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Sign up for E-newsThe History Channel Presents Hardwood Classics Nights with Comcast Spotlight and Buscemis
Detroit Pistons and Syracuse Nationals
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The Detroit Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers will turn back the clock on Saturday, January 15 in celebration of Hardwood Classics Nights presented by The History Channel with Comcast Spotlight and Buscemis.
Detroit will don the “lightning bolt” jersey worn from 1978-81 and Philadelphia will wear Syracuse Nationals uniforms worn during its inception in the NBA.
Detroit and Phildelphia have been around
since the NBA originated in 1946-47. The Pistons were founded in Fort Wayne and the Sixers originated as the Syracuse Nationals.
Fred Zollner founded the Pistons in Fort Wayne, Ind. during the 1940s in the National Basketball League (NBL) and joined the NBA in 1948-49. Zollner relocated the Pistons to Detroit in 1957-58. Zollner played an important role in the early years of the NBA. His financial support helped the NBA stay afloat during its building stages.
George Yardley led the Pistons during the late 1950s. The 6-5 forward out of Stanford averaged a career-high 27.8 points during the Pistons’ first year in Detroit, a record for points per game in a season that still holds to this day. Yardley was traded to Syracuse on February 13, 1959 and following the 1959-60 season.
The Philadelphia 76ers, originally formed in the NBL, became an NBA franchise in 1949-50 as the Syracuse Nationals. The NBA was originally called the Basketball Association of America (BAA) when it formed in 1946-47, then changed its name to the National Basketball Association in 1949-50. Syracuse was known as the Nationals through 1962-63 before relocating to Philadelphia in 1963-64.
The Nationals finished with the best record in their first year in the NBA at 51-13 and advanced to the NBA Finals before losing to the Champion Minneapolis Lakers. The Nationals were led by 6-8 forward Dolph Schayes.
Schayes played 16 seasons in the NBA, all with the Syracuse Nationals, finishing his career after the first inaugural season with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1963-64. The 6-8 forward/center averaged 18.2 points and was named All-NBA First Team six times and All-NBA Second Team six times. He was named NBL Rookie of the Year in 1948. Schayes was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973 and was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
The Nationals were crowned NBA Champions in 1955, defeating, who else of course, the Fort Wayne Pistons.
The Detroit Pistons trailed the Nationals 25-38 during regular-season play from the team’s move to Detroit in 1957-58 to the Nationals’ last season in Syracuse in 1962-63.
Many great players have come and gone in the 50-plus years of the two franchises storied history. Detroit featured players such as Yardley, Dave Bing, Bob Lanier, Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Vinnie Johnson, Rick Mahorn and Joe Dumars. The Nationals or Sixers had such players as Schayes, Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Bobby Jones, Billy Cunningham, Maurice Cheeks, Julius Erving, Moses Malone and Charles Barkley.
Now the torch has been passed to All-Stars Ben Wallace in Detroit and Allen Iverson in Philadelphia. The Sixers made it to the NBA Finals in 2001 under the guidance of current Pistons head coach Larry Brown. Brown spent six years with the Sixers before leaving his post to become head coach of the Pistons in 2003, winning the NBA Championship in his first season.
The Sixers lead the overall series 156-109. Detroit and Philadelphia have met only once in the postseason, even dating back to their days when one team was know as Fort Wayne and Syracuse. The Pistons eliminated the Sixers in six games during the 2003 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Detroit will don the “lightning bolt” jersey worn from 1978-81 and Philadelphia will wear Syracuse Nationals uniforms worn during its inception in the NBA.
Detroit and Phildelphia have been around
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| Rip Hamilton dons the "lightning bolt" jersey. Robert Laberge/NBAE/Getty Images |
Fred Zollner founded the Pistons in Fort Wayne, Ind. during the 1940s in the National Basketball League (NBL) and joined the NBA in 1948-49. Zollner relocated the Pistons to Detroit in 1957-58. Zollner played an important role in the early years of the NBA. His financial support helped the NBA stay afloat during its building stages.
George Yardley led the Pistons during the late 1950s. The 6-5 forward out of Stanford averaged a career-high 27.8 points during the Pistons’ first year in Detroit, a record for points per game in a season that still holds to this day. Yardley was traded to Syracuse on February 13, 1959 and following the 1959-60 season.
The Philadelphia 76ers, originally formed in the NBL, became an NBA franchise in 1949-50 as the Syracuse Nationals. The NBA was originally called the Basketball Association of America (BAA) when it formed in 1946-47, then changed its name to the National Basketball Association in 1949-50. Syracuse was known as the Nationals through 1962-63 before relocating to Philadelphia in 1963-64.
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| Allen Iverson in Syracuse Nationals gear. Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images |
Schayes played 16 seasons in the NBA, all with the Syracuse Nationals, finishing his career after the first inaugural season with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1963-64. The 6-8 forward/center averaged 18.2 points and was named All-NBA First Team six times and All-NBA Second Team six times. He was named NBL Rookie of the Year in 1948. Schayes was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1973 and was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
The Nationals were crowned NBA Champions in 1955, defeating, who else of course, the Fort Wayne Pistons.
The Detroit Pistons trailed the Nationals 25-38 during regular-season play from the team’s move to Detroit in 1957-58 to the Nationals’ last season in Syracuse in 1962-63.
Many great players have come and gone in the 50-plus years of the two franchises storied history. Detroit featured players such as Yardley, Dave Bing, Bob Lanier, Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Vinnie Johnson, Rick Mahorn and Joe Dumars. The Nationals or Sixers had such players as Schayes, Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Bobby Jones, Billy Cunningham, Maurice Cheeks, Julius Erving, Moses Malone and Charles Barkley.
Now the torch has been passed to All-Stars Ben Wallace in Detroit and Allen Iverson in Philadelphia. The Sixers made it to the NBA Finals in 2001 under the guidance of current Pistons head coach Larry Brown. Brown spent six years with the Sixers before leaving his post to become head coach of the Pistons in 2003, winning the NBA Championship in his first season.
The Sixers lead the overall series 156-109. Detroit and Philadelphia have met only once in the postseason, even dating back to their days when one team was know as Fort Wayne and Syracuse. The Pistons eliminated the Sixers in six games during the 2003 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
