Pittsburgh Ironmen


The Pittsburgh Ironmen were a charter member of the Basketball Association of America. The team was based in Pittsburgh and played at Duquesne Gardens.
They ended their only season in the BAA in 1946–47 with a record of 15–45 with a.250 winning percentage, finishing in fifth and last place in the Western Division and worst overall in the league. According to Nate Silver and Reuben Fischer-Baum, applying the Elo [rating system], this was, through 2017, the worst season ever by a professional basketball team in a major league, even though three notably infamous BAA/NBA seasons saw the 1947–48 [Providence Steamrollers season|1947–48 Providence Steamrollers] win a record low 6 total games, the 1972–73 [Philadelphia 76ers season|1972–73 Philadelphia 76ers] ending their 82-game season with only 9 wins against 73 losses for a.110 winning percentage, and the 2011–12 Charlotte Bobcats ending their lockout-shortened season with 7 wins and 59 losses for an NBA record low.106 winning percentage. During the BAA's first ever postseason meeting between teams since completing their first ever season, the Ironmen proclaimed that they would continue operating their franchise into the following season, but only if they could secure a "representative team" in the future going forward. Due to them being the worst team in the entire BAA that season, Pittsburgh was awarded the first overall pick in the league's inaugural 1947 draft, where they selected Clifton McNeely as the BAA/NBA's first ever #1 draft pick, though much like with the NFL's first ever #1 draft pick in NFL draft|1936], Jay Berwanger, McNeely would never play in the BAA/NBA either for the Ironmen or elsewhere in that league. However, the Ironmen would fold before the start of the 1947–48 BAA season, joining the Toronto Huskies as teams that ceased operations on July 27, 1947, along with the Detroit Falcons and Cleveland Rebels, to be the first four teams to officially become defunct in the BAA/NBA.

Season records

!colspan="6"|'''Pittsburgh Ironmen'''

Personnel

;Head coaches
;Players
NameJersey No.Pos.Height Weight
John Abramovic3F6' 3"195
Moe Becker5, 6G-F6' 1"185
Mike Bytzura4F6' 1"170
Joe Fabel15F-G6' 1"190
Nat Frankel15F-G6' 0"195
Gorham Getchell9C6' 4"205
Coulby Gunther6G6' 4"190
Noble Jorgensen17C6' 9"228
Roger Jorgensen7C-F6' 5"200
Tony Kappen5G5' 10"165
Press Maravich12G6' 0"185
Ed MelvinG5' 9"170
Red Mihalik6G6' 0"180
Walt [Miller |Walt Miller]7F6' 2"190
John Mills11C-F6' 8"203
Stan Noszka8G6' 1"185
Harry Zeller14, 18C-F6' 4"210