1939 World Professional Basketball Tournament

Last updated
World Professional Basketball Tournament
1939
Tournament information
Location Chicago, Illinois
Dates26 March–28 March
Venue(s) Madison Street Armory, Chicago Coliseum
Teams11
Final positions
Champions New York Rens
1st runner-up Oshkosh All-Stars
2nd runner-up Harlem Globetrotters
MVP Puggy Bell
1940  

The 1939 World Professional Basketball Tournament was the first edition of the World Professional Basketball Tournament. It was held in Chicago, Illinois, during the days of 26-28 March 1939 and featured 11 teams competing for a prize money of $10,000. [1] It was won by the New York Rens who defeated the Oshkosh All-Stars 34–25 in the title game. [2] The Harlem Globetrotters came in third after beating the Sheboygan Redskins 36–33 in the third-place game. [3] Puggy Bell of the New York Rens was named the tournaments Most Valuable Player.

Contents

Results

First round

26 March - Harlem Globetrotters 41, Fort Wayne Harvesters 33
26 March - New York Yankees 40, Brenton Harbor House of David 32
26 March - Sheboygan Redskins 47, Illinois Grads 29
26 March - Oshkosh All-Stars 40, Clarksburg Oil 33

Bracket

 
QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
 
          
 
26 March
 
 
New York Rens 30
 
27 March
 
New York Yankees 21
 
New York Rens 27
 
26 March
 
Harlem Globetrotters 23
 
Harlem Globetrotters 31
 
28 March
 
Chicago Harmons 25
 
New York Rens 34
 
27 March
 
Oshkosh All-Stars 25
 
Sheboygan Redskins 36
 
27 March
 
New York Celtics 29
 
Oshkosh All-Stars 40
 
 
Sheboygan Redskins 23 Runner up
 
 
28 March
 
 
Harlem Globetrotters 36
 
 
Sheboygan Redskins 33
 

Third place game

28 March 1939
Harlem Globetrotters 36, Sheboygan Redskins 33
Scoring by half: 19–20, 17–13
Pts: L. Bleach – 17Pts: R. Adams – 12
Chicago Coliseum
Referees: Wilfred Smith, Nat Messinger

Championship game

28 March 1939
New York Rens 34, Oshkosh All-Stars 25
Scoring by half: 24–11, 10–14
Pts: P. Gates – 12Pts: L. Edwards – 12
Chicago Coliseum
Attendance: 3,000
Referees: Kennedy, Old [4]

Individual awards

All-Tournament First team

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References

  1. Wendell Smith (1 April 1939). "Rens beat Throtters in Pro Tourney". The Pittsburgh Courier . p. 16. Retrieved 5 April 2022 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  2. "New York Rens win net title". The South Bend Tribune . Associated Press. 29 March 1939. p. 21. Retrieved 5 April 2022 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  3. "New York Rens trim Oshkosh for title". The Times of Northwest Indiana . 29 March 1939. p. 18. Retrieved 5 April 2022 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  4. "New York Rens win National Pro Cage Title". The Capital Times . 29 March 1939. p. 17. Retrieved 5 April 2022 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg