Chicago Stags
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Stags were a National Basketball Association
team based in Chicago
, Illinois
, U.S.
.
in a trade with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (although he never played a game for them). When the Stags folded, a dispersal draft was held to divide up their players around the league. Bob Cousy
was drafted by the Boston Celtics
. Despite their short existence in the BAA and NBA, the Chicago Stags were rather successful in league play, making their way to the BAA finals in 1947 only to lose to the Philadelphia Warriors.
. They finished second in the regular season standings, only behind the 49-11 Washington Capitols
. In the playoffs, they received a first-round bye, only to play the Capitols in the semi-finals. Chicago won the series 4-2, and proceeded to play into the finals. There they played the Philadelphia Warriors, who easily won 4-1.
, and second overall in the league (the total number of teams was down from 11 to 8). In the playoffs they played a tiebreaker (after tying with the Washington Capitols
. They won that game by 4 points, and advanced to play the Boston Celtics
in the quarter-finals. They won, moving into the semi-finals for the second consecutive year. However, they were then trounced by the eventual champions, the Baltimore Bullets.
. The Stags finished 3rd, 38-22, seven games behind division-winning Rochester Royals
. The playoffs were expanded from 6 to 8 teams, and the Stags played the Lakers. They lost again to the eventual champions, the Lakers, 2-0.
), 11 games back, with a 40-28 record, and again lost to the Lakers in the opening round.
!colspan="6"| Chicago Stags (BAA)
|-
|1946-47||39 ||22 || .639|| Won BAA Semifinals
Lost BAA Finals|| Chicago 4, Washington
2
Philadelphia 4, Chicago 1
|-
|1947-48||28 ||20 ||.583 || Won Division Tie
Won 1st Round
Lost Semifinals || Chicago 1, Washington
0
Chicago 2, Boston
1
Baltimore 2, Chicago 0
|-
|1948-49||38 ||22 ||.633 || Lost Division Semifinals || Minneapolis 2, Chicago 0
|-
!colspan="6"| Chicago Stags (NBA)
|-
|1949-50 || 40 || 28 || .588 || Lost Division Tie
Lost Division Semifinals || Fort Wayne 1, Chicago 0
Minneapolis 2, Chicago 0
|-
Chicago Stags
wore replicas of the 1946 Stags uniforms during the 2005-06 NBA season
as part of the NBA's "Hardwood Classics" program. (They wore them on December 5th, February 22, and April 16)
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
team based in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Franchise history
The Chicago Stags were founded in 1946 and folded in 1950. Despite their short history, they were able to acquire the draft rights to a young Bob CousyBob Cousy
Robert Joseph "Bob" Cousy is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'1" , 175-pound Cousy played point guard with the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics from 1951 to 1963 and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1969–70 season...
in a trade with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (although he never played a game for them). When the Stags folded, a dispersal draft was held to divide up their players around the league. Bob Cousy
Bob Cousy
Robert Joseph "Bob" Cousy is a retired American professional basketball player. The 6'1" , 175-pound Cousy played point guard with the National Basketball Association's Boston Celtics from 1951 to 1963 and briefly with the Cincinnati Royals in the 1969–70 season...
was drafted by the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. Despite their short existence in the BAA and NBA, the Chicago Stags were rather successful in league play, making their way to the BAA finals in 1947 only to lose to the Philadelphia Warriors.
The beginning of a new league
In the BAA's inaugural year, there were 11 teams split into 2 divisions. The Chicago Stags were placed in the Western Division, and won the division by one game, finishing 39-22 over the 38-23 St. Louis BombersSt. Louis Bombers (NBA)
The St. Louis Bombers were a National Basketball Association team based in St. Louis, Missouri, founded in 1946. The team ceased operations in 1950.- Franchise history :...
. They finished second in the regular season standings, only behind the 49-11 Washington Capitols
Washington Capitols
The Washington Capitols were a charter Basketball Association of America team based in Washington, D.C. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach....
. In the playoffs, they received a first-round bye, only to play the Capitols in the semi-finals. Chicago won the series 4-2, and proceeded to play into the finals. There they played the Philadelphia Warriors, who easily won 4-1.
1947-1948 Season
The next season, however, the Stags were not as competitive. They finished second in their division (which was down to 4 teams). They finished 28-20, finishing only 1 game behind the St. Louis BombersSt. Louis Bombers (NBA)
The St. Louis Bombers were a National Basketball Association team based in St. Louis, Missouri, founded in 1946. The team ceased operations in 1950.- Franchise history :...
, and second overall in the league (the total number of teams was down from 11 to 8). In the playoffs they played a tiebreaker (after tying with the Washington Capitols
Washington Capitols
The Washington Capitols were a charter Basketball Association of America team based in Washington, D.C. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach....
. They won that game by 4 points, and advanced to play the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
in the quarter-finals. They won, moving into the semi-finals for the second consecutive year. However, they were then trounced by the eventual champions, the Baltimore Bullets.
1948-1949
The next year, each division was instantly made more competitive with more teams, including the Minneapolis Lakers and the New York KnickerbockersNew York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. The Stags finished 3rd, 38-22, seven games behind division-winning Rochester Royals
Rochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....
. The playoffs were expanded from 6 to 8 teams, and the Stags played the Lakers. They lost again to the eventual champions, the Lakers, 2-0.
The final season
In Chicago's final season, the league consistently continued its growth, forming a third division, and a total of 17 teams. The Stags finished tied for third with the Fort Wayne Pistons (and behind the Lakers and RoyalsRochester Royals
The franchise that would become the Sacramento Kings initially started in the city of Rochester, New York, as the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League....
), 11 games back, with a 40-28 record, and again lost to the Lakers in the opening round.
Season-by-season records
|-!colspan="6"| Chicago Stags (BAA)
|-
|1946-47||39 ||22 || .639|| Won BAA Semifinals
Lost BAA Finals|| Chicago 4, Washington
Washington Capitols
The Washington Capitols were a charter Basketball Association of America team based in Washington, D.C. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach....
2
Philadelphia 4, Chicago 1
|-
|1947-48||28 ||20 ||.583 || Won Division Tie
Won 1st Round
Lost Semifinals || Chicago 1, Washington
Washington Capitols
The Washington Capitols were a charter Basketball Association of America team based in Washington, D.C. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach....
0
Chicago 2, Boston
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
1
Baltimore 2, Chicago 0
|-
|1948-49||38 ||22 ||.633 || Lost Division Semifinals || Minneapolis 2, Chicago 0
|-
!colspan="6"| Chicago Stags (NBA)
|-
|1949-50 || 40 || 28 || .588 || Lost Division Tie
Lost Division Semifinals || Fort Wayne 1, Chicago 0
Minneapolis 2, Chicago 0
|-
Chicago Stags
Aftermath
The Chicago BullsChicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
wore replicas of the 1946 Stags uniforms during the 2005-06 NBA season
2005-06 NBA season
The 2005–06 NBA season was the 60th season of the National Basketball Association. It began on November 1, 2005 and ran through April 19, 2006...
as part of the NBA's "Hardwood Classics" program. (They wore them on December 5th, February 22, and April 16)