| Pittsburgh Ironmen | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Western | |||
| Founded | 1946 | |||
| Folded | 1947 | |||
| History | Pittsburgh Ironmen 1946–1947 | |||
| Arena | Duquesne Gardens | |||
| Location | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | |||
ThePittsburgh Ironmen were a charter member of theBasketball Association of America (a forerunner of theNational Basketball Association). The team was based inPittsburgh and played atDuquesne Gardens.
They ended their only season in the BAA in 1946–47 with a record of 15–45 with a .250 winning percentage, finishing in fifth and last place in the Western Division and worst overall in the league. According toNate Silver and Reuben Fischer-Baum, applying theElo rating system, this was, through 2017, the worst season ever by a professional basketball team in a major league, even though three notably infamous BAA/NBA seasons saw the1947–48 Providence Steamrollers win a record low 6 total games (albeit with 42 losses for a .125 win percentage), the1972–73 Philadelphia 76ers ending their 82-game season with only 9 wins against 73 losses for a .110 winning percentage, and the 2011–12 Charlotte Bobcats ending their lockout-shortened season with 7 wins and 59 losses for an NBA record low .106 winning percentage.[1] During the BAA's first ever postseason meeting between teams since completing their first ever season, the Ironmen proclaimed that they would continue operating their franchise into the following season, but only if they could secure a "representative team" (likely meaning they could secure a new team owner) in the future going forward.[2] Due to them being the worst team in the entire BAA that season, Pittsburgh was awarded the first overall pick in the league's inaugural1947 draft, where they selectedClifton McNeely as the BAA/NBA's first ever #1 draft pick, though much like with theNFL's first ever #1 draft pick in1936,Jay Berwanger, McNeely would never play in the BAA/NBA either for the Ironmen or elsewhere in that league. However, the Ironmen would fold before the start of the1947–48 BAA season, joining theToronto Huskies as teams that ceased operations on July 27, 1947, along with theDetroit Falcons andCleveland Rebels, to be the first four teams to officially become defunct in the BAA/NBA.[3]
Note: W = wins, L = losses, % = win–loss %
| Season | W | L | % | Playoffs | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Ironmen (BAA) | |||||
| 1946–47 | 15 | 45 | .250 | Did not qualify | |
| Name | Jersey No. | Pos. | Height (ft.) | Weight (lbs.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Abramovic | 3 | F | 6' 3" | 195 |
| Moe Becker | 5, 6 | G-F | 6' 1" | 185 |
| Mike Bytzura | 4 | F | 6' 1" | 170 |
| Joe Fabel | 15 | F-G | 6' 1" | 190 |
| Nat Frankel | 15 | F-G | 6' 0" | 195 |
| Gorham Getchell | 9 | C | 6' 4" | 205 |
| Coulby Gunther | 6 | G | 6' 4" | 190 |
| Noble Jorgensen | 17 | C | 6' 9" | 228 |
| Roger Jorgensen | 7 | C-F | 6' 5" | 200 |
| Tony Kappen | 5 | G | 5' 10" | 165 |
| Press Maravich | 12 | G | 6' 0" | 185 |
| Ed Melvin | G | 5' 9" | 170 | |
| Red Mihalik | 6 | G | 6' 0" | 180 |
| Walt Miller | 7 | F | 6' 2" | 190 |
| John Mills | 11 | C-F | 6' 8" | 203 |
| Stan Noszka | 8 | G | 6' 1" | 185 |
| Harry Zeller | 14, 18 | C-F | 6' 4" | 210 |
