1951–52 Fort Wayne Pistons season

1951–52 Fort Wayne Pistons season
Head coachPaul Birch
ArenaNorth Side High School Gym
Results
Record29–37 (.439)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Western)
Playoff finishWest Division Semifinals
(eliminated 0–2)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
< 1950–51 1952–53 >

The 1951–52 NBA season was the Pistons' fourth season in the NBA and 11th season as a franchise.[1]

The Pistons struggled on the year, finishing with a 29-37 (.439) record, 4th place in the West Division. The team advanced to the playoffs, losing 2–0 in the opening round to the Rochester Royals. The team was led by guard Frank Brian (15.9 ppg, 3.5 apg, NBA All-Star) and a double-double from center/forward Larry Foust (15.9 ppg, 13.3 rpg), NBA All-Star).[2]

During the NBA season, the Washington Capitols folded and their players were dispersed through a draft. The Pistons chose Bill Sharman, a future Hall of Fame inductee, but he refused to report to Fort Wayne and the Pistons traded him to the Boston Celtics.[3]

Draft picks

Main article: 1951 NBA draft
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 5 Zeke Sinicola G  United States Niagara
2 19 Jack Kiley G  United States Syracuse
3 31 Jake Fendley G  United States Northwestern

Regular season

Season standings

Western Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Rochester Royals 41 25 .621 – 28–5 12–18 1–2 22–14
x-Minneapolis Lakers 40 26 .606 1 21–5 13–20 6–1 24–12
x-Indianapolis Olympians 34 32 .515 7 25–6 4–24 5–2 18–18
x-Fort Wayne Pistons 29 37 .439 12 22–11 6–24 1–2 17–19
Milwaukee Hawks 17 49 .258 24 8–13 3–22 6–14 9–27
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1951-52 NBA records
Team BAL BOS FWP IND MIL MIN NYK PHI ROC SYR
Baltimore — 1–8 2–4 2–4 4–2 0–6 2–7 4–5 2–4 3–6
Boston 8–1 — 3–3 3–3 5–1 3–3 4–5 6–3 3–3 4–5
Fort Wayne 4–2 3–3 — 5–4 4–5 5–4 3–3 2–4 3–6 0–6
Indianapolis 4–2 3–3 4–5 — 7–2 4–5 3–3 2–4 3–6 4–2
Milwaukee 2–4 1–5 5–4 2–7 — 1–8 2–4 1–5 1–8 2–4
Minneapolis 6–0 3–3 4–5 5–4 8–1 — 4–2 2–4 7–2 1–5
New York 7–2 5–4 3–3 3–3 4–2 2–4 — 6–3 2–4 5–4
Philadelphia 5–4 3–6 4–2 4–2 5–1 4–2 3–6 — 2–4 3–6
Rochester 4–2 3–3 6–3 6–3 8–1 2–7 4–2 4–2 — 4–2
Syracuse 6–3 5–4 6–0 2–4 4–2 5–1 4–5 6–3 2–4 —

Game log

1951–52 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 November 1 @ Syracuse 75–90 Chuck Share (21) 0–1
2 November 3 @ Philadelphia 69–70 Boag Johnson (22) 0–2
3 November 4 New York 75–84 Frank Brian (28) 1–2
4 November 6 @ Milwaukee 62–65 (OT) Frank Brian (23) 1–3
5 November 9 @ Indianapolis 77–92 Larry Foust (18) 1–4
6 November 11 Milwaukee 59–74 Frank Brian (15) 2–4
7 November 14 @ Boston 91–98 (OT) Frank Brian (21) 2–5
8 November 17 @ Minneapolis 64–68 (OT) Frank Brian (23) 2–6
9 November 18 @ Rochester 76–71 (OT) Larry Foust (25) 2–7
10 November 22 Syracuse 96–72 Frank Brian (15) 2–8
11 November 24 @ Rochester 63–74 Fred Schaus (14) 2–9
12 November 25 Baltimore 66–83 Larry Foust (16) 3–9
13 November 29 @ Syracuse 78–82 Fred Schaus (19) 3–10
14 December 1 @ Minneapolis 69–89 Fred Schaus (16) 3–11
15 December 2 Minneapolis 61–63 Larry Foust (23) 4–11
16 December 5 @ Boston 91–88 Frank Brian (29) 5–11
17 December 8 @ Milwaukee 71–82 Larry Foust (26) 5–12
18 December 9 Rochester 84–86 Frank Brian (25) 6–12
19 December 11 N Syracuse 80–62 Frank Brian (12) 6–13
20 December 14 @ Philadelphia 62–72 Larry Foust (21) 6–14
21 December 15 @ Baltimore 80–90 Ralph Johnson (18) 6–15
22 December 16 New York 80–71 Fred Schaus (25) 6–16
23 December 20 Rochester 69–54 Frank Brian (11) 6–17
24 December 23 Minneapolis 79–81 Fred Schaus (22) 7–17
25 December 25 @ New York 65–72 Frank Brian (14) 7–18
26 December 26 Boston 86–94 Fred Schaus (23) 8–18
27 December 29 @ Rochester 61–75 Frank Brian (13) 8–19
28 December 30 Milwaukee 60–77 Larry Foust (23) 9–19
29 December 31 @ Baltimore 95–86 Larry Foust (28) 10–19
30 January 1 Philadelphia 74–89 Jack Kerris (27) 11–19
31 January 4 N Minneapolis 79–64 Larry Foust (15) 11–20
32 January 6 Indianapolis 75–79 Frank Brian (23) 12–20
33 January 10 Boston 94–85 Larry Foust (19) 12–21
34 January 12 @ Rochester 88–76 Larry Foust (23) 13–21
35 January 13 Baltimore 71–81 Frank Brian (22) 14–21
36 January 15 @ Milwaukee 63–76 Larry Foust (22) 14–22
37 January 17 Philadelphia 78–82 Frank Brian (22) 15–22
38 January 20 Milwaukee 76–83 Larry Foust (18) 16–22
39 January 24 Rochester 90–94 Fred Schaus (23) 17–22
40 January 25 @ Indianapolis 79–83 (OT) Fred Schaus (22) 17–23
41 January 26 @ Rochester 71–104 Fred Schaus (17) 17–24
42 January 27 New York 92–100 Larry Foust (29) 18–24
43 January 30 @ Indianapolis 81–77 Brian, Foust (18) 19–24
44 January 31 Minneapolis 85–78 Larry Foust (25) 19–25
45 February 2 @ Baltimore 76–63 Frank Brian (30) 20–25
46 February 3 Indianapolis 70–85 Fred Schaus (21) 21–25
47 February 5 Milwaukee 75–64 Foust, Schaus (15) 21–26
48 February 7 Philadelphia 105–91 Fred Schaus (27) 21–27
49 February 9 @ Minneapolis 70–67 Fred Schaus (22) 22–27
50 February 10 Baltimore 82–77 Fred Schaus (17) 22–28
51 February 12 @ Indianapolis 78–80 Larry Foust (21) 22–29
52 February 14 Boston 90–94 Jack Kerris (20) 23–29
53 February 17 Minneapolis 87–99 Larry Foust (25) 24–29
54 February 19 @ Philadelphia 80–98 Larry Foust (23) 24–30
55 February 21 @ Boston 67–88 Frank Brian (21) 24–31
56 February 23 @ New York 77–82 (OT) Frank Brian (17) 24–32
57 February 24 Minneapolis 70–83 Frank Brian (20) 25–32
58 February 28 @ Syracuse 83–88 Fred Schaus (17) 25–33
59 March 1 N Milwaukee 58–66 Larry Foust (29) 26–33
60 March 2 Indianapolis 88–101 Larry Foust (31) 27–33
61 March 4 @ Indianapolis 68–86 Larry Foust (19) 27–34
62 March 6 Syracuse 83–81 (2OT) Frank Brian (22) 27–35
63 March 7 @ Milwaukee 74–75 Brian, Schaus (20) 27–36
64 March 9 New York 79–80 Frank Brian (24) 28–36
65 March 13 Rochester 86–84 Chuck Share (18) 28–37
66 March 16 Indianapolis 92–111 Brian, Eddleman, Foust (19) 29–37

Playoffs

1952 playoff game log
Division Semifinals: 0–2 (home: 0–1; road: 0–1)
Game Date Team Score High points Location Series
1 March 18 @ Rochester L 78–95 Larry Foust (17) Edgerton Park Arena 0–1
2 March 20 Rochester L 86–92 Jack Kerris (17) North Side High School Gym 0–2
1952 schedule

Awards and records

References

  1. ^ 1951–52 Fort Wayne Pistons
  2. ^ "1951-52 Fort Wayne Pistons Roster and Stats".
  3. ^ "Chevette to Corvette No. 48: The 1951-52 Fort Wayne Pistons". October 6, 2011.

See also