Wilkes-Barre Barons
LeaguesEPBL
1946–1947
ABL
1947–1953
EPBL
1954–1970
EBA
1970–1978
CBA
1978–1980
Founded1914
HistoryWilkes-Barre Barons
1914–1978
ArenaKingston Armory
LocationKingston, Pennsylvania
Team colorsGreen, yellow, white
OwnershipEddie White
Championships11
EPBL: 6 (1947, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1969)
ABL: 2 (1948, 1949, 1952)
EBA: 2 (1973, 1978)

The Wilkes-Barre Barons were a basketball team from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

The Barons played between 1933 and 1980 in different American leagues. The team won 11 titles during this time, including while playing in the American Basketball League and the Continental Basketball Association. The team was owned and coached by Eddie White, Sr.[1] They played in the Kingston Armory,[2] as well as Kings College and Coughlin High School, in their latter years.

Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL) I

The Wilkes-Barre Barons were an American basketball team based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania that was a member of the American Basketball League.

During the 1939/40 season, the team dropped out of the league on February 2, 1940.

Year-by-year

Year League Reg. Season Playoffs
1938/39 ABL 5th did not qualify
1939/40 ABL 6th N/A

Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL) II

The Wilkes-Barre Barons were an American basketball team based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania that was a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League and the American Basketball League.[3] The franchise was one of six original teams in the EPBL, and won the 1946-1947 President's Cup playoffs that season before moving to the American Basketball League. In 1955, the Barons returned to the Eastern League, and won seven more championships between 1955 and 1978. The aftereffects of Hurricane Agnes forced the Barons to fold midway through the 1973-74 season; the team returned to action for the 1975-76 season.[4] For the 1979-80 season they were rebranded as the Pennsylvania Barons; this would be the team's last year in Wilkes-Barre. (The team played the 1980-81 CBA season in Scranton as the Scranton Aces before folding completely.)

Year-by-year

Year League Reg. Season Playoffs
1946/47 EPBL 1st Champion
1947/48 ABL 1st Champion
1948/49 ABL 1st Champion
1949/50 ABL 3rd Playoffs
1950/51 ABL 2nd No playoff
1951/52 ABL 3rd Champion
1952/53 ABL 2nd Finals
1953/54 n/a did not play
1954/55 EPBL 2nd Champion
1955/56 EPBL 2nd Champion
1956/57 EPBL 5th No playoff
1957/58 EPBL 1st Champion
1958/59 EPBL 2nd Champion
1959/60 EPBL 6th No playoff
1960/61 EPBL tied 4th No playoff
1961/62 EPBL 5th No playoff
1962/63 EPBL 3rd Finals
1963/64 EPBL 5th No playoff
1964/65 EPBL 6th No playoff
1965/66 EPBL 1st, West Finals
1966/67 EPBL 4th, West Playoffs
1967/68 EPBL 3rd Finals
1968/69 EPBL 1st, West Champion
1969/70 EPBL 5th No playoff
1970/71 EBA 4th, West No playoff
1971/72 EBA tied 5th No playoff
1972/73 EBA 2nd Champion
1973/74 EBA folded midseason
1974/75 n/a did not play
1975/76 EBA 7th No playoff
1976/77 EBA 4th No playoff
1977/78 EBA 2nd, West Champion
1978/79 CBA 1st, South Playoffs
1979/80 CBA 2nd, South Playoffs

References

  1. ^ Wolff, Alexander (March 14, 2005). "The Man Has Seen 'em All". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  2. ^ O'Boyle, Bill (October 22, 2016). "Beyond the Byline: Remembering basketball days of old". Times Leader. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  3. ^ Burian, Evan (April 25, 2015). "Decades before the IronPigs and Phantoms, the Lehigh Valley enjoyed a 'Jets Age'". The Morning Call. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  4. ^ "History of the Eastern League". Association for Professional Basketball Research. Retrieved 6 December 2012.
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