The Wilkes-Barre Barons were a basketball team from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
| Wilkes-Barre Barons | ||
|---|---|---|
| Leagues | EPBL 1946–1947 ABL 1947–1953 EPBL 1954–1970 EBA 1970–1978 CBA 1978–1980 | |
| Founded | 1914 | |
| History | Wilkes-Barre Barons 1914–1978 | |
| Arena | Kingston Armory | |
| Location | Kingston, Pennsylvania | |
| Team colors | Green, yellow, white | |
| Ownership | Eddie White | |
| Championships | 11 EPBL: 6 (1947, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1969) ABL: 2 (1948, 1949, 1952) EBA: 2 (1973, 1978) | |
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The Barons played between 1933 and 1980 in different American leagues. The team won 11 titles during this time, including while playing in the American Basketball League and the Continental Basketball Association. The team was owned and coached by Eddie White, Sr.[1] They played in the Kingston Armory,[2] as well as Kings College and Coughlin High School, in their latter years.
Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL) I
editThe Wilkes-Barre Barons were an American basketball team based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania that was a member of the American Basketball League.
During the 1939/40 season, the team dropped out of the league on February 2, 1940.
Year-by-year
edit| Year | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938/39 | ABL | 5th | did not qualify |
| 1939/40 | ABL | 6th | N/A |
Wilkes-Barre Barons (ABL) II
editThe Wilkes-Barre Barons were an American basketball team based in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania that was a member of the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League and the American Basketball League.[3] The franchise was one of six original teams in the EPBL, and won the 1946-1947 President's Cup playoffs that season before moving to the American Basketball League. In 1955, the Barons returned to the Eastern League, and won seven more championships between 1955 and 1978. The aftereffects of Hurricane Agnes forced the Barons to fold midway through the 1973-74 season; the team returned to action for the 1975-76 season.[4] For the 1979-80 season they were rebranded as the Pennsylvania Barons; this would be the team's last year in Wilkes-Barre. (The team played the 1980-81 CBA season in Scranton as the Scranton Aces before folding completely.)
Year-by-year
edit| Year | League | Reg. Season | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946/47 | EPBL | 1st | Champion |
| 1947/48 | ABL | 1st | Champion |
| 1948/49 | ABL | 1st | Champion |
| 1949/50 | ABL | 3rd | Playoffs |
| 1950/51 | ABL | 2nd | No playoff |
| 1951/52 | ABL | 3rd | Champion |
| 1952/53 | ABL | 2nd | Finals |
| 1953/54 | n/a | did not play | |
| 1954/55 | EPBL | 2nd | Champion |
| 1955/56 | EPBL | 2nd | Champion |
| 1956/57 | EPBL | 5th | No playoff |
| 1957/58 | EPBL | 1st | Champion |
| 1958/59 | EPBL | 2nd | Champion |
| 1959/60 | EPBL | 6th | No playoff |
| 1960/61 | EPBL | tied 4th | No playoff |
| 1961/62 | EPBL | 5th | No playoff |
| 1962/63 | EPBL | 3rd | Finals |
| 1963/64 | EPBL | 5th | No playoff |
| 1964/65 | EPBL | 6th | No playoff |
| 1965/66 | EPBL | 1st, West | Finals |
| 1966/67 | EPBL | 4th, West | Playoffs |
| 1967/68 | EPBL | 3rd | Finals |
| 1968/69 | EPBL | 1st, West | Champion |
| 1969/70 | EPBL | 5th | No playoff |
| 1970/71 | EBA | 4th, West | No playoff |
| 1971/72 | EBA | tied 5th | No playoff |
| 1972/73 | EBA | 2nd | Champion |
| 1973/74 | EBA | folded midseason | |
| 1974/75 | n/a | did not play | |
| 1975/76 | EBA | 7th | No playoff |
| 1976/77 | EBA | 4th | No playoff |
| 1977/78 | EBA | 2nd, West | Champion |
| 1978/79 | CBA | 1st, South | Playoffs |
| 1979/80 | CBA | 2nd, South | Playoffs |
References
edit- ^ Wolff, Alexander (March 14, 2005). "The Man Has Seen 'em All". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ O'Boyle, Bill (October 22, 2016). "Beyond the Byline: Remembering basketball days of old". Times Leader. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ Burian, Evan (April 25, 2015). "Decades before the IronPigs and Phantoms, the Lehigh Valley enjoyed a 'Jets Age'". The Morning Call. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
- ^ "History of the Eastern League". Association for Professional Basketball Research. Retrieved 6 December 2012.