The Baltimore Bullets were a professional basketball team based in Baltimore. The Bullets competed in the American Basketball League (1944–1947), the Basketball Association of America (1947–1949), and (following the BAA's merger with the National Basketball League) the National Basketball Association (1949–1954). On November 27, 1954, the team folded with a 3–11 record on the season, making the Bullets the last NBA franchise to fold.NBA Teams that don’t Exist anymore All About Basketball Out of all defunct NBA teams, the Bullets were members of the association for the longest time and the only defunct team to win a championship.NBA & ABA team index at Basketball Reference
The Bullets name was revived in 1963, when the former Chicago Zephyrs relocated to Baltimore; even after these Bullets relocated to Washington in 1973, they kept their name for 24 more years until they were renamed the Wizards.
Franchise history ABL (1944–1947) The Baltimore Bullets began play in 1944 as an American Basketball League (ABL) team. The Bullets acquired their name in reference to the Phoenix Shot Tower. In the ABL, Baltimore reached the championship round all three seasons, winning the ABL title in 1946. The Bullets won a division title in 1947, but forfeited that season's championship in favor of playing in the World Professional Basketball Tournament (the Bullets' second appearance in the tournament).
BAA/NBA (1947–1954) The Bullets moved to the Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1947, and won the 1948 championship over the Philadelphia Warriors (now Golden State Warriors). In 1949, the BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL), and became the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Bullets struggled on the court after their championship season, and never posted another winning record. In 1954, Ray Felix won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and became the second African-American to be named an All-Star. Felix was traded to the Knicks on September 17, 1954, and on November 27, the Bullets became the last NBA franchise to fold.
Season-by-season records ABL championsBAA/NBA championsDivision championsPlayoff berth
Season League Division Finish Wins Losses Win% GB Playoffs Awards 1944–45 ABL — 4th 14 16 8 Won First Round (Tigers) 2–1Lost ABL Championship (SPHAs) 1–2 1945–46 ABL — T-1st 21 13 — Won Tiebreaker (SPHAs) 1–0Won First Round (Gothams) 2–0Won ABL Championship (SPHAs) 3–1 1946–47 ABL Southern 1st 31 3 — Won First Round (Gothams) 2–1Forfeited ABL Championship (Tigers) 1947–48 BAA Western 2nd 28 20 1 Won Division Tiebreaker (Stags) 1–0Won First Round (Knicks) 2–1Won BAA Semifinals (Stags) 2–0Won BAA Finals (Warriors) 4–2 1948–49 BAA Eastern 3rd 29 31 9 Lost Division Semifinals (Knicks) 1–2 1949–50 NBA Eastern 5th 25 43 26 1950–51 NBA Eastern 5th 24 42 16 1951–52 NBA Eastern 5th 20 46 20 1952–53 NBA Eastern 4th 16 54 31 Lost Division Semifinals (Knicks) 0–2 1953–54 NBA Eastern 5th 16 56 28 Ray Felix (ROY) 1954–55 NBA Eastern N/A 3 11 N/A
Notes
List of notable personnel
Players
John Abramovic Don Barksdale Walt Budko Bill Calhoun Ray Ellefson Ray Felix Barney Goldberg Paul Gordon Billy Hassett Paul Hoffman Bob Houbregs Buddy Jeannette Herman Klotz Jim Luisi Ray Lumpp John Mandic Eddie Miller Ken Murray Bob Peterson Don Rehfeldt Chick Reiser Red Rocha Kenny Sailors Fred Scolari Paul Seymour Dick Triptow Hal Uplinger Mark Workman
Coaches Ben Kramer Red Rosan Buddy Jeannette Walt Budko Fred Scolari Chick Reiser Clair Bee Albert Barthelme
Basketball Hall of Fame members Baltimore Bullets Hall of FamersPlayers No. Name Position Tenure Inducted 26614 Buddy Jeannette1 G 1946–1950 1994CoachesName Position Tenure InductedClair Bee Head coach 1952–1954 1968 Notes: 1 He also coached the team in 1946–1951
Draft YearLgPlayerCollege1954NBAFrank SelvyFurman University1954NBASlick LeonardIndiana University1954NBAWerner KillenLawrence Institute of Technology1954NBABurt SpiceUniversity of Toledo1954NBALou ScottIndiana University1954NBABob HeimXavier University1954NBAJoe PehanickSeattle University1954NBAHarry BrooksSeton Hall University1954NBARon GoerrsConcord College1954NBAGary ShiversUniversity of Houston1954NBAElliot KarverGeorge Washington University1953NBARay FelixLong Island University1953NBAJack CarbyKansas State University1953NBABob EmmercikClarion University of Pennsylvania1953NBARuss Johnson1953NBABob Kraback1953NBADennis MurphyGeorgetown University1953NBAPaul NolenTexas Tech University1953NBABob PetersonUniversity of Oregon1953NBAJoe Piorkowski1953NBAConnie ReaCentenary College of Louisiana1953NBABill SchymanDePaul University1953NBAHerman SledzikPennsylvania State University1953NBABob SpeightNorth Carolina State University1953NBADon Stemmerich1953NBAElmer TolsonEastern Kentucky University1953NBAEdward Walsh1952NBAJim BaechtoldEastern Kentucky University1952NBABlaine DenningLawrence Institute of Technology1952NBAChuck GrigsbyUniversity of Dayton1952NBAFrank GuisnessUniversity of Washington1952NBABill LeaMissouri State University1952NBAMike MagulaYoungstown State University1952NBABud PenwellOklahoma City University1952NBABob PetersonUniversity of Oregon1952NBAArt PressWestern Maryland College1952NBABob PriddyNew Mexico State University1952NBABenny PurcellMurray State University1952NBAJim WalshStanford University1951NBAGene MelchiorreBradley University1951NBAJack StoneKansas State University1951NBABill MannBradley University1951NBABill HaglerUniversity of California1951NBALeroy IshmanAmerican University1951NBAGlen DugginsUniversity of Utah1951NBATom RiachUniversity of Southern California1951NBABill HarperOregon State University1951NBABob CroweSan Jose State University1951NBADan TorreyOregon State University1951NBAClem PavilonisDePaul University1951NBAJohn BurkeSpringfield College1950NBADon RehfeldtUniversity of Wisconsin1950NBAJohn PilchUniversity of Wyoming1950NBADick DickeyNorth Carolina State University1950NBAJerry ReedUniversity of Wyoming1950NBANorm MagerCity College of New York1950NBARick HarmanKansas State University1950NBAFrank ComerfordLa Salle University1950NBAGeorge BushUniversity of Toledo1950NBAJack LaubUniversity of Cincinnati1950NBAMike ZedalisLoyola College in Maryland1949BAARon LivingstoneUniversity of Wyoming1949BAAPaul GordonUniversity of Notre Dame1949BAABill EvansDrake University1949BAATom GallagherSt. Francis College1949BAAJim McMullenXavier University1949BAAEppa RixeyKenyon College1949BAARoger WileyUniversity of Oregon1949BAABill ZippleLafayette College1948BAAWalt BudkoColumbia University1948BAAJim BlackOccidental College1948BAADarrell BrownHumboldt State University1948BAARobert CarrollWest Virginia University1948BAAJake CarterEast Texas State University1948BAAMarvin EnglishNewberry College1948BAAGene FellmothWittenberg University1948BAAJ.W. FullertonArkansas State University1948BAAMarshall GemberlingLebanon Valley College1948BAAVince HansenWashington State University1948BAAJoe HollandUniversity of Kentucky1948BAAWayne JonesAmerican International College1948BAADan KrausGeorgetown University1948BAAHerb KrautblattRider University1948BAAPaul MarcincinMoravian College1947BAALarry KillickUniversity of Vermont1947BAARobert BolyardUniversity of Toledo1947BAAElmer GainerDePaul University1947BAAHarry GallatinTruman State University1947BAAScotty HamiltonWest Virginia University1947BAAHugh HamptonHigh Point University1947BAABob JakeUniversity of Vermont1947BAACharles RaynorUniversity of Houston1947BAAChick ReiserNew York University1947BAAJohn RusinkoPennsylvania State University
References