Todd Gould - Pioneers of the Hardwood: Indiana and the Birth of Professional Basketball

Pioneers of the Hardwood

Indiana and the Birth of Professional Basketball

PIONEERS
of the
HARDWOOD

Todd Gould

INDIANA UNIVERSITY PRESS BLOOMINGTON & INDIANAPOLIS

This book is a publication of
Indiana University Press
601 North Morton Street
Bloomington, Indiana 47404-3797 USA

http://www.indiana.edu/~iupress

Telephone orders 800-842-6796
Fax orders 812-855-7931
Orders by e-mail iuporder@indiana.edu

1998 by Todd Gould

All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. The Association of American University Presses Resolution on Permissions constitutes the only exception to this prohibition.

The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information SciencesPermanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1984.

Manufactured in the United States of America

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Gould, Todd, date

Pioneers of the hardwood : Indiana and the birth of professional basketball / Todd Gould.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
ISBN 0-253-33373-3 (cloth : alk. paper). ISBN 0-253-21199-9 (pbk.: alk. paper)
1. BasketballIndianaHistory. I. Title.
GV885.72.16G68 1998

1 2 3 4 5 03 02 01 00 99 98

To the memory of my grandfather
Homer C. Hurley Gould
19061996

Throughout the years the Old Coach imparted two
sound pieces of advice to me:
Always keep your eyes on the ball.
Until the final whistle sounds, never stop playing as
hard as you can.
I have always found these words to be profound guidance
Whether its basketball, or any other endeavor in my life.
Thanks, Hurl!

And to
Melissa
My Forever Partner
Your unending faith in my abilities inspired and
encouraged me more than you will ever know.

In February 1993, Pioneers of the Hardwood premiered as a statewide television documentary produced by station WFYI-TV in Indianapolis for the Indiana Public Broadcasting System. The one-hour program on the history of professional basketball in Indiana earned critical acclaim, garnered an Emmy Award nomination, and was the highest-rated locally produced show in Indianapolis public television history.

Many sports fans believe that the Indiana Pacers were the first professional team in the Hoosier state. As a sports enthusiast and history buff, I knew that several other teams once existed. But even I was surprised to discover the rich heritage the pro game has in Indianaa legacy that dates back to 1913. As the producer of the program, I spent three years sifting through thousands of microfilm news stories, hours of old film footage, and many telephone and live interviews with former players, coaches, and fans who shaped the early years of professional basketball.

As a television producer, I always love a good story. This project naturally appealed to me. As I researched, wrote, directed, and produced the show, I found a tremendous respect and admiration for these men and their accomplishments. Typically after a producer finishes an assignment, he moves on to the next project. But I found that I just could not let go of this enthralling and colorful piece of Indiana history. Somebody should write a book about this, I thought.

Months later I once again found myself trudging through piles of documentation and losing myself in the excitement of old basketball games. Naturally I could not have found much of the research I needed without the assistance of several helpful investigators. Special thanks goes out to Judy McGeath, the interlibrary loan coordinator at the central branch of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library. Cheerfully and diligently, Judy tracked down dozens of rare old newspaper microfilms from around the country. Many of the books most enlightening and humorous news quips are the result of Judys efforts. As well, John Selch and Darrol Pierson at the Indiana State Library newspaper archives deserve a big round of applause for traipsing through the musty corridors that house many of the states oldest and rarest newspapers.

On the national level, Wayne Patterson at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, furnished research and photographs to help bring this story to life. Kudos also to Bill Himmelman, president and historian of Sports Nostalgia Research in Norwood, New Jersey. On several occasions, Bill provided me with extremely rare facts and figures on Indianas roundball pioneers.

Back in the Hoosier state, Dale Ogden at the Indiana State Museum supplied many of the photographs you see throughout the book, as well as detailed information on the states earliest pro teams. The Indiana State Museum has a wonderful permanent exhibition in its sports wing with fascinating insights on many of the clubs featured in this book. When spending time in downtown Indianapolis, the Indiana State Museum is a worthwhile visit.

I would also like to thank each and every one of the players, coaches, broadcasters, and family members who gave so generously of their time to talk with me about a special time in their lives. Their accomplishments were not only colorful but often historic. It was an honor and a pleasure to speak with every one of them. I would like to extend additional thanks to Carl Bennett, former manager of the Fort Wayne Pistons. Carl acted as a historical consultant of sorts by enduring a seemingly endless string of phone calls from me to verify significant moments in the games history.

When I began this project, I had written many television scripts, but I knew nothing about writing a book. In fact, I had no personal computer or typewriter at the beginning of this project. I wrote the first two chapters completely in longhand. Finally a dear friend of mine, Tim Rohrman, felt sorry for me and lent me a laptop computer. I am not sure this project would have come to fruition had it not been for Tims generous loan.

As far as writing itself went, I turned to Pam Renner, an enthusiastic and gifted writing consultant in Dallas, Texas. Pam is one of those people who can criticize your work and make you thankful and happy about every single criticism. When personal doubts lingered as to my ability to produce this book, Pam was always there to push me, cheer me on, and make me a better writer.

My family certainly played a big supporting role in the creative process. Writing a book on top of a regular job meant many, many late hours in front of the computer. My wife, Melissa, not only had the tolerance to endure these long sessions but never lost faith in my abilities. This book is dedicated to her for giving me her heart and her patience. As well, she gave me another source of inspiration during the final months of the editing process. That inspiration was our newborn son, Nathaniel Robert. When he grows up, he will see my name on the book cover. But I hope he will understand that this project was a team effort between Dad and Mom.

Special thanks also to the rest of my family, my parents and my in-laws. Their encouragement and support were a beacon of hope during the long and lonely writing process.

Finally a word of appreciation for my other familythe folks at public television station WFYI in Indianapolis. General Manager Lloyd Wright, Station Manager Alan Cloe, Executive Producer Michael Atwood, and a whole group of highly dedicated professionals nurtured my idea for the original