Waterloo Hawks
The Waterloo Hawks were a professional basketball franchise based in Waterloo, Iowa. Founded in 1947, the team competed in the Professional Basketball League of America during the 1947–48 season, posting a 1–5 record, before joining the National Basketball League (NBL) for 1948–49, where they finished with a 30–32 record and missed the playoffs.[1][2] In 1949, the NBL merged with the Basketball Association of America (BAA) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA), and the Hawks transitioned into the new league for its 1949–50 season—their only NBA campaign—compiling a 19–43 record while playing home games at The Hippodrome and averaging modest attendance in a small Midwestern market.[3][4] The franchise holds the distinction of being the only team in NBA history to have been based in Iowa, marking a brief chapter in the state's professional sports legacy. The Hawks then played one final season in the National Professional Basketball League (NPBL) in 1950–51, finishing 32–24, before folding due to financial challenges.[4][5] Notable players included guard Leo Kubiak, who was named fan-voted MVP for the 1949–50 season and led the team in assists, alongside centers like Harry Boykoff and forwards such as Stan Patrick and Dick Mehen, the team's scoring leader.[6][3]Franchise History
Founding and Early Challenges (1947–1948)
The Waterloo Hawks were established in 1947 as a professional basketball franchise based in Waterloo, Iowa, owned by Maurice White as part of an effort to introduce professional sports to the local community. White, who also founded the Professional Basketball League of America (PBLA), positioned the Hawks within this new regional circuit that spanned the Midwest and South, featuring 16 teams including the Chicago Gears, with plans for a 60-game schedule and two-year player contracts. However, the league's ambitious structure quickly unraveled due to organizational and financial hurdles.[7][8] During the 1947–48 season, the Hawks played in the PBLA's Southern Division, compiling a record of 1 win and 5 losses over six games, which placed them seventh in the eight-team league standings with a .167 winning percentage. The team averaged 51.3 points scored and 56.7 points allowed per game, reflecting their competitive struggles in the abbreviated schedule. Their initial roster drew from local and regional talent lacking prior NBA experience, including center Noble Jorgensen (6-9, from Iowa), forward Price Brookfield (6-4), guard Otto Kerber (6-2), and others such as Dick Lynch and Jack Spehn, emphasizing community-based recruitment under general manager Andrew L. George and coach Harry "Swede" Roos.[7][9][8] The Hawks encountered severe early challenges, marked by persistently low attendance and escalating operational expenses that mirrored the league's broader instability. These factors led to the PBLA's rapid collapse on November 13, 1947, after only 54 total games across its franchises, effectively ending the Hawks' inaugural season prematurely. In response to the folding, the franchise sought stability by joining the National Basketball League for the following year.[7]National Basketball League Era (1948–1949)
The Waterloo Hawks joined the National Basketball League (NBL) in 1948 as an expansion franchise, relocating from the folded Toledo Jeeps and establishing professional basketball in Waterloo, Iowa, amid the league's ongoing competition with the rival Basketball Association of America (BAA) for talent and fan interest.[6][10] Promoter P.L. "Pinkie" George secured the franchise after briefly holding rights in Des Moines, marking a shift from the failed Professional Basketball League of America (PBLA), where the team had operated as the Waterloo Pro-Hawks in 1947–48.[11] This transition was bolstered by local ownership stability under George and community fundraising efforts, including share sales by Waterloo Basketball Inc., which helped cover initial losses and ensured the team's survival into its first full NBL campaign.[10] In the 1948–49 season, the Hawks compiled a record of 30 wins and 32 losses, achieving a .484 winning percentage and finishing fourth in the Western Division, which prevented them from qualifying for the playoffs.[2] The team emphasized a competitive, up-tempo style suited to the NBL's smaller Midwestern arenas, focusing on balanced scoring and solid defense that limited opponents to 59.2 points per game on average.[2] Attendance averaged between 2,000 and 3,000 fans per game at the Cattle Congress Hippodrome, with strong community turnout—such as 2,521 for the home opener—reflecting local enthusiasm despite financial constraints typical of the era's regional professional sports.[6][10] Key contributors included guard Leo Kubiak, acquired from the Jeeps, who appeared in all 62 games and averaged 7.5 points while providing steady backcourt play as a long-term team mainstay.[2][6] Forwards Dick Mehen (13.6 points per game) and center Harry Boykoff (12.7 points) led the offense, with the Hawks securing notable victories like a 64–61 win over the Sheboygan Red Skins and a 51–48 triumph against the Denver Nuggets, where Kubiak scored 12 points.[2][6] These performances helped build momentum toward the NBL-BAA merger that would form the NBA the following year.[10]NBA Transition and 1949–1950 Season
Following the merger of the National Basketball League (NBL) and the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in the summer of 1949, the Waterloo Hawks were absorbed into the newly formed National Basketball Association (NBA) as one of its 17 inaugural teams.[10][6] This positioned the Hawks as Iowa's sole major league professional sports franchise and highlighted Waterloo's status as one of the league's smallest markets, with a population of around 50,000 in a rural Midwestern setting.[10][11] In their only NBA season, the 1949–50 campaign, the Hawks struggled to a record of 19 wins and 43 losses, achieving a .306 winning percentage and finishing last in the six-team Western Division, which precluded any playoff participation.[3] The team averaged 79.4 points per game while allowing 84.9, reflecting defensive vulnerabilities in a 14-team league that expanded to 17 before contracting.[3] A mid-season coaching change exacerbated the difficulties: Charley Shipp, who had served as player-coach since joining from the NBL, was fired after an 8–27 start, with the veteran guard-forward contributing modestly on the court amid the turmoil.[3][12] Jack Smiley replaced him and guided the squad to an 11–16 finish, but the Hawks could not overcome their early deficits.[3] Standout performances provided occasional highlights, with forward Dick Mehen leading the team in scoring at 14.4 points per game across all 62 contests, while center Harry Boykoff added 12.8 points per game before departing mid-season.[3] However, the roster faced persistent challenges, including injuries that limited key contributors like Boykoff and broader logistical strains from the league's expansive footprint, which created grueling travel schedules across two-thirds of the United States.[10][13] NBA games in Waterloo generated significant local excitement, drawing crowds up to the Hippodrome's capacity of approximately 5,000 for marquee matchups, though average attendance hovered around 2,973 per game.[10][11] Despite this enthusiasm, financial losses mounted, with revenues of about $93,000 falling short of $113,000 in expenses and contributing to ownership instability that foreshadowed the franchise's uncertain future.[10]Relocation and Franchise End
Following the disappointing 1949–50 NBA season, the Waterloo Hawks faced severe financial challenges that ultimately led to the end of their major league tenure. The team's revenue for the year totaled approximately $93,000, while operating expenses exceeded $113,000, resulting in a deficit of $1,500 after accounting for working capital; these figures were burdened by low gate receipts averaging $2,500 per home game and an inability to draw sufficient crowds in a small market of just over 64,000 residents.[10] At the NBA owners' meeting on April 24–25, 1950, in Chicago's Morrison Hotel, the league required all franchises to post a $50,000 performance bond, a measure widely seen as targeting struggling small-market teams to reduce travel costs and stabilize finances amid widespread league-wide losses. The Hawks, unable to meet the bond without significant risk, withdrew alongside the Sheboygan Red Skins and Denver Nuggets, contracting the NBA from 17 to 11 teams; this decision came despite the franchise's offers to secure the bond through local fundraising efforts that had previously raised over $37,000 in stock sales from 377 shareholders.[10] The withdrawal sparked community disappointment in Waterloo, where residents had rallied behind the team as a symbol of local pride, but failed bids by new investor groups to retain the franchise underscored the economic barriers for minor league cities in the post-merger NBA. The final home game occurred on March 15, 1950, an 87–69 win over the Sheboygan Red Skins at McElroy Auditorium, attended by a modest crowd reflective of the season's struggles.[14][10] In the aftermath, the Hawks' remaining players were dispersed to other NBA squads, with the first overall draft pick Chuck Share, selected by the Boston Celtics, instead signing with the Waterloo Hawks for their 1950–51 season in the National Professional Basketball League (NPBL), a short-lived rival to the NBA, before joining the Baltimore Bullets for the 1951–52 NBA season.[15] Following the withdrawal, the franchise joined the newly formed National Professional Basketball League (NPBL) for the 1950–51 season, compiling a 32–28 record before folding permanently in 1951 due to ongoing financial difficulties.[16][10] This episode exemplified the early NBA's shift away from small markets, prioritizing larger urban centers to boost attendance and viability, which facilitated subsequent expansions into cities like Cincinnati and San Francisco while eliminating operations in places like Waterloo.Home Arena
McElroy Auditorium (The Hippodrome)
The Hippodrome, originally constructed in 1919 on the grounds of the National Dairy Cattle Congress in Waterloo, Iowa, served primarily as a venue for equestrian and livestock events, reflecting the agricultural focus of the fairgrounds at the time.[17] Built as an indoor arena to accommodate shows and exhibitions, it quickly became a hub for regional entertainment tied to the Cattle Congress's mission of promoting livestock and farming.[18] In 1936, the facility underwent a major renovation that raised the roof, excavated the floor for expanded seating, and transformed it into a multi-purpose venue, including the installation of a basketball court to support diverse events.[19] This upgrade increased its capacity to approximately 5,200 permanent seats, with the arena floor measuring 20,000 square feet (200 feet by 100 feet) and featuring a central setup suitable for sports and performances.[20] The venue was renamed McElroy Auditorium around 1965 in honor of R.J. McElroy, a prominent Waterloo broadcaster and philanthropist who died that year.[17] Prior to hosting professional basketball, the arena was Waterloo's premier indoor facility in the 1940s, regularly featuring circuses, concerts, rodeos, and professional wrestling matches that drew crowds from across Iowa.[21] Its versatile design, including box seating and concession areas, made it a staple for community and touring entertainment.[22] In 2018, the name reverted to The Hippodrome to restore its original identity, and today it continues to host various events but no longer accommodates basketball games.[17]Facilities and Team Usage
The Hippodrome (later renamed McElroy Auditorium) served as the primary home venue for the Waterloo Hawks, featuring a standard National Basketball Association court measuring 94 feet by 50 feet overlaid on its multi-purpose floor designed for events like livestock shows and concerts.[23] Temporary seating was added around the court to accommodate basketball crowds, expanding the arena's capacity to approximately 5,155 spectators, though the setup often limited sightlines for some fans due to the venue's original construction on the grounds of the National Dairy Cattle Congress in 1919.[4] Operational logistics for the Hawks were constrained by the small-market environment, with practices primarily held in the arena's gym facilities, leaving little room for dedicated training spaces. Travel to away games posed significant challenges, as the team relied on bus transportation for trips to distant cities such as Chicago and Minneapolis, a common practice for Midwest NBA squads in the league's inaugural 1949–50 season that added to fatigue and scheduling difficulties.[24] The fan experience at the Hippodrome emphasized community engagement in a modest setting, with average home attendance of 2,973 during the NBA season, including a turnout of 3,695 for the Hawks' debut against the New York Knicks on November 2, 1949, and 2,521 for a December 31 matchup versus the Minneapolis Lakers.[10][6] Game-day offerings focused on local Iowa concessions like hot dogs and popcorn, fostering an intimate atmosphere despite the arena's basic amenities, such as pre-game player introductions that drew enthusiastic local support.[10] Adaptations for professional basketball were minimal but necessary. Compared to larger venues like Chicago Stadium, which boasted 18,000 seats and financial backing from major corporations, the Hippodrome's smaller scale and limited revenue—totaling over $93,000 for the season—highlighted the competitive disadvantages faced by small-market teams like the Hawks, contributing to their financial struggles and eventual exit from the NBA after one season.[10][5]Records and Statistics
Season-by-Season Results
The Waterloo Hawks began their professional basketball tenure in the short-lived Professional Basketball League of America (PBLA) during the 1947–48 season, competing in a seven-team league that folded after one year due to financial instability and lack of fan interest.[25] The team, initially known as the Waterloo Pro-Hawks, managed a dismal 1–5 record (.167 winning percentage), placing 7th overall and failing to qualify for playoffs in a league without a postseason structure.[26] This brief stint highlighted early organizational challenges in a minor league experimenting with professional play in the Midwest. Transitioning to the established National Basketball League (NBL) for the 1948–49 season, the Hawks aligned in the Western Division alongside teams like the Oshkosh All-Stars and Tri-Cities Blackhawks. They posted a 30–32 record (.484), finishing 4th in the division and missing the playoffs, which were contested among the top teams from each division.[2][27] The NBL's competitive balance provided a step up, though the Hawks struggled with consistency in a 62-game schedule. The 1949–50 season marked the Hawks' entry into the newly formed National Basketball Association (NBA) following the merger of the NBL and Basketball Association of America (BAA), expanding the league to 17 teams and introducing a more rigorous schedule. Assigned to the Western Division with six teams, including the dominant Minneapolis Lakers, the Hawks recorded 19–43 (.306) over 62 games, placing 5th (last among competitive teams, ahead only of the expansion Denver Nuggets) and again missing the playoffs.[3][28] League-wide contraction pressures post-merger, including financial strains on smaller-market teams, contributed to the franchise's relocation to the National Professional Basketball League (NPBL) after this season, though their NBA run ended here. Across their three seasons in three distinct leagues—PBLA, NBL, and NBA—the Hawks compiled an overall franchise record of 50–80 (.385), a unique distinction in basketball history as one of the few teams to compete consecutively in such varied professional circuits amid evolving league structures.[4]| Season | League | Division | W-L Record | Win % | Standing | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947–48 | PBLA | N/A | 1–5 | .167 | 7th | No |
| 1948–49 | NBL | Western | 30–32 | .484 | 4th | No |
| 1949–50 | NBA | Western | 19–43 | .306 | 5th | No |