# Providence Steamrollers

The Providence Steamrollers were a Basketball Association of America team based in Providence, Rhode Island. As of 2024, the Steamrollers were the last professional sports franchise from one of the Big Four leagues to be based in Rhode Island.

## Franchise history

The Steamrollers were one of the original eleven NBA franchises (when the league was called the Basketball Association of America). The franchise posted an all-time record of 46–122 (.274) before folding after three seasons.
The Steamrollers still hold the dubious NBA record for the fewest games won in a season with six, in the 1947–48 season, paired with 42 losses. However, the 2011–2012 Charlotte Bobcats hold the record for the lowest winning percentage in NBA history, with .106, the result of a 7–59 record. During that 1947–48 season, the Steamrollers' coach Nat Hickey activated himself as a player for two games, the second of which was two days before his 46th birthday, setting a still-standing record as the oldest player in NBA history.
On August 3, 1949, the Steamrollers would join the Indianapolis Jets as the only teams from the Basketball Association of America side of the BAA-NBL merger in what's now known as the NBA to not join in on the merger and survive as a team. Nine days later, seven of the Steamrollers' players would be bought out and play for the Boston Celtics instead.

## Christmas Tradition

The Steamrollers took on the New York Knicks on Christmas Day in 1947 in the first Christmas Day game in NBA history. The Steamrollers lost the game to the Knicks 89–75 in what would become an annual tradition for the NBA.

## Attempts to bring the Steamrollers back

In 1980 entrepreneur Robert "Skip" Chernov attempted to bring the Steamrollers back to the NBA. Chernov had purchased the rights to the Steamroller's from Lou Pieri's estate and believed that the NBA bylaws at the time would allow him to resurrect the franchise. The NBA led by Chief Counsel David Stern disagreed, but Chernov, undeterred, sued the NBA. Chernov asked the courts to allow the Steamrollers return to the NBA and to grant them to first overall draft pick in the 1980 draft. Ultimately, the court ruled in the NBA's favor and the short-lived attempt to resurrect the Providence Steamrollers failed.

## Players of note

* Ernie Calverley – Second-team All-NBA and led league in assists during NBA's first season
* George Nostrand – Tallest player in the NBA's first year
* Howie Shannon – Leading NBA rookie in 1949
* Nat Hickey – Oldest player in NBA history
* Kenny Sailors – Led team in scoring in 1948 and 1949

### Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame

Providence Steamrollers Hall of Famers :
| Coaches |||||
| Name | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
| Ken Loeffler | Ken Loeffler | Head Coach | 1948–1949 | 1964 |

## Draft

| Player name | College | Year |
| Howie Shannon | Kansas State University | 1949 |
| Ed Leede | Dartmouth College | 1949 |
| Warren Perkins | Tulane University | 1949 |
| Ray Corley | Georgetown University | 1949 |
| Bob Royer | Indiana State University | 1949 |
| Paul Courtey | University of Oklahoma | 1949 |
| Carl Schaeffer | University of Alabama | 1949 |
| Bill Tanzler | University of Florida | 1949 |
| Jack Theolan | DePaul University | 1949 |
| Andy Tonkovich | Marshall University | 1948 |
| Al Bennett | Oklahoma State University | 1948 |
| Jack Coleman | University of Louisville | 1948 |
| Ed Faber | Trinity University | 1948 |
| Verl Heap | Arizona State University | 1948 |
| Otto Schnellbacher | University of Kansas | 1948 |
| Brady Walker | Brigham Young University | 1948 |
| Walt Dropo | University of Connecticut | 1947 |
| Joe Barry | | 1947 |
| Dick Furey | University of St. Thomas | 1947 |
| Bob Hubbard | Springfield College | 1947 |
| Bob Joyce | Bates College | 1947 |
| Roy Lipscomb | St. Mary's College of Maryland | 1947 |
| John Mills | Hofstra University | 1947 |
| Al Nicolas | University of Rhode Island | 1947 |

## Coaches and others

* Robert Morris (1946–47)
* Hank Soar (1947–48)
* Nat Hickey (1948)
* Ken Loeffler (1948–49)

## Season-by-season record

| BAA champions | Division champions | Playoff berth |
| Season | League | Division | Finish | Wins | Losses | Win% | GB | Playoffs | Awards |
| 1946–47 | BAA | Eastern | 4th | 28 | 32 | .467 | 21 | — | — |
| 1947–48 | BAA | Eastern | 4th | 6 | 42 | .125 | 21 | — | — |
| 1948–49 | BAA | Eastern | 6th | 12 | 48 | .200 | 26 | — | — |
| Regular season record | Regular season record | Regular season record | Regular season record | 46 | 122 | .274 | 1946–1949 | 1946–1949 | 1946–1949 |
| Playoff record | Playoff record | Playoff record | Playoff record | 0 | 0 | – | | | |