17 February

## 1947

**Syracuse Herald Journal**- Nats Protest After Loss To Fort Wayne

Anderson, Ind.- Commissioner Ward Lambert of the National Professional Basketball League has a protest to rule on today after the Syracuse Nationals dropped a 57-56 decision in Fort Wayne last night. The Nats face Anderson tonight. Lambert must decide on a claim, made by Owner Dan Biasone and Coach Ben Borgmann of the Syracusans that substitute John Niemiera’s winning basket came after time had run out. Niemiera tallied the winning double-decker after he had replaced Paul Armstrong when that Fort Wayne player fouled out. Biasone, who acted as scorer, insisted that time ran out a full second before Niemiera’s basket. After the Nats chose for a second time to take the ball out of bounds, in waiving a foul in the waning moments, Frank Gates intercepted a pass and threw the ball to Niemiera, who scored and sent 3,600 partisan fans home happy. Jerry Rizzo amassed 17 points for Syracuse to lead the scoring.

FORT WAYNE: Armstrong, lf (4-5-13), Kinney, lf (4-0-8), Niemiera, rf (2-0-4), Rizen, rf (1-2-4), Towers, c (2-1-5), Komenich, lg (1-0-2), Oates, lg (2-2-6), Pelkington, rg (1-6-8), Taugh, rg (3-1-7) TOTALS (20-17-57). SYRACUSE: Chaney, lf (2-3-7), Dugger, lf (0-0-0), Rizzo, rf (5-7-17), Sharkey, rf (2-0-4), Novak, c (4-0-8), Nelmark, lg (4-3-11), Meehan, rg (0-0-0), Nugent, rg (3-3-9) TOTALS (20-16-56).

Score at halftime- Syracuse 31, Fort Wayne 26. Officials- Turkovich and Enright.

## 1955

**Syracuse Herald Journal**- Healthy Celtics Play Nats Tonight

Hub Five At Full Strength For Big Test; Syracusans Lead By 2½ Games

Hale and hearty once again, the Boston Celtics move into the War Memorial for the last time this season tonight in an attempt to whittle down the divisional lead of the Syracuse Nationals. This will mark the first time that Boston has been at full strength for a game here this year. Bob Brannum, Frank Ramsey and Bob Cousy have been hampered by injuries at one time or another in previous War Memorial starts. During the last two weeks the Nats, who suffered their full share of physical setbacks earlier, took advantage of a series of mishaps which struck Boston, to move 3½ games ahead of the Celts. All Boston cripples returned to action Tuesday. Bill Sharman wad the latest to resume action and his 23 points against the Hawks indicate he is ready to cut capers again. Ramsey has emerged from a siege of pneumonia and Macauley’s ankle is again ok. Cousy again is on a scoring rampage. In his last four starts he has totaled 131 points. Against the Nats and Philadelphia he counted 33, adding 31 against New York and 34 in the Buffalo game with Milwaukee. Tonight’s test is the first of four in as many days for the Nats. The club plays at Philadelphia tomorrow night, then open a weekend home and home series with New York at the 69th Regiment Armory Saturday. The Syracuse squad feels that a victory over Boston tonight and another Tuesday will practically eliminate the Auerbach squad from pennant contention, thus allowing them to concentrate upon the challenge of the onrushing New York quintet, now 2½ games back of the Nats. Wally Osterkorn may see limited duty with the Syracusans tonight if the occasion demands his use. He scrimmaged briefly with the team in a workout yesterday. Jim Tucker will also be on hand to bring the squad up to the 10-player limit.

## 1960

**Oswego Palladium Times**- New York Beats Syracuse Nats

Have baskets become cheaper in the National Basketball Assn.? Veteran Bill Sharman of the world champion Boston Celtics thinks so. "A basket has become so cheap nowadays that the fans have nothing left to cheer about," Sharman said. "It must get boring to sit and watch two teams pour that ball through the basket all right. There's really nothing for the fans to get excited about until the final two minutes of a close game. But if the teams scored only 50 or 60 points a game, then a basket would mean somthing again." Sharman topped Boston scorers with 26 points Tuesday night as the Celts moved a step closer to their fourth straight Eastern Division title by beating Minneapolis 130-1212 in the first game of a doubleheader in New York. New York beat Syracuse in the nightcap 125-116. The Philadelphia Warriors, powered by Wilt Chamberlain's 44 points, edged Cincinnati 117-112 and St. Louis won over Detroit 111-104 in other NBA action.