The Philadelphia Sphas were an American professional basketball team active from 1917 to 1959, with the 1948–49 season in the ABL being their last season of play before they devolved themselves into a regular opponent for the Harlem Globetrotters for the rest of their existence going forward. Throughout the team's tenure, they played in many ramshackle leagues, which was commonplace in the time before the formation of the NBA. Most of the Sphas' existence was spent in the Eastern Basketball League and the American Basketball League. They won twelve championships, one each in the short-lived Philadelphia League and Philadelphia Basket Ball League, three in the Eastern Basketball League, and seven in the American Basketball League. They also can be seen as unofficial champions for their final season of competition in the American League of Philadelphia as well before that league prematurely shut down operations, as well as the unofficial champions of the Eastern League due to the messy way that league went through things from the first half of that season into the second half of that season. Year League Regular season Playoffs Ref 1917–18 American League of Philadelphia(as Philadelphia YMHA) 5th (tie for last)No playoffs were held by the ALP 1918–19 American League of Philadelphia 5th (1st half); 5th (2nd half), 5th overall 1919–20 American League of Philadelphia 3rd (1st half); 4th (2nd half) 1920–21 American League of Philadelphia 4th (1st half); 7th (2nd half), 6th overall 1921–22 American League of Philadelphia(as Philadelphia Passon, Gottlieb, Black) 1st (1st half); 3rd (2nd half) ALP folded before the season completed 1922–23 Manufacturer's League(as Philadelphia Passon, Gottlieb, Black) 3rd (1st half); 6th (2nd half) No playoffs were held by the Manufacturer's League Philadelphia League 2nd (1st half); 6th (2nd half)Did not qualify 1923–24 Philadelphia League 5th (1st half); 1st (2nd half)Champions (2–0 over Tri-Council Caseys) 1924–25 Philadelphia Basket Ball League 1st (1st half); 3rd (2nd half)Champions (2–1 over Tri-Council Caseys) 1925–26 Eastern League 3rd (1st half); 1st (2nd half) No playoffs were held by the Eastern League 1926–27 American Basketball League (as Warriors) 2nd (2nd half)Did not qualify 1927–28 American Basketball League (as Warriors) 2nd Lost semifinal round (2–0 to New York (Original) Celtics) 1928–29 Philadelphia Basket Ball League 5th (1st half) Sphas dropped out of the league after the first half The team was not part of any league and played independently 1929–30 Eastern Basketball LeagueNo relation to earlier Eastern League 2nd (1st half); 1st (2nd half)Champions (3–2 over Philadelphia Elks) 1930–31 Eastern Basketball League 1st (1st half); 2nd (2nd half)Champions (3–1 over Camden Skeeters) 1931–32 Eastern Basketball League 2nd (1st half, lost 1st half title to Philadelphia Moose); 1st (2nd half)Champions (3–1 over Philadelphia Moose) 1932–33 Eastern Basketball League 1st (1st half); 3rd (2nd half)Lost championship (3–1 to Trenton Moose) 1933–34 American Basketball League(as Sphas or Hebrews) 3rd (1st half); 1st (2nd half)Champions (4–2 over Trenton Moose) 1934–35 American Basketball League(as Sphas or Hebrews) 2nd (1st half); 2nd (2nd half)Lost second half title (2–1 to Brooklyn Visitations) 1935–36 American Basketball League(as Sphas or Hebrews) 1st (1st half); 5th (2nd half)Champions (4–3 over Brooklyn Visitations) 1936–37 American Basketball League(as Sphas or Hebrews) 2nd (1st half); 1st (2nd half)Champions (4–3 over Jersey Reds) 1937–38 American Basketball League 4th (1st half); 3rd (2nd half)Did not qualify 1938–39 American Basketball League 2ndLost semifinal round (2–0 to New York Jewels) 1939–40 American Basketball League 1stChampions (defeated the Washington Heurich Brewers, Troy Celtics, New York Jewels, and Baltimore Clippers in a round-robin tournament championship series) 1940–41 American Basketball League 1st (1st half); 4th (2nd half)Champions (3–1 over Brooklyn Celtics) 1941–42 American Basketball League 2nd (1st half); 3rd (2nd half) No playoffs were held by the ABL (Wilmington Blue Bombers were the league champions this season.) 1942–43 American Basketball League 2ndChampions (4–3 over Trenton Tigers) 1943–44 American Basketball League 4th (1st half); 1st (2nd half)Lost championship (4–3 to Wilmington Bombers) 1944–45 American Basketball League 1stChampions (2–1 over Baltimore Bullets) 1945–46 American Basketball League 2ndLost championship (3–1 to Baltimore Bullets) 1946–47 American Basketball League 2ndLost semifinal round (2–1 to Trenton Tigers) 1947–48 American Basketball League 6thDid not qualify 1948–49 American Basketball League (originally as the Atlantic City Tides before returning to the Philadelphia Sphas name by January 16, 1949) 8thDid not qualify
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