# National Industrial Basketball League

The National Industrial Basketball League was founded in 1947 to enable U.S. mill workers a chance to compete in basketball. The league was founded by the industrial teams (teams sponsored by the large companies and made up of their employees) belonging to the National Basketball League (NBL) that did not join the National Basketball Association when the NBL merged with the Basketball Association of America.
The NIBL teams participated every year in the AAU National tournament against teams from other amateur or semi-professional leagues.

## League history

The league's first year, 1947–48, featured five teams in an eight-game schedule—the Milwaukee Harnischfeger's (which won the round robin schedule with an 8–0 record), Peoria Caterpillars, Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys, Akron Goodyear Wingfoots, and Fort Wayne General Electrics. The following season (1948-1949), with a 16-game schedule, the new lineup was league champion Bartlesville Phillips 66ers (15-1 record), Denver Chevvies, Peoria Caterpillars, Akron Goodyears/Akron Goodyear Wingfoots, and Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys.
In the 1949–50 season, with the addition of the Dayton Industrialists making the league a six-team circuit, the Phillips 66ers repeated as champions. The league expanded again in the 1950–51 season to eight teams, adding the (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas) and San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets. The Dayton team renamed as the Dayton Air Gems, and the Phillips 66ers repeated for their third consecutive title.

### High Point of League Expansion

The league expanded to 11 teams, in 1951-52 with such new teams as the Los Angeles Fibber McGee & Mollys, Artesia REA Travelers, and Santa Maria Golden Dukes. The 66ers just edged the Oakland Atlas-Pacific Engineers and the San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets for their fourth title, with a 17–5 record to their opponents 16-6 records that tied for second. The next season (1952-53), the league dropped down to nine teams, but saw new opponents in the Houston Ada Oilers and the Los Angeles Kirby's Shoes. The 66ers beat the Caterpillars for the title by one game, with a 13–3 record.
The Peoria Cats tied the 66ers for the 1953-54 title, each with a 10–4 record. The next two seasons, the 66ers and the Cats took first and second respectively. A new team in the greatly reduced circuit of five teams in 1955-56 was the Wichita Vickers.
The 1956-57 season was one of the most competitive in the NIBL history. While the 66ers again took first with a 13–7 record, four teams tied for second with 11-9 records, including the newly added Denver-Chicago Truckers. This proved to be the last season for the Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys, who finished last for the seventh time with a 3–17 record.
The 1957–58 season saw the Vickers move to the forefront, tying the 66ers for the league title with a 21–9 record. A new team that year was the Kansas City Kaycee's.

### End of the Phillips 66ers Winning Streak

In the 1958–59 season, the 66ers failed to take the league title for the first time since their coming to the league, finishing in third place. The Truckers finished first with a 21–9 record, with the Vickers runner-up at 19–11. Joining the league that season was the Seattle Buchan Bakers. However, in the 1959–60 season, the 66ers regained their title as league champions.

### Demise of the NIBL

By the early 1960s, NIBL teams were increasingly struggling to compete with the salaries offered in professional league. Top college graduates increasingly gravitated to the NBA, and the NIBL began to decline in popularity and profitability. This is evidenced by the disbandment of the Peoria Cats at the end of the 1959–60 season.
In the NIBL's final season, 1960–61, the league had dropped down to only six members divided into two divisions, Eastern (Cleveland Pipers, Akron Goodyears, New York Tuck Tapers) and Western (Denver-Chicago Truckers, Phillips 66ers, and Seattle Buchan Bakers). Instead of the round-robin schedule determining a winner, the league sponsored a four-team playoff. The Pipers beat the Truckers for the championship, 136–100. The 66ers beat the Goodyears for in a match for third place, 114–112.
In 1961, the league dropped their industrial sponsors and merged with other amateur leagues to form the National Alliance of Basketball Leagues (NABL). The Pipers and the Tapers left to join the newly formed American Basketball League in 1961.

## The amateur nature of the NIBL

In the 1950s the salaries were about the same as the NBA and there was a job for all players in their companies. Some of them ended up being president of their companies, working there for a lifetime. Most of players wanted no part of the uncertain professional game, and instead were accepting a position with the companies, rejecting offers even from NBA.
The NIBL was dedicated to remaining amateur at a time when basketball was desperately trying to carve out some postwar space in the pro sports landscape. But professional basketball staggered forward and the NIBL flourished, mostly because its stability allowed companies to poach stars such as Bob Kurland.
The NIBL merged with other AAU leagues and reorganized into the National AAU Basketball League (NABL) in 1961.

## Notable NIBL alumni
### Basketball Hall of Fame alumni

* Don Barksdale (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas) Inducted, 2012
* Bob Boozer (Peoria Caterpillars) Inducted, 2016
* Larry Brown (Akron Goodyears) Inducted, 2002
* Ace Gruenig (Denver Chevvies) Inducted, 1963
* Alex Hannum (Coach, Wichita Vickers) Inducted, 1998
* Gus Johnson (Cleveland Pipers) Inducted, 2010
* Bob Kurland (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers) Inducted, 1961
* Clyde Lovellette (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers) Inducted, 1988
* Hank Luisetti (Coach, Denver Chevvies & Coach, San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets) Inducted, 1959
* John McLendon (Coach, Cleveland Pipers) Inducted, 1979 and 2016
* George Yardley (San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets) Inducted, 1996

### NIBL players who became NBA/ABA All-Stars

* Don Barksdale (Oakland Bittners|Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas)
* Dick Barnett (Cleveland Pipers)
* Vince Boryla (Denver Chevvies)
* Bob Boozer (Peoria Caterpillars)
* Larry Brown (Akron Goodyears)
* Gus Johnson (Cleveland Pipers)
* Clyde Lovellette (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
* Tom Meschery (San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets)
* Chuck Noble (Akron Goodyears)
* Don Ohl (Peoria Caterpillars)
* Lee Shaffer (Cleveland Pipers)
* Ben Warley (Cleveland Pipers)
* George Yardley (San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets)

### NIBL Olympic Players and Coaches

* Don Barksdale (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas) 1948 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Lew Beck (Phillips 66ers) 1948 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* George Bon Salle (Denver-Chicago Truckers) 1959 Pan American Games Gold Medal
* Ron Bontemps (Peoria Caterpillars) 1952 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Bob Boozer (Peoria Caterpillars) 1959 Pan American Games Gold Medal, 1960 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* B.H. Born (Peoria Caterpillars) 1954 FIBA USA Team Gold Medal
* Dick Boushka (Wichita Vickers) 1956 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Vince Boryla (Denver Chevvies) 1948 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Larry Brown (Akron Goodyears) 1964 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Omar Browning (Coach, Bartlesville Phillips 66ers), Head Coach, 1948 United States men's Olympic basketball team Gold Medal
* Gordon Carpenter (Phillips 66ers) 1948 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Dick Davies (Akron Goodyears) 1964 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Chuck Darling (Phillips 66ers) 1956 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Marc Freiberger (Peoria Caterpillars & Houston Ada Oilers) 1952 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Wayne Glasgow (Phillips 66ers) 1952 Olympic Team gold medal
* Don Goldstein (New York Tuck Tapers) 1959 Pan American Games Gold Medal
* Burdie Haldorson (Phillips 66ers) 1956 Olympic Team Gold Medal, 1960 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Bill Hougland (Phillips 66ers) 1956 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Robert Jeangerard (Phillips 66ers) 1956 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Gene Johnson (Coach, Kansas City Kaycees & Seattle Buchan Bakers) Head Coach, 1936 United States men's Olympic basketball team Gold Medal
* Allen Kelley (Peoria Caterpillars) 1960 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Bob Kurland (Phillips 66ers) 1948 Olympic Team Gold Medal, 1952 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Lester Lane (Wichita Vickers) 1960 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Clyde Lovellette (Phillips 66ers) 1956 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Frank McCabe (Peoria Caterpillars) 1952 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Pete McCaffrey (Akron Goodyears) 1964 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Art Mollner (Coach, Los Angeles Fibber McGee and Mollys) 1936 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Dan Pippin (Peoria Caterpillars) 1952 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* R. C. Pitts (Phillips 66ers) 1948 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Jesse Renick (Phillips 66ers) 1948 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Jerry Shipp (Phillips 66ers) 1964 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Charlie Slack (Akron Goodyears) 1960 Olympic Team Gold Medal (alternate)
* Adrian Smith (Akron Goodyears) 1960 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Johnny Stanich (Phillips 66ers, Denver Chevrolets, Denver Central Bankers) 1950 FIBA USA Team Silver Medal
* Dan Swartz (Wichita Vickers) 1959 Pan American Games Gold Medal
* Gary Thompson (Phillips 66ers) 1959 Pan American Games Gold Medal
* Ron Tomsic (San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets) 1956 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Gerald Tucker (Phillips 66ers) 1956 Olympic Team Gold Medal
* Jim Walsh (Phillips 66ers) 1956 Team Olympic Gold Medal
* Howie Williams (Peoria Caterpillars) 1952 Olympic Gold Medal
* Warren Womble (Coach, Peoria Caterpillars) Head Coach, 1952 United States men's Olympic basketball team, Gold Medal

### Notable NIBL alumni

* Bud Adams (Owner, Houston Ada Oilers)
* Jim Ashmore (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
* Joe Belmont (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
* Al Bunge (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
* Art Bunte (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
* Bill Calhoun (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas)
* Ken Charlton (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
* Gene Conley (Washington Tapers)
* Johnny Cox (Cleveland Pipers), (Akron Goodyears)
* Howie Crittenden (Peoria Caterpillars)
* Johnny Dee (Coach, Denver-Chicago Truckers)
* Billy Donovan Sr. (Los Angeles Fibber McGee & Mollys)
* Chuck Hanger (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas)
* Jerry Harper (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers), Houston Ada Oilers
* Swede Halbrook (Wichita Vickers)
* Phil Jordon (Seattle Buchan Bakers)
* George King (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
* Ron Livingstone (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas)
* Bill Logan (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
* Dave Minor (Denver Chevvies)
* Bill Morris (Coach, Buchan Bakers)
* Red Murrell (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
* Paul Neumann (New York Tuck Tapers)
* Jim Palmer (Dayton Industrials)
* Bobby Plump (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers), movie Hoosiers
* Ken Pryor (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
* Terry Rand (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
* Hank Rosenstein (Coach, New York Tuck Tapers)
* Harv Schmidt (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
* Lloyd Sharrar (Cleveland Pipers, Akron Wingfoots)
* Arnold Short (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
* Glen Smith (Denver Central Bankers)
* George Steinbrenner (Owner, Cleveland Pipers)
* Jack Stone (Los Angeles Fibber McGee & Mollys)
* Stan Stutz (Coach, New York Tuck Tapers)
* Rolland Todd (Buchan Bakers)
* Bumper Tormohlen (Cleveland Pipers)
* Hank Vaughn (Coach, Akron Goodyears)
* Ed Voss (Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas)
* Hoarce Walker (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
* Bus Whitehead (Bartlesville Phillips 66ers)
* Gene Wiley (Denver-Chicago Truckers)
* Andy Wolfe (San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets)

## NIBL Teams

* Akron Goodyear Wingfoots/Akron Goodyears (1947-1961)
* Bartlesville Phillips 66ers (1948-1961)
* Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys (1947-1957)
* Artesia CVE Travelers|Artesia REA Travelers (1951-1955)
* Cleveland Pipers (1959-1961)
* Dayton Air-Gems (1950-1952)
* Dayton Industrials (1949-1950)
* Denver Chevvies (1948-1951)
* Denver Central Bankers (1951-1955)
* Denver D-C Truckers (1956-1961)
* Fort Wayne General Electrics (1947-1948)
* Houston Ada Oilers (1952-1955)
* Kansas City Kaycees (1957-1958)
* Los Angeles Fibber McGee & Mollys (1951-1952)
* Los Angeles Kirby's Shoes (1952-1953)
* Milwaukee Harnischfegers (1947-1948)
* Peoria Caterpillars (1947-1960)
* New York Tuck Tapers (1959-1961)
* Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas (1950-1951)
* Oakland Atlas-Pacific Engineers (1951-1952)
* San Francisco Investors (1959-1960)
* San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets (1950-1952)
* Santa Maria Golden Dukes (1951-1954)
* Seattle Buchan Bakers (1958-1961)
* Wichita Vickers (1955-1960)

## List of champions

* 1947-48 Milwaukee Harnischfegers
* 1948-49 Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
* 1949-50 Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
* 1950-51 Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
* 1951-52 Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
* 1952-53 Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
* 1953-54 Bartlesville Phillips 66ers and Peoria Cats
* 1954-55 Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
* 1955-56 Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
* 1956-57 Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
* 1957-58 Phillips 66ers and Wichita Vickers
* 1958-59 Denver-Chicago Truckers
* 1959-60 Bartlesville Phillips 66ers
* 1960-61 Cleveland Pipers

## NIBL All-Star Game

* 1958, Peoria: East - West 113-104
* 1959, Denver: East - West 81-78

## NIBL Standings (1947-1948 to 1960-1961)

1947-1948 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Milwaukee Harnischfegers | 8 | 0 | 1 |
| Caterpillar Diesels | 5 | 3 | 0.625 |
| Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys | 4 | 4 | 0.5 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 3 | 5 | 0.375 |
| Fort Wayne General Electrics | 0 | 8 | 0 |
1948-1949 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Bartlesville Phillips 66ers | 15 | 1 | 0.938 |
| Denver Chevvies | 11 | 5 | 0.688 |
| Caterpillar Diesels | 8 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 4 | 12 | 0.25 |
| Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys | 2 | 14 | 0.125 |
1949-1950 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Bartlesville Phillips 66ers | 9 | 1 | 0.9 |
| Caterpillar Diesels | 7 | 3 | 0.7 |
| Denver Chevvies | 5 | 5 | 0.5 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 3 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Dayton Industrialists | 3 | 7 | 0.3 |
| Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys | 2 | 14 | 0.125 |
1950-1951 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Bartlesville Phillips 66ers | 22 | 3 | 0.888 |
| Oakland Blue 'n Gold Atlas | 11 | 6 | 0.647 |
| San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets | 12 | 8 | 0.6 |
| Caterpillar Diesels | 15 | 13 | 0.538 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 5 | 8 | 0.385 |
| Dayton Air Gems | 5 | 12 | 0.294 |
| Denver Chevvies | 5 | 14 | 0.263 |
| Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys | 1 | 12 | 0.077 |
1951-1952 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Bartlesville Phillips 66ers | 17 | 5 | 0.773 |
| Oakland Atlas-Pacific Engineers | 16 | 6 | 0.727 |
| San Francisco Stewart Chevrolets | 16 | 6 | 0.727 |
| Caterpillar Diesels | 13 | 9 | 0.591 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 12 | 10 | 0.545 |
| Los Angeles Fibber McGee & Mollys | 9 | 13 | 0.409 |
| Artesia REA Travelers | 9 | 13 | 0.409 |
| Denver Central Bankers | 8 | 14 | 0.364 |
| Santa Maria Golden Dukes | 8 | 14 | 0.364 |
| Dayton Air-Gems | 7 | 15 | 0.318 |
| Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys | 5 | 17 | 0.227 |
1952-1953 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Phillips 66ers | 13 | 3 | 0.812 |
| Peoria Cats | 12 | 4 | 0.75 |
| Santa Maria Golden Dukes | 10 | 6 | 0.625 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 9 | 7 | 0.562 |
| Houston Ada Oilers | 8 | 8 | 0.5 |
| Los Angeles Kirby's Shoes | 7 | 9 | 0.438 |
| Denver Central Bankers | 6 | 10 | 0.375 |
| Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys | 5 | 11 | 0.312 |
| Artesia REA Travelers | 2 | 14 | 0.125 |
1953-1954 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Phillips 66ers | 10 | 4 | 0.714 |
| Peoria Cats | 10 | 4 | 0.714 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 9 | 5 | 0.643 |
| Denver Central Bankers | 9 | 5 | 0.643 |
| Santa Maria Golden Dukes | 7 | 7 | 0.5 |
| Artesia CVE Travelers | 4 | 10 | 0.286 |
| Houston Ada Oilers | 4 | 10 | 0.286 |
| Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys | 3 | 11 | 0.214 |
1954-1955 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Phillips 66ers | 19 | 5 | 0.792 |
| Peoria Cats | 16 | 8 | 0.667 |
| Denver Central Bankers | 12 | 12 | 0.5 |
| Houston Ada Oilers | 12 | 12 | 0.5 |
| Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys | 10 | 14 | 0.417 |
| Artesia CVE Travelers | 8 | 16 | 0.333 |
| Akron CVE Travelers | 7 | 17 | 0.292 |
1955-1956 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Phillips 66ers | 16 | 8 | 0.667 |
| Peoria Cats | 15 | 9 | 0.625 |
| Wichita Vickers | 15 | 9 | 0.625 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 9 | 15 | 0.375 |
| Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys | 5 | 19 | 0.208 |
1956-1957 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Phillips 66ers | 13 | 7 | 0.65 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 11 | 9 | 0.55 |
| Denver Denver-Chicago Truckers | 11 | 9 | 0.55 |
| Peoria Cats | 11 | 9 | 0.55 |
| Wichita Vickers | 11 | 9 | 0.55 |
| Milwaukee Allen-Bradleys | 3 | 17 | 0.15 |
1957-1958 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Phillips 66ers | 21 | 9 | 0.7 |
| Wichita Vickers | 21 | 9 | 0.7 |
| Denver Denver-Chicago Truckers | 16 | 14 | 0.533 |
| Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | 15 | 15 | 0.5 |
| Peoria Cats | 15 | 15 | 0.5 |
| Kansas City Kaycees | 2 | 28 | 0.064 |
1958-1959 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Denver Denver-Chicago Truckers | 21 | 9 | 0.7 |
| Wichita Vickers | 19 | 11 | 0.633 |
| Phillips 66ers | 15 | 15 | 0.5 |
| Akron Wingfoots | 13 | 17 | 0.433 |
| Peoria Cats | 12 | 18 | 0.4 |
| Seattle Buchan Bakers | 10 | 20 | 0.333 |
1959-1960 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Phillips 66ers | 24 | 8 | 0.75 |
| Wichita Vickers | 22 | 10 | 0.688 |
| Akron Wingfoots | 18 | 14 | 0.563 |
| Cleveland Pipers | 16 | 16 | 0.5 |
| Peoria Cats | 16 | 16 | 0.5 |
| San Francisco Investors | 15 | 17 | 0.469 |
| Seattle Buchan Bakers | 14 | 18 | 0.438 |
| Denver Denver-Chicago Truckers | 12 | 20 | 0.375 |
| New York Tuck Tapers | 7 | 25 | 0.219 |
1960-1961 Season :
| Team Name | Wins | Losses | Win Pct |
| Eastern Division | | | |
| Cleveland Pipers | 24 | 10 | 0.706 |
| Akron Goodyears | 15 | 19 | 0.441 |
| New York Tuck Tapers | 15 | 19 | 0.441 |
| Western Division | | | |
| Denver Denver-Chicago Truckers | 22 | 12 | 0.647 |
| Bartlesville Phillips 66ers | 16 | 18 | 0.471 |
| Seattle Buchan Bakers | 10 | 24 | 0.294 |
| Playoffs ||||
| Championship Game | Championship Game | Cleveland 136, Denver 100 | Cleveland 136, Denver 100 |
| Consolation Game | Consolation Game | Bartlesville 114, Akron 112 | Bartlesville 114, Akron 112 |

## Teams profiles

| Division | Team | City | Arena | Capacity | Club | Founded | NIBL Years | NIBL Titles |
| National Industrial Basketball League |||||||||
| | Akron Goodyear Wingfoots | Akron, Ohio | Akron Goodyear Hall | 5,000 | 1918 | 1918 | 1947-1961 | - |
| | Phillips 66ers | Bartlesville, Oklahoma | Bartlesville High School Gym and Phillips Gymnasium | 1,400 and 2,600 | 1925 | 1925 | 1948-1961 | 11 |
| | Peoria Caterpillars | Peoria, Illinois | Robertson Memorial Field House | 8,300 | 1937 | 1937 | 1947-1960 | 1 |
| | Fort Wayne General Electrics | Fort Wayne, Indiana | North Side High School Gym | 3,000 | 1935 | 1935 | 1947-1948 | - |
| | Buchan Bakers | Seattle, Washington | Seattle Civic Auditorium | 2,963 | 1948 | 1948 | 1948-1961 | - |
| | Houston Ada Oilers | Houston, Texas | Jeppesen Gymnasium | 2,500 | 1952 | 1952 | 1952-1955 | - |
| | Oakland Bittners | Oakland, California | ? | ? | 1941 | 1941 | 1950-1952 | - |
| | Wichita Vickers | Wichita, Kansas | Wichita Civic Auditorium | ? | 1955 | 1955 | 1955-1960 | - |
| | Cleveland Pipers | Cleveland, Ohio | Cleveland Arena | 10,000 | 1959 | 1959 | 1959-1961 | 1 |