Maurice Podoloff | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 1st President of the NBA | |
| In office June 6, 1946 – September 1, 1963 | |
| Succeeded by | J. Walter Kennedy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1890-08-18)August 18, 1890 |
| Died | November 24, 1985(1985-11-24) (aged 95) New Haven,Connecticut, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Yale University (JD) |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
Maurice Podoloff (Yiddish:מוריס פודולוף; August 18, 1890 – November 24, 1985[1]) was an American lawyer and abasketball andice hockey administrator. He served as the president of theBasketball Association of America (BAA) from 1946 to 1949, and theNational Basketball Association (NBA) from 1949 to 1963, making Podoloff thede facto 1st commissioner in NBA history.
Podoloff was born to aRussian Jewish family in theRussian Empire, on or about August 18, 1890. Doubt remains about birthplace and birthday; some claim he was born inYelisavetgrad,[2] but he himself said he did not know exactly: "I guess they didn't keep records in Russia in those days", he said. "I was born on either Aug. 18 or Aug. 31, and it was somewhere inUkraine, possibly nearOdessa."[3] In young boyhood his family immigrated to the United States, where he graduated fromHillhouse High School inNew Haven, Connecticut in 1909, and then fromYale University in New Haven with a law degree in 1915.,[4]
In 1926, Podoloff opened theNew Haven Arena on Grove Street in downtown New Haven with his father and two brothers. The Arena held over 4,000 people and hosted ice hockey, concerts, and circus events before it was demolished in 1974.[4]
A distinguishedlawyer, he was of impeccable character and instrumental in professional basketball's development and success. On June 6, 1946, already serving as president of theAmerican Hockey League, he was appointed president of the newly formedBasketball Association of America (BAA), becoming the first person to lead two professional leagues simultaneously.[2][4]
After BAA teams signed several of the best players in theNational Basketball League, Podoloff negotiated a merger with the NBL to form theNational Basketball Association, or NBA, in 1949. His great organizational and administrative skills were later regarded as the key factor that kept the league alive in its often stormy formative years.[2]
As president, Podoloff expanded the NBA to as many as 17 teams in three divisions and worked out a 557-game schedule.
He introduced the BAA's collegiate draft in 1947, and in 1954 instituted the NBA's 24-secondshot clock created byDan Biasone, owner of theSyracuse Nationals, and his executive vice-president,Leo Ferris, which quickened the pace of games and improved NBA basketball from a slow plodding game to a fast-paced sport. That same year, he increased national recognition of the NBA immensely by landing its first television contract.[2]
During his NBA presidency, he meted out lifetime suspensions to 32 players who were involved in apoint shaving scandal in 1951.[5] Among these players wereIndianapolis Olympians playersRalph Beard andAlex Groza for their actions atUniversity of Kentucky, and 1951's number one draft pickGene Melchiorre, for his actions atBradley University.[6]
He stepped down as NBA president in 1963 after having greatly increased fan interest during the NBA's formative years and having improved the overall welfare of the sport of basketball through his foresight, wisdom, and leadership.[2]
In his honor, theNBA named its annual leagueMost Valuable Player trophy theMaurice Podoloff Trophy, which lasted until 2022. Podoloff was subsequently honored with a new trophy dedicated in his name for the team with the best regular season record.[7]
In 1974, Podoloff was inducted into theNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2011 was inducted into theAmerican Hockey League Hall of Fame.[4] He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.[8]