 2 | N Syracuse | 103–90 | George Yardley (16) | 42–25 | |||||
| 68 | March 3 | Syracuse | 83–81 | Larry Foust (22) | 42–26 | |||||
| 69 | March 6 | @ Boston | 104–108 | George Yardley (32) | 42–27 | |||||
| 70 | March 7 | @ Boston | 91–110 | Don Meineke (23) | 42–28 | |||||
| 71 | March 10 | N Philadelphia | 91–93 (OT) | George Yardley (27) | 43–28 | |||||
| 72 | March 12 | @ Syracuse | 92–112 | George Yardley (24) | 43–29 | |||||
