In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

10 BASKETBALL AND WAR Gottlieb was called the Mogul. During the war years, he wanted the league to continue so he called his players and other players and had them play for other teams. He did that so the league could go on. —Jack (Dutch) Garfinkel, interview by the author I n the early morning hours of December 7, 1941, while the country slept, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, jolting America out of its isolationist mentality. The U.S. Navy, unprepared for an attack, suffered tremendous losses, as the Japanese, with an armada of sixty ships, crossed the Pacific Ocean undetected, launching a surprise attack. More than 300 Japanese planes shattered a quiet Sunday morning on Oahu and firebombed the Navy’s fleet and military installations with an arsenal of bombers and fighters. In little more than two hours of fighting, the devastation and loss were beyond comprehension. More than 2,400 Americans died that day. Another 1,100 were wounded. The Navy suffered its worst one-day attack in history as 188 planes, 8 battleships, and 3 cruisers and destroyers were all rendered useless. Another 159 planes were significantly damaged. The following day, President Franklin Roosevelt addressed the nation and a joint session of Congress with the famous “day that will live in infamy” speech. Soon thereafter, Congress overwhelmingly voted to authorize war against Japan, and within days, the United States was mobilizing. A country that had been deeply divided through much of the 1930s was now united and intent on winning the war. America’s entry into the war affected all aspects of society over the coming four years. Sports adapted to the demands of war, and basketball was no different from baseball, football, or golf. Players were drafted into military 142 • THE SPHAS duty, leagues contracted, travel was restricted, and charity games were arranged to support the national effort. Basketball became an important part of the wartime plan to raise morale and generate revenue for the country. Charity basketball matches sponsored by the American Red Cross featured many of the leading stars of the day, including college players and future Hall of Famers George Mikan and Bob Kurland, who played in relief games at Madison Square Garden. Caught up in the fight to make the world safe, young men went to their local draft boards and enlisted. The loss of players greatly impacted the college and professional ranks and had long-lasting effects on the game in the decades to follow. By 1942–1943, the war had seriously impacted the ABL and its midwestern counterpart, the NBL. Travel restrictions and the military draft made it increasingly difficult for both leagues to operate at full capacity. Some teams folded, while others suspended operations for the duration of the war. Fielding teams on a regular basis became a challenge for owners and coaches, who shuffled players in and out of the lineup almost daily. Continuity was lacking , but the ABL took a proactive approach to sustaining operations despite a number of challenges. Team withdrawal was a huge concern for league owners. In a board meeting on December 2, 1942, ABL President John J. O’Brien announced the suspension of play for two teams. The Washington Heurich Brewers informed the board that they were unable to obtain an auditorium for the coming season and, thus, would not be able to play. Robert Carpenter, representing the Wilmington Blue Bombers, champions the previous season, made it known that “the Armory in Wilmington had been commandeered by the Army for the housing of approximately 195 soldiers, and that, therefore , this building would not be available for other than military for the duration.”1 Wilmington would stage its return in 1943. With the Heurich Brewers and Blue Bombers out, five teams started the season, but only four would last. The New York Jewels, who had withdrawn the previous season after a 1–6 first-half record, returned with the hopes of rekindling their franchise. It was not to be. The Jewels finished the 1942–1943 season with an identical 1–6 record and ceased operations. A charter ABL member who had won the 1938–1939 championship, the Jewels ended their affiliation with the ABL and with professional basketball. Not only did O’Brien and the Board confront the issue of teams withdrawing , but the debate over new franchise applications proved an equally important and complex matter. Representatives from Providence (Rhode Island), Hartford (Connecticut), and Springfield (Massachusetts) all applied for licenses. As the ABL Board...

Share