The Detroit Gems were an American professional basketball team based in Detroit, Michigan. It played one season, 1946–47, in the Western Division of the National Basketball League,[1] a predecessor organization to the National Basketball Association. Following the season, the franchise was sold and moved to Minneapolis to become the Minneapolis Lakers. In 1960 it relocated again, this time to Los Angeles, and became the Los Angeles Lakers.[2]
| Detroit Gems | |
|---|---|
| Division | Western Division |
| Leagues | National Basketball League |
| Founded | 1946 |
| History | Detroit Gems 1946–1947 (NBL) Minneapolis Lakers 1947–1948 (NBL) 1948–1960 (NBA) Los Angeles Lakers 1960–present |
| Location | Detroit, Michigan |
History
edit| 1946–47 Detroit Gems season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Joel Mason Fred Campbell |
| Results | |
| Record | 4–44 (.083) |
| Place | Division: 6th (Western) |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
The Gems were a team mostly made up of local players and coached by Joel Mason.[3] It started its season with an exhibition game against the Oshkosh All-Stars,[4] a 54–69 loss.[5] It started its 44-game regular season schedule on 11 November in Anderson, Indiana,[6] with a loss against the Anderson Duffey Packers.[7] The Gems, who were owned by a local jewelers Maurice Winston and C. King Boring, planned to build a "sports palace" in Dearborn, which was mooted to hold 7,000-10,000 people. But the Dearborn Forum was never built; instead, they played their home games at various locations, including Holy Redeemer gym in Detroit and Lincoln High School Gym in Ferndale. They also played a few doubleheaders with the Basketball Association of America's Detroit Falcons at the Detroit Olympia, and even transferred some home games to Flint, Michigan. Attendance was slim, about 300 per game.
For the season, the Gems won only four out of 44 games -- ending the season with a 23-game losing streak -- and finishing last in the league; ownership claimed the poor crowds had cost them some $30,000.[8] Despite this, NBL commissioner Ward "Piggy" Lambert announced in May that the Gems would return for another season; however, the franchise was put up for a sale and purchased for US$15,000 by Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen. The new owners relocated the franchise to Minneapolis and renamed it the Minneapolis Lakers.[9]
National Basketball League
edit1946–47 Regular season
editWestern Division standings
edit| Pos. | Western Division | Wins | Losses | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oshkosh All-Stars | 28 | 16 | .636 |
| 2 | Indianapolis Kautskys | 27 | 17 | .614 |
| T–3 | Chicago American Gears | 26 | 18 | .591 |
| Sheboygan Red Skins | 26 | 18 | .591 | |
| 5 | Anderson Duffey Packers | 24 | 20 | .545 |
| 6 | Detroit Gems | 4 | 40 | .091 |
Further reading
editReferences
edit- ^ "National Basketball League roundup". Democrat and Chronicle. 8 September 1946. p. 3C. Retrieved 8 December 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
Detroit Gems, new Western Division entry, expect to be in a new Forum, being built at Dearborn, Mich., by the middle of the season.
- ^ Stuart London (1 February 2022). "How a pro team in Detroit turned into the Los Angeles Lakers". pistonpowered.com. FanSided. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ^ "Home-grown cagers make up Gems' team". Battle Creek Enquirer. 14 October 1946. p. 3. Retrieved 8 December 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Detroit Gems here for league preview". The Oshkosh Northwestern. 22 October 1946. p. 15. Retrieved 8 December 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Stars Win third game in succession, beat Detroit, 69-54". The Oshkosh Northwestern. 23 October 1946. p. 17. Retrieved 8 December 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Court opener". Lansing State Journal. 11 October 1946. p. 17. Retrieved 8 December 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
The Detroit Gems of the National Basketball League open a 44-game schedule November 11 at Anderson, Ind.
- ^ "Detroit Gems to face Andersons in cage opener". The Sheboygan Press. 9 November 1946. p. 12. Retrieved 8 December 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ The BAA Falcons did even worse, losing over $50,000 and folding.
- ^ Sid Hartman (25 December 1947). "Lakers organization does miracle in just six months". Times, the Picture Paper. p. 31. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
