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1954–55 Fort Wayne Pistons season

{{Short description|NBA team season}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NBA season

| team = Fort Wayne Pistons

| team_link = Detroit Pistons

| end_year = 1955

| DivisionWin = yes

| wins = 43

| losses = 29

| division = Western

| division_place = 1

| coach = Charles Eckman

| arena = War Memorial Coliseum

| television =

| radio =

| playoffs = NBA Finals
(eliminated 3–4)

| bbr_team = FTW

}}

The 1954–55 Fort Wayne Pistons season was the seventh season for the Pistons in the National Basketball Association (NBA)[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/FYP/1955.html 1954-55 Fort Wayne Pistons] and 14th season as a franchise.

With new coach and former referee Charley Eckman, the Pistons finished 43-29 (.597), first in the NBA Western Division. In the Western Division Finals, the Pistons eliminated the Minneapolis Lakers 3–1 in a best-of-five series to reach the NBA Finals. In the 7-game series with the Syracuse Nationals, the teams held home court advantage, although Fort Wayne would play "at home" in Indianapolis because Fort Wayne arena management did not plan for the Pistons to make the NBA Finals, and the arena was booked for a bowling conference after March 4.[https://www.nba.com/history/finals/19541955.html "Nats Win First Title of Shot-Clock Era"], NBA.com

In the 7th game in Syracuse, Syracuse's George King made a free throw with 12 seconds left to put the Nationals up 92–91. King then stole the ball from Fort Wayne's Andy Phillip with three seconds remaining to clinch the victory for Syracuse."City Hails Nats' World Title Triumph", Syracuse Herald Journal, April 11, 1955, pp. 1, 45.{{Cite web|url=https://pistonpowered.com/2011/12/14/chevette-to-corvette-no-9-the-1954-55-fort-wayne-pistons/|title = Chevette to Corvette No. 9: The 1954-55 Fort Wayne Pistons|date = 14 December 2011}}

Rumors about the finish continue with suggestions that some Fort Wayne players conspired with gamblers to throw the series to Syracuse.The Wizard of Odds: How Jack Molinas Almost Destroyed the Game of Basketball. By Charley Rosen. p. 154. 2001 Seven Stories Press. {{ISBN|1-58322-268-5}} In the 7th game, Fort Wayne led Syracuse 41–24 early in the second quarter, then allowed the Nationals to rally to win the game."Syracuse Five Defeats Pistons in N.B.A. Play-Off Final, 92-91", The New York Times, April 11, 1955, p. 31. Andy Phillip, who turned the ball over with three seconds left in the game, was believed by at least one of his teammates, George Yardley, to have thrown the game. "There were always unwholesome implications about that ball game", Yardley would later comment.Rosen, p. 154.

However, Phillip may not have acted alone. Other Pistons players were strongly believed to have thrown games during the 1954 and 1955 NBA seasons, with Piston Jack Molinas banned from the league for gambling the year prior.Rosen, pp. 108-154. In fact, Yardley himself turned the ball over to Syracuse with a palming violation with 18 seconds remaining in Game 7.Syracuse Herald Journal, April 11, 1955, p. 45. The foul that gave Syracuse its winning free throw, meanwhile, was committed by Frankie Brian. The NBA did not return to the 2–3–2 format until 1985.{{Cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1193842-the-100-greatest-playoff-series-in-nba-history|title = The 100 Greatest Playoff Series in NBA History|website = Bleacher Report}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/2265588/on-this-date-in-sports-april-10-1955-nba-finals-thriller|title = On This Date in Sports April 10, 1955: NBA Finals Thriller}}

The team was led on the season by a double-double from center Larry Foust (17.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, NBA All-Star), guard Andy Phillip (9.6 ppg, 7.7 apg, NBA All-Star) and forward George Yardley (17.3 ppg, 9.9 rpg, NBA All-Star).

Roster

{{NBA roster header|team=1954–55 Fort Wayne Pistons

| bg1 = #002F6C | color1 = white

| bg2 = #D50032 | color2 = white

}}

{{Player2 |num=7|first=Frankie|last=Brian|pos=SG|ft=6|in=1|lbs=|DOB=May 1, 1923 |college=LSU}}

{{Player2 |num=16|first=Larry|last=Foust|pos=C|ft=6|in=9|lbs=215|DOB=June 24, 1928|college=La Salle}}

{{Player2 |num=8|first=Jim|last=Fritsche|pos=PF|ft=6|in=8|lbs=210|DOB=December 10, 1931|college=Hamline University}}

{{Player2 |num=8|first=Bob|last=Houbregs|pos=C|ft=6|in=8|lbs=225|DOB=March 12, 1932|college=Washington}}

{{Player2 |num=9|first=Mel|last=Hutchins|pos=PF|ft=6|in=6|lbs=200|DOB=November 22, 1928|college=BYU}}

{{Player2 |num=17|first=Monk|last=Meineke|pos=PF|ft=6|in=7|lbs=208|DOB=October 30, 1930|college=Dayton}}

{{Player2 |num=14|first=Andy|last=Phillip|pos=PG|ft=6|in=2|lbs=195|DOB=March 7, 1922|college=Illinois}}

{{Player2 |num=18|first=Al|last=Roges|pos=SG|ft=6|in=4|lbs=195|DOB=October 25, 1930|college=Long Island University}}

{{Player2 |num=15|first=Dick|last=Rosenthal|pos=SF|ft=6|in=5|lbs=205|DOB=January 20, 1930|college=Notre Dame}}

{{Player2 |num=5|first=Paul|last=Walther|pos=SG|ft=6|in=2|lbs=160|DOB=March 23, 1927|college=Tennessee}}

{{Player2 |num=12|first=George|last=Yardley|pos=SF|ft=6|in=5|lbs=190|DOB=November 3, 1928|college=Stanford}}

{{Player2 |num=10|first=Max|last=Zaslofsky|pos=SG|ft=6|in=2|lbs=170|DOB=December 7, 1925|college=St. John's}}

{{NBA roster footer|head_coach= Charles Eckman|roster_url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/FTW/1955.html}}

Regular season

=Season standings=

{{1954–55 NBA West standings|team=FTW}}

:x – clinched playoff spot

=Record vs. opponents=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center;"
colspan=9|1954-55 NBA Records
width=100|Team

!style="background:#006400;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|BOS

!style="background:#012F6B;color:#D40032;width=35"|FWP

!style="background:#003EA4;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|MIL

!style="background:#7BA4DB;color:#FBE122;width=35"|MIN

!style="background:#003EA4;color:#E45206;width=35"|NYK

!style="background:#012F6B;color:#D50033;width=35"|PHI

!style="background:#0050B0;color:#D82A3C;width=35"|ROC

!style="background:#C79968;color:#D20032;width=35"|SYR

style="text-align:left;" | Boston—4–56–33–66–67–54–56–6
style="text-align:left;" | Fort Wayne5–4—11–19–32–76–38–42–7
style="text-align:left;" | Milwaukee3–61–11—5–73–64–56–64–5
style="text-align:left;" | Minneapolis6–33–97–5—4–56–38–46–3
style="text-align:left;" | New York6–67–26–35–4—5–75–44–8
style="text-align:left;" | Philadelphia5–73–65–43–67–5—5–45–7
style="text-align:left;" | Rochester5–44–86–64–84–54–5—2–7
style="text-align:left;" | Syracuse6–67–25–43–68–47–57–2—

=Game log=

class="toccolours collapsible" width=50% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center"
colspan=11 style="background:#00519a; color:white;" | 1954–55 Game log
align="center" bgcolor="#dddddd"

| #

DateOpponentScoreHigh pointsRecord
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 1

October 30@ Milwaukee91–72Hutchins, Yardley, Zaslofsky (14)1–0
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 2

October 31Boston86–90Mel Hutchins (22)2–0
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 3

November 6New York83–90Don Meineke (16)3–0
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 4

November 7Rochester84–109George Yardley (22)4–0
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 5

November 11Syracuse88–86Larry Foust (23)4–1
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 6

November 13@ Rochester103–98Mel Hutchins (22)5–1
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 7

November 14Milwaukee91–93Andy Phillip (23)6–1
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 8

November 18@ Syracuse82–91Larry Foust (30)6–2
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 9

November 20@ Philadelphia82–99Don Meineke (15)6–3
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 10

November 21Rochester78–89Larry Foust (23)7–3
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 11

November 24N Philadelphia91–87Mel Hutchins (20)7–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 12

November 27Minneapolis81–97Mel Hutchins (22)8–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 13

November 28Milwaukee81–96George Yardley (17)9–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 14

November 30N Minneapolis90–92George Yardley (29)10–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 15

December 1@ Rochester101–96 (OT)Larry Foust (37)11–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 16

December 2Boston98–116George Yardley (32)12–4
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 17

December 4@ New York90–88Larry Foust (24)13–4
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 18

December 5Rochester97–96Larry Foust (21)13–5
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 19

December 7N Milwaukee85–101George Yardley (29)14–5
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 20

December 8N Milwaukee68–92Max Zaslofsky (17)15–5
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 21

December 12Boston99–100Larry Foust (28)16–5
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 22

December 15N Philadelphia99–90George Yardley (24)16–6
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 23

December 18@ Rochester87–86Andy Phillip (24)17–6
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 24

December 19Milwaukee82–87Dick Rosenthal (22)18–6
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 25

December 23N Philadelphia92–82George Yardley (22)19–6
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 26

December 25@ Rochester73–80George Yardley (17)19–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 27

December 26Philadelphia96–109Frank Brian (31)20–7
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 28

December 30N Minneapolis76–93George Yardley (26)21–7
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 29

December 31Minneapolis103–91George Yardley (22)21–8
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 30

January 2Philadelphia66–89George Yardley (24)22–8
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 31

January 4N Minneapolis92–93George Yardley (28)23–8
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 32

January 5N Milwaukee97–92Max Zaslofsky (16)23–9
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 33

January 6N Rochester83–90Mel Hutchins (19)24–9
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 34

January 9Minneapolis86–89George Yardley (29)25–9
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 35

January 11Boston119–110Larry Foust (33)25–10
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 36

January 13@ Syracuse83–100Bob Houbregs (14)25–11
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 37

January 14N New York97–83George Yardley (20)25–12
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 38

January 15@ New York87–106Frank Brian (17)25–13
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 39

January 16Milwaukee78–89George Yardley (19)26–13
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 40

January 19N Boston105–84George Yardley (29)27–13
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 41

January 22@ Milwaukee85–83Larry Foust (18)28–13
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 42

January 23Rochester84–105Dick Rosenthal (18)29–13
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 43

January 25N Syracuse66–69Frank Brian (14)30–13
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 44

January 26@ Boston90–99Andy Phillip (15)30–14
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 45

January 27@ Syracuse79–94Mel Hutchins (16)30–15
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 46

January 29@ Minneapolis91–100Larry Foust (23)30–16
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 47

January 30Minneapolis92–99Larry Foust (34)31–16
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 48

January 31N New York91–84Frank Brian (27)31–17
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 49

February 2@ Rochester74–84Frank Brian (22)31–18
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 50

February 3Syracuse85–104Larry Foust (22)32–18
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 51

February 5@ Philadelphia96–88Larry Foust (25)33–18
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 52

February 6Rochester75–92George Yardley (19)34–18
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 53

February 10Philadelphia97–105Max Zaslofsky (19)35–18
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 54

February 11N Rochester91–83Foust, Yardley (16)35–19
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 55

February 12@ New York82–88Larry Foust (26)35–20
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 56

February 13Milwaukee78–90Larry Foust (19)36–20
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 57

February 14N New York92–88Larry Foust (19)36–21
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 58

February 17N New York93–86Andy Phillip (14)36–22
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 59

February 19@ Minneapolis92–98George Yardley (28)36–23
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 60

February 20Milwaukee87–96Larry Foust (22)37–23
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 61

February 23N Minneapolis97–120Larry Foust (26)38–23
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 62

February 24N Milwaukee85–95Mel Hutchins (20)39–23
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 63

February 26@ Minneapolis90–89Larry Foust (24)40–23
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 64

February 27New York95–83Larry Foust (22)40–24
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 65

February 28N Minneapolis88–90Andy Phillip (19)41–24
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 66

March 1N Boston118–98Max Zaslofsky (18)42–24
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 67

March 2N Syracuse103–90George Yardley (16)42–25
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 68

March 3Syracuse83–81Larry Foust (22)42–26
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 69

March 6@ Boston104–108George Yardley (32)42–27
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 70

March 7@ Boston91–110Don Meineke (23)42–28
align="center" bgcolor="ccffcc"

| 71

March 10N Philadelphia91–93 (OT)George Yardley (27)43–28
align="center" bgcolor="ffcccc"

| 72

March 12@ Syracuse92–112George Yardley (24)43–29

Playoffs

{{NBA game log start|Fort Wayne Pistons|end_year=1955|playoffs=yes|bgcolor=#0000FF|color=#FFFFFF}}

{{NBA game log section|Fort Wayne Pistons|Division Finals|first=yes|show=no|playoffs=yes|bgcolor=#FF0000|color=#FFFFFF

| home_wins = 2

| home_losses = 0

| road_wins = 1

| road_losses = 1

| hide_rebounds = yes

| hide_assists = yes

| hide_attendance = yes

}}

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 1

| March 20

| Minneapolis

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195503200FTW.html W 96–79]

| Larry Foust (15)

| North Side Gymnasium

| 1–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 2

| March 22

| Minneapolis

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195503220FTW.html W 98–97 (OT)]

| Mel Hutchins (20)

| Butler Fieldhouse

| 2–0

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 3

| March 23

| @ Minneapolis

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195503230MNL.html L 91–99 (OT)]

| George Yardley (25)

| Minneapolis Auditorium

| 2–1

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 4

| March 27

| @ Minneapolis

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195503270MNL.html W 105–96]

| Rosenthal, Hutchins (21)

| Minneapolis Auditorium

| 3–1

|-

{{NBA game log section|Fort Wayne Pistons|NBA Finals|show=no|playoffs=yes|bgcolor=#FF0000|color=#FFFFFF

| home_wins = 3

| home_losses = 0

| road_wins = 0

| road_losses = 4

| hide_rebounds = yes

}}

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 1

| March 31

| @ Syracuse

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195503310SYR.html L 82–86]

| Larry Foust (26)

| —

| Onondaga War Memorial
7,500

| 0–1

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 2

| April 2

| @ Syracuse

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195504020SYR.html L 84–87]

| George Yardley (21)

| —

| Onondaga War Memorial
5,845

| 0–2

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 3

| April 3

| Syracuse

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195504030FTW.html W 96–89]

| Mel Hutchins (23)

| —

| Butler Fieldhouse
3,200

| 1–2

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 4

| April 5

| Syracuse

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195504050FTW.html W 109–102]

| Frankie Brian (18)

| —

| Butler Fieldhouse
2,611

| 2–2

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"

| 5

| April 7

| Syracuse

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195504070FTW.html W 74–71]

| George Yardley (16)

| —

| Butler Fieldhouse
4,110

| 3–2

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 6

| April 9

| @ Syracuse

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195504090SYR.html L 104–109]

| George Yardley (31)

| —

| Onondaga War Memorial
4,997

| 3–3

|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"

| 7

| April 10

| @ Syracuse

| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/195504100SYR.html L 91–92]

| Larry Foust (24)

| Andy Phillip (10)

| Onondaga War Memorial
6,697

| 3–4

|-

{{NBA game log end|bbr_team=FTW|end_year=1955|playoffs=yes}}

Awards and records

References

{{reflist}}

{{1954-55 NBA season by team}}

{{Detroit Pistons seasons}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1954-55 Fort Wayne Pistons Season}}

Category:Detroit Pistons seasons

Fort Wayne