Historical Moments:
NBL Years: 1945/46: With a roster that included future coaching legend Red Holzman, legendary pro quarterback
Otto Graham, major league catcher Del Rice, and Chuck Connors, who would
go on to greater fame as The Rifleman the Rochester Royals owned and Coached
by Les Harrison posted a solid 24-10 record in their inaugural season in the National
Basketball League. In the playoffs the second place Royals would stun the
Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons in four games to reach the NBL Finals. In the finals
the Royals would sweep the Sheboygan Red Skins in three straight games, to
claim the NBL Championship.
1946/47: With Dolly King the first black player in the NBL the Royals win the Eastern Division
with a solid record of 31-13. In the playoffs the Royals would knock off the
Syracuse Nationals in four games. They would go on to reach the NBL Finals again
by beating the Fort Wayne Zollner Piston in a three game series. However,
in the finals the Royals would be knocked off by the Chicago American Gears in
four games.
1947/48: The Royals would win their second straight division title by posting a record of
44-16. In the playoffs the Royals would beat the Fort Wayne Zollner Piston in four
games, before beating the Anderson Packers in a three game series to reach
the NBL Finals for the third year in a row. However, once again the Royals would
be tripped up as they fall to the Minneapolis Lakers in four games. Following
the season Royals Owner/Coach Les Harrison would lead the way for a merger between
the two major professional basketball leagues the NBL and BAA. The Royals
along with the Lakers, Pistons, and Indianapolis Kautskys would join the BAA for
the 1948/49, with more moves panned a year later.
NBA Years: 1948/49: Joining the third year Basketball Association of America the Royals would capture
the Western Division beating out three other former NBL teams with a record of
45-15. In the playoffs the Royals would beat the St Louis Hawks in two straight
before suffering a let down in the Western Finals as they lost two straight games
to the Minneapolis Lakers. Following the season Les Harrison's dream of a
full merger would be completed as the NBL folds with the remaining teams joining
the BAA, forming a new league known as the National Basketball Association.
1949/50: Lacking a powerful offensive threat with top scorer Bob Davies who averaged only
14 ppg, the Royals used a stifling defense that average only 74.6 ppg, to post
a 51-17 record, losing the division title in a tiebreaker game against the Minneapolis
Lakers. In the playoffs the Royals would be swept by the Fort Wayne Piston
in two straight games.
1950/51: Led by a roster that included Bob Davies, Bobby Wanzer, and Arnie Risen the Royals
post a solid 41-27 record finishing in second place in the Western Division.
The regular season included a pair of notable marathon contests. On January 6th
the Royals were edged by the Indianapolis Olympians in a game that lasted through
si overtime periods and which still stands as the longest game in NBA history.
Seventeen days later the Royals and the New York Knickerbockers battled through
four overtimes before Rochester finally nailed down the win. In the playoff
the Royals would beat the Fort Wayne Pistons in two straight games before beating
finally beating the Minneapolis Lakers in four games to reach the NBA Finals.
In the Finals the Royals would be matched up with the New York Knickerbockers
in an all-Empire State battle. The Royals would jump out to a 3-0 series lead
grabbing the first games at home before winning Game 3 at home. However, the
Knicks would rally to force a seventh game at Rochester's Edgerton Park Sports
Arena. Tied at 75 with 40 seconds left Bob Davies nailed two clutch free throws
to give the Royals a lead. The rules at that time mandated a jump ball after successful
free throws during the final three minutes of a game; Rochester controlled
the tip, and a Jack Coleman's lay-up sealed the victory 79-75. Davies, Risen,
and Wanzer combined for 57 of the Royals 79 points, and the trio pulled down
27 rebounds to land the Rochester Royals the NBA Championship.
1951/52: Coming of their NBA Championship the Royals beat out the Minneapolis Lakers by one
game to capture the Western Division with a 41-25 record. In the playoffs the
Royals would sweep the Fort Wayne Pistons in two straight games. However, in the
semifinals the Royals would be beaten by the Lakers in four games.
1952/53: With their trio of all-stars Bob Davies, Bobby Wanzer, and Arnie Risen the Royals
would post a 44-26 record to finish in second place. However in the playoffs the
Royals would be stunned by the Fort Wayne Pistons in a three game series.
1953/54: The Royals remained one of the top teams in the NBA posting a record of 44-28, which
was good enough for second place. The NBA would experiment with a round robin
first round as the Royals survived by splitting their four games against the
Minneapolis Lakers and Fort Wayne Pistons. However, in the Western Finals the
Royals would be beaten by the Lakers in a three game series.
1954/55: The Royals would feel the negative effect of the new 24-second NBA shot clock, more
then any other team, as they were no longer able to play their slow defensive
posting a losing record for the first time in franchise history at 29-43. Despite
their poor record the Royals would make the playoffs by finishing in third
place, where they would be beaten by the Minneapolis Lakers in a three game series.
Following the season Owner Les Harrison would step down as Coach, handing
the reigns over to Bobby Wanzer, while the Royals other two stars Bob Davies would
retire and Arnie Risen was traded to the Boston Celtics.
1955/56: Under player-coach Bobby Wanzer the Royals had a different look with three rookies
in the starting forwards Maurice Stokes, Jack Twyman, and guard Ed Fleming. Stokes
would be star of the group earning the Rookie of the Year award while averring
16 points and rebounds per game. However, it was not enough to lift the Royals
into the playoffs as they finished in last place with a record of 31-41.
1956/57: With Maurice Stokes setting a new single season record with 1,256 rebounds the Royals
battle all season in a four way scramble for the three playoff spots in the
Western Division. However, the Royals would end up with shortened of the stick
as they finished in last place just three games out of a three way tie for the
Division title with a record of 31-41. Following the season the Royals would
leave the small town of Rochester, New York behind for the much larger city of
Cincinnati, Ohio.
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