World Professional Basketball Tournament
1944
Tournament information
LocationChicago, Illinois
Dates20 March–24 March
Venue(s)Chicago Stadium
Teams14
Final positions
ChampionsFort Wayne Zollner Pistons
1st runner-upBrooklyn Eagles
2nd runner-upHarlem Globetrotters
MVPBobby McDermott
← 1943
1945 →

The 1944 World Professional Basketball Tournament was the 6th edition of the World Professional Basketball Tournament. It was held in Chicago, Illinois,[1] during the days of 20–24 March 1944 and featured 14 teams. It was won by the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons who defeated the Brooklyn Eagles 50–33 in the championship game.[2] The Harlem Globetrotters came in third after beating the New York Rens 37–29 in the third-place game. Bobby McDermott of Fort Wayne was named the tournaments Most Valuable Player.[3]

Results

First round

20 March - Dayton Aviators 52, Akron Collegians 38
20 March - Brooklyn Eagles 55, Camp Campbell Tankmen 41
20 March - New York Rens 39, Detroit Suffrins 33
21 March - Cleveland Chase Brassmen 55, Indianapolis Pure Oils 52
21 March - Oshkosh All-Stars 51, Rochester Wings 40
21 March - Harlem Globetrotters 41, Pittsburgh Corbetts 40

Quarter-finals

22 March - Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons 59, Dayton Aviators 34[4]
22 March - New York Rens 62, Cleveland Chase Brassmen 38[4]
22 March - Brooklyn Eagles 49, Sheboygan Redskins 43[4]
22 March - Harlem Globetrotters 41, Oshkosh All-Stars 31[4]1

Semi-finals

23 March 1944
Brooklyn Eagles 63, Harlem Globetrotters 41
Pts: B. Tough – 32 Pts: B. Pressley – 12
Chicago Stadium
Attendance: 10,428
Referees: Nat Messinger, Steve Barak
23 March 1944
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons 42, New York Rens 38
Pts: B. McDermott, J. Bush – 9 Pts: P. Bell – 14
Chicago Stadium
Attendance: 10,428
Referees: Nat Messinger, Dutch Kriznecky

Third place game

24 March 1944
8:15 p.m.
Harlem Globetrotters 37, New York Rens 29
Pts: D. Cumberland – 10 Pts: Sonny Wood – 8
Chicago Stadium
Attendance: 14,226

Championship game

24 March 1945
9:15 p.m.[5]
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons 50, Brooklyn Eagles 33
Scoring by quarter: 12–9, 16–2, 14–10, 8–12
Pts: J. Pelkington – 19 Pts: B. Tough, B. Opper – 11
Chicago Stadium
Attendance: 14,226
Referees: Nat Messenger, Dutch Kriznecky

Individual awards

All-Tournament First team

All-Tournament Second team

Notable occurrences

References

  1. ^ Philip Grabowski (March 21, 1944). "Corbetts in World Tourney". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. p. 14. Retrieved April 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  2. ^ "Fort Wayne Five wins pro meet". Chicago Tribune. March 26, 1944. p. 25. Retrieved April 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "Fort Wayne drubs Eagles for Pro Cage Title, 50-35". Democrat and Chronicle. March 26, 1944. p. 31. Retrieved April 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ a b c d "Fort Wayne, Rens to Meet in Semi-Finals". Chicago Tribune. March 23, 1944. p. 24. Retrieved April 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  5. ^ "Ft. Wayne Five, Brooklyn gain stadium finals". Chicago Tribune. March 25, 1944. p. 20. Retrieved April 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. ^ "Pro game ends in fistic melee". The Spokesman-Review. March 24, 1944. p. 6. Retrieved April 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  7. ^ "Eagles go to Finals; Meet Trotters here". The Cincinnati Enquirer. March 25, 1944. p. 10. Retrieved April 6, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. Bob Tough, former Seton Hall star, equalled the tourney record by scoring 32 points against the Trotters, former champions. Open access icon

External links

World Professional Basketball Tournament seasons
Category