Washington Capitols
The Washington Capitols were a professional basketball franchise based in Washington, D.C., that competed as a charter member of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) from 1946 to 1949 and continued in the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the league merger until folding on January 9, 1951, with a 10–25 record that season.[1][2] Coached primarily by Red Auerbach in its early years, the team posted a cumulative regular-season record of 157–114 (.579 winning percentage) over five seasons and made the playoffs four times, highlighted by a 1949 NBA Finals appearance where they lost to the Minneapolis Lakers.[1][3] The Capitols played home games at Uline Arena, drawing from a roster featuring players like Buddy Jeannette and Bob Feerick, and achieved notable feats such as the BAA's highest winning percentage (81.7%) in its inaugural 1946–47 season with a 49–11 mark.[2][4] Despite their on-court success, including an NBA-record 17-game winning streak during the 1948–49 season start, the franchise never secured a league title and ultimately disbanded amid financial difficulties common to early professional basketball teams.[2][5] The Capitols represented one of the BAA's original powerhouses, influencing the sport's development before the league stabilized, but their quick exit underscored the era's economic challenges for non-major-market clubs.[6][5]Origins and Formation
Founding and Ownership
The Washington Capitols were founded in 1946 as a charter franchise of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), one of 11 teams in the newly formed professional league intended to compete with established circuits like the National Basketball League (NBL). The franchise's establishment aligned with the BAA's organizational meeting on June 6, 1946, in New York City, where team owners agreed on league structure, player salaries capped at $60,000 per team, and a schedule of 48 games per squad.[7] Mike Uline, a Dutch-born entrepreneur who amassed wealth through innovations in insulated ice delivery containers and founded the Washington Ice Company, bankrolled the team's creation and served as its principal owner from inception through its dissolution. Uline, who had previously built the Uline Arena in 1941 for multisport events including ice hockey and skating, leveraged his venue ownership to secure the franchise and outfit it for basketball operations. He hired Red Auerbach as head coach prior to the inaugural 1946–47 season, providing the resources for Auerbach to assemble a roster featuring college standouts like Bud Brown and Dick Murphy.[8][2] Ownership remained under Uline's control without major changes or transfers during the team's five seasons in the BAA/NBA, though financial strains from low attendance and postwar economic pressures mounted. Uline's direct involvement extended to operational decisions, such as retaining Auerbach despite merger-related roster challenges post-1949 BAA-NBL consolidation into the NBA. The franchise suspended operations on January 9, 1951, amid bankruptcy proceedings, with Uline unable to sustain losses exceeding operational revenues.[6][4]Entry into the Basketball Association of America
The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was established in June 1946 by a group of arena owners aiming to create a professional basketball league focused on larger East Coast and Midwestern cities, positioning it as a rival to the existing National Basketball League. The Washington Capitols were granted one of the league's eleven charter franchises, enabling the team to commence operations in Washington, D.C., for the 1946–47 inaugural season. The franchise was tied to Uline Arena, a local venue owned by the Uline family, which served as the team's home court and facilitated the assembly of a competitive roster from available professional talent.[6][7] Red Auerbach, recently transitioned from naval basketball coaching, was appointed as the Capitols' first head coach, emphasizing a fast-paced style suited to the era's rules and player skill sets. The team drafted and signed players including forward Bob Feerick, guard Freddie Scolari, and center Buddy Jeannette, drawing from military leagues and independent circuits to build depth. This entry positioned the Capitols as an immediate contender, reflecting the BAA's strategy of leveraging urban markets and experienced personnel to elevate the sport's professionalism.[2][9] In their debut campaign, the Capitols achieved a 49–11 regular-season record, the best in the league, and topped the Eastern Division standings before advancing to the semifinals, where they fell to the Chicago Stags. This performance underscored the franchise's rapid integration into the BAA structure and its potential as a foundational team, though financial and operational hurdles in the nascent league loomed larger in subsequent years.[9][10]Management and Coaching
Red Auerbach's Leadership
Red Auerbach was appointed head coach of the Washington Capitols in 1946 by owner Mike Uline, marking the start of his professional coaching career in the Basketball Association of America (BAA).[11] Under his leadership, Auerbach implemented a fast-paced, disciplined style emphasizing ball movement and defensive intensity, drawing from his experience coaching college and naval teams.[12] In the 1946–47 season, Auerbach's Capitols compiled a league-best 49–11 regular-season record, securing first place in the Eastern Division while leading the BAA in fewest points allowed per game at 63.9.[9] Despite this dominance, the team was eliminated in the division semifinals of the playoffs by the Chicago Stags.[13] The following year, 1947–48, the Capitols finished 28–20 and fourth in the Western Division amid league realignment, advancing to but losing in the division semifinals again.[14] Auerbach guided the team to a 38–22 record in the 1948–49 season, again claiming first in the Eastern Division, though defensive lapses saw them allow 79.4 points per game, fifth in the league.[15] He resigned as head coach on January 2, 1949, after a reported dispute with management over roster decisions and team direction, having coached the majority of that season's games.[16] His overall tenure yielded a 115–53 regular-season record, establishing the Capitols as a perennial contender and foreshadowing Auerbach's later success with the Boston Celtics through his focus on player conditioning and strategic innovations like the fast break.[16][12]Transitions and Later Coaches
Following Red Auerbach's departure after the 1948–49 season, in which the Capitols advanced to the Basketball Association of America Finals but lost to the Minneapolis Lakers 4 games to 2, the franchise appointed Bob Feerick as player-coach for the 1949–50 NBA season, the league's inaugural year after merging with the National Basketball League.[17] Auerbach's exit stemmed from a salary dispute with ownership.[18] Feerick, a former standout forward who had averaged 16.1 points per game the prior season, guided the team to a 32–36 record, securing third place in the Eastern Division but resulting in a first-round playoff sweep by the New York Knicks, 2 games to 0.[17] The Capitols' performance declined sharply in the 1950–51 season under player-coach Horace "Bones" McKinney, a veteran forward on the roster since the team's inception.[19] McKinney's squad managed only a 10–25 record before the franchise folded on January 9, 1951, amid financial difficulties exacerbated by poor attendance and operational losses at Uline Arena.[19] This marked the end of the Capitols' five-year existence, with no further coaching transitions as the team dissolved without relocation or revival.[20]Facilities and Operations
Uline Arena as Home Venue
The Washington Capitols utilized Uline Arena as their exclusive home venue for all regular-season and playoff games from the team's inception in the Basketball Association of America in 1946 until their disbandment in January 1951. Located at 1140 3rd Street Northeast in Washington, D.C., the arena was originally constructed in 1941 by local entrepreneur M. J. "Mick" Uline, founder of the Washington Ice Company, primarily to host ice hockey, figure skating, and related events on what was then the largest indoor rink in the United States.[21] The facility's design featured a vaulted roof enclosing a 140-by-270-foot unobstructed space, allowing for flexible event configurations, though basketball required laying a temporary floor directly over the ice.[21] Uline, who also held ownership stakes in the Capitols franchise, integrated the arena into the team's operations, reflecting the era's common practice of venue proprietors sponsoring professional sports teams.[22] With a seating capacity of approximately 7,500 for basketball, Uline Arena provided a modest but functional setting for the Capitols' games amid the post-World War II expansion of professional hoops.[2] However, the ice-under-floor setup posed practical challenges, including excessive condensation that rendered the court slippery—particularly evident in the team's inaugural home game, where moisture from melting ice compromised footing and playability.[23] Attendance figures underscored operational limitations, averaging roughly 3,000 fans per game even in peak seasons of strong on-court performance under coach Red Auerbach, well below potential capacity and signaling limited local interest in the nascent league.[23] This sparse turnout, in a venue that doubled as a multi-purpose hall for boxing, circuses, and political events, highlighted broader financial strains on the franchise, including inadequate revenue to sustain operations despite competitive success.[23] Uline Arena hosted landmark moments for the Capitols, such as forward Earl Lloyd's NBA debut on October 31, 1950, marking the first appearance by an African American player in league history during a 75–70 victory over the Rochester Royals.[24] The venue's central role ended abruptly with the team's folding midway through the 1950–51 season, after which Uline Arena continued hosting sporadic basketball until the 1970s, later renamed Washington Coliseum.[25]Operational Challenges
The Washington Capitols encountered persistent financial losses that proved unsustainable, leading to the franchise's abrupt disbandment on January 9, 1951, after just 35 games into the 1950–51 NBA season.[2] [26] These difficulties persisted despite the team's competitive success, including the league's best regular-season record of 49–11 in 1949–50, highlighting a disconnect between on-court performance and revenue generation.[5] The broader instability of the early NBA exacerbated these issues, as multiple franchises folded amid similar economic pressures from high operational costs and insufficient income.[27] Low attendance at Uline Arena contributed substantially to the shortfall, with the venue's limited capacity of around 6,000 seats constraining ticket revenue potential.[28] Game reports from the era document sparse crowds, such as 1,501 spectators for a March 1, 1947, matchup against the Boston Celtics and 1,975 for a November 11, 1950, contest, far below capacity and indicative of limited fan interest in professional basketball during the post-World War II period.[29] [30] Uline Arena's primary design as an ice rink for events like skating shows created logistical hurdles for basketball operations, including setup delays and suboptimal playing conditions that may have deterred consistent turnout.[31] Owner Ben Kramer, who acquired the team in 1946 and also managed ice-related promotions at the arena, bore the brunt of these accumulating deficits without viable paths to profitability.[6] Efforts to revive the Capitols in the American Basketball League for the 1951–52 season similarly faltered, with the team folding again in January 1952 due to comparable financial strains and inadequate support in the competitive Washington market.[6] These operational failures underscored the challenges of sustaining a franchise in an nascent league lacking widespread media exposure, national television deals, or robust sponsorships, where travel expenses and player salaries outpaced gate receipts in smaller venues.[27]Roster and Personnel
Key Players and Hall of Famers
The Washington Capitols roster included several players who contributed to the team's early success in the Basketball Association of America (BAA), with standout performers in scoring, rebounding, and playmaking during their five seasons from 1946 to 1951. Bob Feerick, a forward, emerged as a primary offensive threat, leading the league in scoring during the 1947–48 BAA season with an average of 21.7 points per game across 48 games and serving as player-coach in 1949–50.[32] Bones McKinney, a forward-center, provided versatility and leadership, averaging 11.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game over 203 appearances for the franchise while captaining the squad and later acting as player-coach in their final 1950–51 season.[33] Guard Fred Scolari anchored the backcourt with consistent scoring and assists, ranking as the team's all-time leader in minutes played and appearing in all 60 games during the 1948–49 season with 10.2 points per game.[34] Other key contributors included forward Johnny Norlander, known for his role in the team's record-setting winning streaks, such as the 15-game run in 1949–50, and center John Mahnken, who bolstered the frontcourt with rebounding prowess in the franchise's inaugural campaigns. Bill Sharman, drafted by the Capitols in the second round (17th overall) of the 1950 NBA Draft out of the University of Southern California, joined the team for their last season and averaged 12.2 points per game in 53 appearances before the franchise folded midseason.[35][36] Two players from the Capitols roster were later inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Bill Sharman, who transitioned to a Hall of Fame career with the Boston Celtics after the Capitols' dissolution, was enshrined in 1976 for his sharpshooting and contributions as a player, coach, and executive.[37] Earl Lloyd, a forward who debuted with the Capitols on October 31, 1950—becoming the first African American to play in an NBA game—appeared in seven games for the team before military service interrupted his rookie year; he was inducted in 2003, recognized for breaking the color barrier and his subsequent championship with the Syracuse Nationals.[38]Notable Contributors and Alumni
Red Auerbach served as head coach of the Washington Capitols from 1946 to 1949, compiling a record of 126–64 across three seasons and leading the team to the best regular-season mark in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) during the 1946–47 campaign with 49 wins.[9] Auerbach, inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1968, later achieved legendary success with the Boston Celtics, winning nine NBA championships as coach.[39] Bob Feerick coached the Capitols in the 1949–50 NBA season, posting a 32–36 record, after serving as a key player for the franchise.[17] Bones McKinney acted as player-coach during the team's final partial season in 1950–51, finishing with a 10–25 mark before the franchise folded in January 1951.[19] Among players, Feerick stands out as a forward-guard who averaged 13.3 points per game over 221 appearances with the Capitols from 1946 to 1950 and earned All-BAA First Team honors in 1947. McKinney, a forward, played six seasons primarily with the Capitols, averaging 10.2 points per game in 243 outings and also receiving All-BAA First Team recognition in 1947 before transitioning to coaching roles at Wake Forest University.[33] Earl Lloyd, a forward and Naismith Hall of Fame inductee (2003), debuted with the Capitols on October 31, 1950, becoming the first African American to play in an NBA game; he appeared in three contests for the team that season.[38] Other alumni include Fred Scolari, who played guard for the Capitols from 1946 to 1951 and later officiated in the NBA. Mike Uline, the team's founder and owner from 1946 until its dissolution, was a Dutch-born entrepreneur who financed the franchise as a charter member of the BAA and owned the Uline Arena, the Capitols' home venue.[2] Uline's business acumen supported the team's early operations amid the league's nascent challenges, though financial strains contributed to its eventual exit from the NBA.[4]Regular Season Performance
Division Dominance and Records
The Washington Capitols demonstrated early dominance in the Basketball Association of America's Eastern Division, securing the division title in two of their first three seasons. In their inaugural 1946–47 campaign, the team compiled a league-best 49–11 record, achieving an .817 winning percentage that stood as the highest in BAA/NBA history until the Philadelphia 76ers surpassed it in 1966–67.[9][40] This performance included a league-leading 29–1 home record and positioned them 14 games ahead of the second-place Philadelphia Warriors, underscoring their command of the division under coach Red Auerbach.[40] The Capitols reclaimed the Eastern Division crown in 1948–49 with a 38–22 mark (.633 winning percentage), finishing six games ahead of the New York Knicks.[15] This season featured a franchise-record 15-game winning streak to open the year, a BAA benchmark at the time that highlighted their consistent regular-season prowess.[15] Across their five seasons, the team posted an overall .579 winning percentage (157–114), with four playoff appearances reflecting sustained divisional competitiveness despite later declines.[1]| Season | Record | Winning % | Eastern Division Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946–47 | 49–11 | .817 | 1st |
| 1947–48 | 28–20 | .583 | 4th |
| 1948–49 | 38–22 | .633 | 1st |
| 1949–50 | 32–36 | .471 | 3rd |
| 1950–51 | 10–25 | .286 | 6th |
Winning Streaks and Milestones
The Washington Capitols achieved the longest winning streak of the Basketball Association of America's (BAA) inaugural 1946–47 season with 17 consecutive victories, spanning from December 1946 to January 1947.[41] This mark stood as the BAA's single-season record until surpassed in later years. In the 1948–49 season, the team set another benchmark by winning their first 15 games, the longest season-opening streak in BAA/NBA history at the time, before finishing with a 38–22 record.[15][6] Key milestones included posting a league-best 49–11 record (.817 winning percentage) in their debut 1946–47 campaign, capturing the Eastern Division title with a 14-game lead over the second-place Philadelphia Warriors.[9] They repeated as Eastern Division champions in 1948–49, advancing to the BAA Finals where they fell to the Minneapolis Lakers in six games.[42] Over five seasons, the Capitols compiled a 157–114 regular-season mark (.579), made four playoff appearances, and held the highest debut-season winning percentage in league history until the 1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers topped it.[1]Playoff History
Appearances and Key Series
The Washington Capitols qualified for the playoffs four times in their five seasons of existence, compiling a postseason record of 8 wins and 12 losses. Their most notable achievement came in the 1949 BAA playoffs, where they advanced to the league finals after dominating the Eastern Division. However, they were unable to secure a championship, with early exits in other appearances highlighting inconsistencies in sustaining regular-season success into the postseason.[1]| Season | Regular Season Record | Playoff Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1946-47 | 49-11 (1st, Eastern Division) | Lost BAA Semifinals (1-2) to Chicago Stags[9][43] |
| 1947-48 | 28-20 (tied 2nd, Western Division) | Lost Western Division tiebreaker (0-1) to Chicago Stags[14][44] |
| 1948-49 | 38-22 (1st, Eastern Division) | Lost BAA Finals (2-4) to Minneapolis Lakers[15] |
| 1949-50 | 32-36 (3rd, Eastern Division) | Lost Eastern Division Semifinals (1-2) to New York Knicks[17][45] |
Shortfalls and Causal Factors
The Washington Capitols experienced consistent playoff shortfalls despite strong regular-season performances, appearing in four of five seasons from 1946 to 1950 but never advancing beyond the finals and securing zero championships. In their inaugural 1946–47 campaign, the team posted the league's best record at 49–11, clinching the Eastern Division by 14 games, yet faltered in the BAA semifinals against the Chicago Stags, losing 4–2 after sweeping the Stags 6–0 in regular-season matchups and dropping the first two home playoff games by double digits.[9][5] This outcome has been characterized as an early example of postseason "flame out," attributable to an apparent inability to replicate regular-season dominance under playoff pressure, potentially exacerbated by overconfidence or inadequate adaptation to the Stags' adjusted strategies.[47] Subsequent appearances revealed recurring vulnerabilities. The 1947–48 season ended with a 28–20 record and a Western Division tiebreaker loss to the Stags (74–70), preventing semifinal advancement despite a competitive regular season.[14] In 1948–49, after a 38–22 Eastern Division-winning effort, the Capitols reached the BAA finals but fell 4–2 to the Minneapolis Lakers, who were powered by George Mikan's dominance (averaging high scoring efficiency against Washington's interior defense). Causal factors included offensive stagnation in key games—such as scoring just 62 points in Game 2—and failure to counter Mikan's rebounding and scoring prowess, highlighting roster limitations in physical matchups despite coach Red Auerbach's tactical preparations.[15][42] The 1949–50 playoffs marked a further decline, with a sub-.500 32–36 regular season leading to a 2–1 Eastern Division semifinal defeat to the New York Knicks, underscoring diminished depth and consistency post-Auerbach's departure.[17] Overall, these shortfalls stemmed from systemic issues: playoff inexperience in the nascent BAA/NBA, overreliance on regular-season stars like Buddy Jeannette without sufficient bench support, and matchup-specific weaknesses against elite big men or resilient opponents like the Stags, who exploited Washington's occasional lapses in execution. No single injury epidemic or ownership interference is verifiably dominant, but the pattern suggests causal roots in psychological pressure and strategic rigidity rather than mere bad luck.[5]Statistical Overview
Leading Scorers by Season
The Washington Capitols' leading scorers, determined by points per game (PPG) among players meeting standard qualification thresholds (typically significant games played relative to the season total), are listed below for each of their five seasons in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and National Basketball Association (NBA). Bob Feerick dominated early scoring, leading the team in PPG during its inaugural three seasons while also serving as player-coach in later years.[9][14][15]| Season | Player | PPG | Games Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946–47 | Bob Feerick | 16.8 | 55 |
| 1947–48 | Bob Feerick | 16.1 | 54 |
| 1948–49 | Bob Feerick | 13.0 | 60 |
| 1949–50 | Jack Nichols | 13.1 | 49 |
| 1950–51 | Fred Scolari | 14.7 | 35 |
Season-by-Season Records
The Washington Capitols participated in the Basketball Association of America (BAA) during the 1946–47 through 1948–49 seasons before continuing in the newly formed National Basketball Association (NBA) for 1949–50 and 1950–51, compiling an overall regular-season record of 157–114 (.579 winning percentage) across five campaigns.[1] The franchise qualified for the playoffs in four of those seasons but never advanced beyond the division semifinals.[1]| Season | League | W | L | Pct | Finish | Division | Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946–47 | BAA | 49 | 11 | .817 | 1st of 11 | Eastern | Red Auerbach |
| 1947–48 | BAA | 28 | 20 | .583 | 4th of 8 | Western | Red Auerbach |
| 1948–49 | BAA | 38 | 22 | .633 | 1st of 6 | Eastern | Red Auerbach |
| 1949–50 | NBA | 32 | 36 | .471 | 3rd of 6 | Eastern | Bob Feerick |
| 1950–51 | NBA | 10 | 25 | .286 | 6th of 6 | Eastern | Bones McKinney |