1958–59 Cincinnati Royals season
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1958–59 Cincinnati Royals season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Bobby Wanzer Tom Marshall |
Owners | Thomas E. Wood |
Arena | Cincinnati Gardens |
Results | |
Record | 19–53 (.264) |
Place | Division: 4th (Western) |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Local media | |
Television | WKRC-TV |
Radio | WKRC |
The 1958–59 Cincinnati Royal season was the 14th season of the franchise, its 11th season in the NBA and second season in Cincinnati.
This season is being one of the most notorious seasons faced by an NBA team in the league's history.[1] The reason was the tragic career-ending head injury to star Maurice Stokes, who became permanently hospitalized at the age of 24 at the end of the previous season, which had been the team's first in Cincinnati. The loss of Stokes shocked six other roster players into retirement. Also, the team had been sold to new, inexperienced local ownership and also soon had to replace their coach. Star shooter Jack Twyman returned for the club as the only returnee from a year ago. Had Twyman accepted other offers that year, the team would have likely folded.
St. Louis owner Ben Kerner, a long-time friend of previous owners Les and Jack Harrison, agreed to help the club. He sent five players to the Royals in return for All-Pro Clyde Lovellette and the rights to talented Si Green. The result was a diluted roster of rookies and journeymen. Two rookies were burly 6-foot 8-inch big man Wayne Embry and 6' 4 defender Arlen Bockhorn. Both had to make the team before being offered contracts, and both were pleasant surprises[clarification needed] to the beleaguered team. Twyman was far and away the team's only star. He scored 25.8 points per game, trying more shots than any player in the league for his new team. The slender 6-foot 6-inch star also led the Royals in rebounds, and came within 16 assists of leading the team there as well. More than that, he mentored the new players and also carried on Stokes's charity causes off the court. He achieved a kind of fame, respect and notoriety unlike any NBA player ever.[citation needed] One of his creations to pay for his fallen teammate's soaring hospital bills was The Maurice Stokes Charity Game, which was played at Kutcher's resort in Monticello, New York, every August. A slew of NBA notables came to play in the event for Stokes every year.[citation needed]
Despite Twyman's starring play, the Royals sank to 19–53 this season after contending much of the previous season. To limit over-exposure of a bad product at home, some 17 home games were played elsewhere this season. Several times that year, the team failed to draw 2000 fans to Cincinnati Gardens.[citation needed]
Somehow, the new ownership made it through the season and vowed to carry on. The NBA was of some help, granting territorial draft picks to Oscar Robertson and Ralph Davis from the local University of Cincinnati, as well as local high school player Jerry Lucas.
Regular season
[edit]Season standings
[edit]W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Neutral | Div | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
x-St. Louis Hawks | 49 | 23 | .681 | – | 28–3 | 14–15 | 7–5 | 27–9 |
x-Minneapolis Lakers | 33 | 39 | .458 | 16 | 15–7 | 9–17 | 9–15 | 18–18 |
x-Detroit Pistons | 28 | 44 | .389 | 21 | 13–17 | 8–20 | 7–7 | 17–19 |
Cincinnati Royals | 19 | 53 | .264 | 30 | 9–19 | 2–25 | 8–9 | 10–26 |
- x – clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
[edit]1958–59 NBA records | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | BOS | CIN | DET | MIN | NYK | PHI | STL | SYR |
Boston | — | 8–1 | 8–1 | 9–0 | 7–5 | 9–3 | 4–5 | 7–5 |
Cincinnati | 1–8 | — | 3–9 | 6–6 | 3–6 | 2–7 | 1–11 | 3–6 |
Detroit | 1–8 | 9–3 | — | 4–8 | 3–6 | 5–4 | 4–8 | 2–7 |
Minneapolis | 0–9 | 6–6 | 8–4 | — | 4–5 | 6–3 | 4–8 | 5–4 |
New York | 5–7 | 6–3 | 6–3 | 5–4 | — | 5–7 | 4–5 | 9–3 |
Philadelphia | 3–9 | 7–2 | 4–5 | 3–6 | 7–5 | — | 4–5 | 4–8 |
St. Louis | 5–4 | 11–1 | 8–4 | 8–4 | 5–4 | 5–4 | — | 7–2 |
Syracuse | 5–7 | 6–3 | 7–2 | 4–5 | 3–9 | 8–4 | 2–7 | — |
Game log
[edit]1958–59 Game log | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
# | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | |||||
1 | October 22 | @ Minneapolis | 79–99 | Dave Piontek (17) | 1–0 | |||||
2 | October 25 | Minneapolis | 94–110 | Jack Twyman (29) | 1–1 | |||||
3 | October 31 | @ Detroit | 113–120 | Jack Twyman (27) | 1–2 | |||||
4 | November 1 | @ Syracuse | 108–130 | Jack Twyman (22) | 1–3 | |||||
5 | November 2 | St. Louis | 97–90 | Sihugo Green (19) | 1–4 | |||||
6 | November 5 | New York | 108–97 | Jack Twyman (26) | 1–5 | |||||
7 | November 9 | Philadelphia | 106–92 | Jim Palmer (20) | 1–6 | |||||
8 | November 12 | Syracuse | 116–115 | Jack Twyman (32) | 1–7 | |||||
9 | November 15 | @ Boston | 105–130 | Jack Twyman (33) | 1–8 | |||||
10 | November 19 | Boston | 103–119 | Jack Twyman (45) | 2–8 | |||||
11 | November 21 | @ Philadelphia | 90–108 | Vernon Hatton (22) | 2–9 | |||||
12 | November 22 | @ Detroit | 86–103 | Jack Twyman (23) | 2–10 | |||||
13 | November 23 | St. Louis | 100–89 | Jim Palmer (22) | 2–11 | |||||
14 | November 25 | @ New York | 115–113 | Jack Twyman (26) | 3–11 | |||||
15 | November 26 | Detroit | 112–95 | Jack Twyman (19) | 3–12 | |||||
16 | November 28 | @ Minneapolis | 93–114 | Jack Twyman (22) | 3–13 | |||||
17 | November 29 | @ St. Louis | 86–98 | Jack Twyman (18) | 3–14 | |||||
18 | November 30 | Minneapolis | 84–77 | Dave Piontek (22) | 3–15 | |||||
19 | December 2 | N St. Louis | 105–81 | Sihugo Green (22) | 3–16 | |||||
20 | December 3 | New York | 108–110 | Arlen Bockhorn (23) | 4–16 | |||||
21 | December 6 | N Minneapolis | 128–132 (3OT) | Jack Twyman (34) | 5–16 | |||||
22 | December 7 | Philadelphia | 103–90 | Jack Twyman (20) | 5–17 | |||||
23 | December 10 | Syracuse | 97–94 | Jack Twyman (20) | 5–18 | |||||
24 | December 12 | @ Boston | 115–125 (OT) | McCarthy, Twyman (22) | 5–19 | |||||
25 | December 16 | @ New York | 106–118 | Jack Twyman (24) | 5–20 | |||||
26 | December 18 | Boston | 104–90 | Jack Twyman (26) | 5–21 | |||||
27 | December 20 | @ Syracuse | 121–120 (OT) | Jack Twyman (27) | 6–21 | |||||
28 | December 25 | St. Louis | 100–92 | Jack Twyman (29) | 6–22 | |||||
29 | December 26 | @ Detroit | 91–131 | Jack Twyman (28) | 6–23 | |||||
30 | December 28 | Minneapolis | 116–120 | Jack Twyman (32) | 7–23 | |||||
31 | December 29 | @ St. Louis | 112–124 | Jack Twyman (32) | 7–24 | |||||
32 | December 30 | St. Louis | 119–104 | Jack Twyman (20) | 7–25 | |||||
33 | January 2 | N Detroit | 104–111 | Jack Twyman (34) | 8–25 | |||||
34 | January 4 | Boston | 111–108 | Wayne Embry (27) | 8–26 | |||||
35 | January 6 | N Boston | 95–109 | Jack Twyman (33) | 8–27 | |||||
36 | January 8 | Syracuse | 145–138 (3OT) | Jack Twyman (41) | 8–28 | |||||
37 | January 9 | N St. Louis | 112–101 | Arlen Bockhorn (27) | 8–29 | |||||
38 | January 10 | Detroit | 101–69 | Jack Twyman (14) | 8–30 | |||||
39 | January 11 | @ Syracuse | 110–127 | Wayne Embry (27) | 8–31 | |||||
40 | January 13 | N Detroit | 112–92 | Jim Palmer (14) | 8–32 | |||||
41 | January 16 | N Minneapolis | 91–95 | Jack Twyman (30) | 9–32 | |||||
42 | January 17 | @ New York | 105–117 | Jack Twyman (36) | 9–33 | |||||
43 | January 18 | Detroit | 88–107 | Archie Dees (18) | 10–33 | |||||
44 | January 20 | N New York | 108–114 | Jack Twyman (30) | 11–33 | |||||
45 | January 21 | New York | 130–109 | Arlen Bockhorn (27) | 11–34 | |||||
46 | January 24 | @ Syracuse | 102–123 | Archie Dees (23) | 11–35 | |||||
47 | January 25 | Syracuse | 104–109 | Jack Twyman (33) | 12–35 | |||||
48 | January 27 | N Philadelphia | 92–100 | Jack Twyman (37) | 13–35 | |||||
49 | January 28 | @ Philadelphia | 84–99 | Archie Dees (14) | 13–36 | |||||
50 | January 30 | @ St. Louis | 87–118 | Jack Twyman (21) | 13–37 | |||||
51 | January 31 | @ Detroit | 88–103 | Dees, Park (14) | 13–38 | |||||
52 | February 3 | Philadelphia | 103–120 | Jack Twyman (31) | 14–38 | |||||
53 | February 8 | @ Boston | 117–136 | Jack Twyman (30) | 14–39 | |||||
54 | February 9 | N Detroit | 122–97 | Jack Twyman (30) | 14–40 | |||||
55 | February 10 | N Minneapolis | 118–100 | Med Park (25) | 14–41 | |||||
56 | February 11 | N Minneapolis | 106–105 | Johnny McCarthy (31) | 14–42 | |||||
57 | February 12 | N Minneapolis | 114–119 | Jack Twyman (33) | 15–42 | |||||
58 | February 14 | N Philadelphia | 106–94 | Jack Twyman (35) | 15–43 | |||||
59 | February 15 | @ New York | 97–124 | Jack Twyman (27) | 15–44 | |||||
60 | February 18 | New York | 118–116 | Jack Twyman (34) | 15–45 | |||||
61 | February 21 | @ St. Louis | 120–121 | Jack Twyman (38) | 15–46 | |||||
62 | February 22 | Boston | 129–112 | Johnny McCarthy (26) | 15–47 | |||||
63 | February 24 | N Syracuse | 109–113 | Jack Twyman (29) | 16–47 | |||||
64 | February 25 | N Minneapolis | 116–96 | Jack Twyman (34) | 16–48 | |||||
65 | February 26 | N Detroit | 101–106 | Jack Twyman (27) | 17–48 | |||||
66 | February 28 | St. Louis | 122–124 (OT) | Jack Twyman (50) | 18–48 | |||||
67 | March 1 | @ Detroit | 101–117 | Jack Twyman (30) | 18–49 | |||||
68 | March 3 | @ St. Louis | 102–113 | Jack Twyman (26) | 18–50 | |||||
69 | March 4 | Minneapolis | 122–128 | Jack Twyman (46) | 19–50 | |||||
70 | March 7 | @ Philadelphia | 86–93 | Jack Twyman (21) | 19–51 | |||||
71 | March 8 | @ Boston | 131–141 | Jack Twyman (45) | 19–52 | |||||
72 | March 10 | Philadelphia | 102–96 | Jack Twyman (26) | 19–53 |
Player statistics
[edit]GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arlen Bockhorn | |||||||||||
Archie Dees | |||||||||||
Wayne Embry | |||||||||||
Si Green | |||||||||||
Vernon Hatton | |||||||||||
Tom Marshall | |||||||||||
Johnny McCarthy | |||||||||||
Jim Palmer | |||||||||||
Med Park | |||||||||||
Jack Parr | |||||||||||
Dave Piontek | |||||||||||
Phil Rollins | |||||||||||
Larry Staverman | |||||||||||
Jack Twyman |