1947–48 Baltimore Bullets season

1947–48 Baltimore Bullets season
BAA champions
Head coachBuddy Jeannette
ArenaBaltimore Coliseum
Results
Record28–20 (.583)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Western)
Playoff finishBAA Champions
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
RadioWBAL
< 1946–47 1948–49 >

The 1947–48 BAA season was the Bullets' first season in the Basketball Association of America (later named the NBA), after playing their first three seasons in the American Basketball League.[1] This was also their second overall championship season after previously winning the 1946 ABL Championship over the Philadelphia Sphas and their only BAA/NBA championship that they won with a 4–2 series win over the defending champion Philadelphia Warriors. With their departure from the NBA during the 1954–55 season, the Baltimore Bullets are currently considered the only defunct NBA team to ever win a championship under the BAA/NBA name.

Draft picks

Main article: 1947 BAA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 10 Larry Killick –  United States Vermont
– – Robert Bolyard –  United States Toledo
– – Elmer Gainer F/C  United States DePaul
– – Harry Gallatin F/C  United States Northeast Missouri
– – Scotty Hamilton –  United States West Virginia
– – Hugh Hampton –  United States High Point
– – Bob Jake –  United States Vermont
– – Charles Raynor –  United States Houston
– – Chick Reiser G/F  United States NYU
– – John Rusinko –  United States Penn State

Roster

1947–48 Baltimore Bullets roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Name Height Weight DOB From
G 23 Fuetsch, Herm 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 170 lb (77 kg) 1918-07-06 Polytechnic HS (CA)
F/C 29 Hermsen, Kleggie 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 225 lb (102 kg) 1923-03-12 Minnesota
G/F 32 Hoffman, Paul 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 195 lb (88 kg) 1925-04-12 Purdue
G 26 Jeannette, Buddy 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 175 lb (79 kg) 1917-09-15 Washington & Jefferson
G 20 Klotz, Red 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 150 lb (68 kg) 1921-10-21 Villanova
F/C 35 Lewis, Grady 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) 1917-03-25 Oklahoma
G/F 31 Meinhold, Carl 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) 1926-03-29 LIU Brooklyn
G/F 27 Reiser, Chick 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 165 lb (75 kg) 1914-12-17 NYU
G/F 21 Schulz, Dick 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 192 lb (87 kg) 1917-01-03 Wisconsin
F/C 33 Simmons, Connie 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 222 lb (101 kg) 1925-03-15 Flushing HS (NY)
Head coach

Buddy Jeannette

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

1947–48 BAA records
Team BAL BOS CHI NYK PHI PRO STL WAS
Baltimore — 5–1 5–3 5–1 2–4 6–0 3–5 2–6
Boston 1–5 — 3–3 1–7 4–4 6–2 2–4 3–3
Chicago 3–5 3–3 — 6–0 4–2 4–2 3–5 5–3
New York 1–5 7–1 0–6 — 4–4 7–1 4–2 3–3
Philadelphia 4–2 4–4 2-4 1–7 — 8–0 3–3 2–4
Providence 0–6 2–6 2–4 1–7 0–8 — 0–6 1–5
St. Louis 5–3 4–2 5–3 2–4 3–3 6–0 — 4–4
Washington 6–2 3–3 3–5 3–3 4–2 5–1 4–4 —

Game log

# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 Wednesday, November 12 @ Washington 55–63 Kleggie Hermsen (18) 0–1
2 Thursday, November 13 Boston 85–74 Chick Reiser (19) 1–1
3 Saturday, November 15 @ Chicago 67–63 Paul Hoffman (14) 2–1
4 Thursday, November 20 New York 68–56 Chick Reiser (19) 3–1
5 Friday, November 21 @ Boston 89–73 Buddy Jeannette (17) 4–1
6 Saturday, November 22 Chicago 75–72 Chick Reiser (19) 5–1
7 Thursday, November 27 @ Providence 76–61 Jeannette, Meinhold (13) 6–1
8 Saturday, November 29 @ St. Louis 71–67 Kleggie Hermsen (21) 7–1
9 Tuesday, December 2 @ Boston 77–69 (OT) Chick Reiser (22) 8–1
10 Wednesday, December 3 @ Philadelphia 73–58 Buddy Jeannette (15) 9–1
11 Thursday, December 4 St. Louis 51–65 Mike Bloom (12) 9–2
12 Saturday, December 6 @ Chicago 65–73 Buddy Jeannette (17) 9–3
13 Thursday, December 11 Washington 69–71 (OT) Mike Bloom (18) 9–4
14 Saturday, December 13 New York 66–80 Kleggie Hermsen (17) 9–5
15 Wednesday, December 17 @ Washington 64–66 Jeannette, Schulz (16) 9–6
16 Thursday, December 18 St. Louis 74–67 Chick Reiser (16) 10–6
17 Sunday, December 21 @ Chicago 83–93 Kleggie Hermsen (23) 10–7
18 Thursday, December 25 Chicago 87–70 Kleggie Hermsen (21) 11–7
19 Sunday, December 28 @ St. Louis 63–67 Dick Schulz (16) 11–8
20 Thursday, January 1 Philadelphia 60–72 Chick Reiser (13) 11–9
21 Saturday, January 3 @ New York 79–70 Kleggie Hermsen (18) 12–9
22 Tuesday, January 6 Providence 82–64 Chick Reiser (17) 13–9
23 Thursday, January 8 Chicago 78–75 Hoffman, Jeannette (15) 14–9
24 Sunday, January 11 @ St. Louis 54–69 Paul Hoffman (12) 14–10
25 Thursday, January 15 @ Providence 98–78 Bloom, Hoffman (19) 15–10
26 Friday, January 16 @ Philadelphia 63–72 Chick Reiser (16) 15–11
27 Saturday, January 17 Philadelphia 77–79 Mike Bloom (18) 15–12
28 Thursday, January 22 St. Louis 68–71 Mike Bloom (14) 15–13
29 Saturday, January 24 @ New York 72–58 Chick Reiser (16) 16–13
30 Tuesday, January 27 @ Chicago 74–78 Chick Reiser (20) 16–14
31 Friday, January 30 Washingtona 95–71 Chick Reiser (18) 17–14
32 Saturday, January 31 @ Providence 68–62 Kleggie Hermsen (22) 18–14
33 Wednesday, February 4 @ Washington 72–77 Paul Hoffman (18) 18–15
34 Thursday, February 5 Providence 100–74 Hoffman, Jeannette (19) 19–15
35 Thursday, February 12 New York 96–86 Kleggie Hermsen (24) 20–15
36 Sunday, February 15 @ St. Louis 63–69 Paul Hoffman (17) 20–16
37 Thursday, February 19 @ Boston 79–76 (OT) Paul Hoffman (17) 21–16
38 Saturday, February 21 @ Washington 72–85 Kleggie Hermsen (14) 21–17
39 Tuesday, February 24 @ Philadelphia 71–83 Paul Hoffman (16) 21–18
40 Thursday, February 26 Washington 97–70 Connie Simmons (17) 22–18
41 Saturday, February 28 @ New York 78–56 Connie Simmons (14) 23–18
42 Sunday, February 29 @ Boston 62–65 Grady Lewis (12) 23–19
43 Thursday, March 4 St. Louis 84–75 Carl Meinhold (16) 24–19
44 Saturday, March 6 Boston 81–68 Connie Simmons (23) 25–19
45 Thursday, March 11 Chicago 86–83 Carl Meinhold (16) 26–19
46 Saturday, March 13 Philadelphia 64–62 Chick Reiser (18) 27–19
47 Thursday, March 18 Washington 64–71 Hermsen, Hoffman (15) 27–20
48 Saturday, March 20 Providence 75–58 Buddy Jeannette (19) 28–20

a: Game Played at Fifth Regiment Armory

Playoffs

Western Division tiebreaker

Chicago Stags vs. Baltimore Bullets: Bullets win series 1-0

  • Game 1 @ Chicago (Thursday, March 25): Baltimore 75, Chicago 72

First round

(W2) Baltimore Bullets vs. (E2) New York Knicks: Bullets win series 2-1

  • Game 1 @ Baltimore (Saturday, March 27): Baltimore 85, New York 81
  • Game 2 @ New York (Easter Sunday, March 28): New York 79, Baltimore 69
  • Game 3 @ Baltimore (Thursday, April 1): Baltimore 84, New York 77

Semifinals

(W2) Baltimore Bullets vs. (W3) Chicago Stags: Bullets win series 2-0

  • Game 1 @ Chicago (Wednesday, April 7): Baltimore 73, Chicago 67
  • Game 2 @ Baltimore (Thursday, April 8): Baltimore 89, Chicago 72

BAA Finals

Main article: 1948 BAA Finals

(E1) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (W2) Baltimore Bullets: Bullets win series 4-2

  • Game 1 @ Philadelphia (Saturday, April 10): Philadelphia 71, Baltimore 60
  • Game 2 @ Philadelphia (Tuesday, April 13): Baltimore 66, Philadelphia 63
  • Game 3 @ Baltimore (Thursday, April 15): Baltimore 72, Philadelphia 70
  • Game 4 @ Baltimore (Saturday, April 17): Baltimore 78, Philadelphia 75
  • Game 5 @ Philadelphia (Tuesday, April 20): Philadelphia 91, Baltimore 82
  • Game 6 @ Baltimore (Wednesday, April 21): Baltimore 88, Philadelphia 73

Transactions

Main article: List of 1947–48 BAA season transactions

Trades

January 20, 1948
 To Baltimore Bullets
Grady Lewis[2] 		To St. Louis Bombers
Irv Rothenberg
February 9, 1948
 To Baltimore Bullets
Connie Simmons[2] 		To Boston Celtics
Mike Bloom

Purchases

Player Date purchased Former team
Jerry Rullo[2] October 14, 1947 Philadelphia Warriors

References

  1. ^ "1947-48 Baltimore Bullets Roster and Stats".
  2. ^ a b c "1947–48 Baltimore Bullets Transactions". Basketball Reference. Retrieved October 2, 2018.