1956–57 St. Louis Hawks season

1956–57 St. Louis Hawks season
Division champions
Head coachRed Holzman, Slater Martin and Alex Hannum
ArenaKiel Auditorium
Results
Record34–38 (.472)
PlaceDivision: 1st (Western)
Playoff finishNBA Finals
(eliminated 3–4)
Stats at Basketball Reference

The 1956–57 St. Louis Hawks season was the 11th season for the franchise and eighth in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Prior to the start of the season, the Hawks made one of the biggest draft-day deals in NBA history. The Hawks sent 2nd overall pick Bill Russell to the Boston Celtics for Cliff Hagan and second-year star Ed Macauley.[1] Macauley had been a popular player at St. Louis University. The Hawks struggled for most of the season and coach Red Holzman was fired midway through the season.[1] The new head coach was Slater Martin, who led the Hawks to a 5–3 record.[1] Martin did not want the added responsibility of head coach, so Alex Hannum took over for the rest of the season. Despite a 34–38 record, the Hawks claimed the Western Division by a tiebreaker and earned a bye into the Western Finals, where the Hawks swept the Minneapolis Lakers in three straight games. The Hawks met the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.[1] The Hawks won Game 1 in double overtime, 125–123 in Boston.[1] The Celtics took Game 2 and the Hawks took Game 3 at home by 2 points. After losing Game 5 in Boston, the Hawks needed another victory at home to force a decisive seventh game. Game 7 in Boston went into double overtime and the Celtics emerged victorious, winning by 2 points.

Offseason

NBA draft

Pick Player Position School
2 Bill Russell Center San Francisco

Roster

1956-57 St. Louis Hawks roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
F 25 John Barber 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 210 lb (95 kg) June 27, 1927 Cal State LA
SF 26 Irv Bemoras 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) November 18, 1930 Illinois
PF 12 Jack Coleman 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) May 23, 1924 Louisville
SF 6, 17 Cliff Hagan 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 210 lb (95 kg) December 9, 1931 Kentucky
PF 33 Alex Hannum 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) July 19, 1923 USC
G Bob Harrison 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 190 lb (86 kg) August 12, 1927 Michigan
PF 20, 50 Ed Macauley 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 185 lb (84 kg) March 22, 1928 Saint Louis
PG 22 Slater Martin 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 170 lb (77 kg) October 22, 1925 Texas
SG 21 Jack McMahon 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) December 3, 1928 St. John's
F/C 33 Willie Naulls 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 225 lb (102 kg) October 7, 1934 UCLA
SG 32 Med Park 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 205 lb (93 kg) April 11, 1933 Missouri
C 9 Bob Pettit 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 205 lb (93 kg) December 12, 1932 LSU
C 70 Chuck Share 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 235 lb (107 kg) March 14, 1927 Bowling Green
SF 15 Odie Spears 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) June 17, 1924 Western Kentucky
F 22 Norm Stewart 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) January 20, 1935 Missouri
Head coach
Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Roster

Regular season

Season standings

Western Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-St. Louis Hawks 34 38 .472 - 17-9 10-20 7-9 22-14
x-Minneapolis Lakers 34 38 .472 - 15-9 5-22 14-7 18-18
x-Fort Wayne Pistons 34 38 .472 - 23-5 5-23 6-10 17-19
Rochester Royals 31 41 .431 3 19-10 7-17 5-14 15-21


Game log

1956–57 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 27 Minneapolis W 97–75 Bob Pettit (25) 1–0
2 November 3 vs. Syracuse L 73–75 Jack McMahon (21) 1–1
3 November 4 @ Syracuse W 78–76 Ed Macauley (20) 2–1
4 November 7 New York W 107–101 Bob Pettit (34) 3–1
5 November 10 Fort Wayne W 86–79 Bob Pettit (27) 4–1
6 November 11 @ Fort Wayne L 81–96 Bob Pettit (27) 4–2
7 November 13 Rochester W 118–105 Bob Pettit (49) 5–2
8 November 17 Fort Wayne W 92–87 Ed Macauley (23) 6–2
9 November 18 @ New York L 69–102 Bob Pettit (13) 6–3
10 November 20 Syracuse W 104–81 Bob Pettit (26) 7–3
11 November 21 @ Rochester L 76–85 Bob Pettit (28) 7–4
12 November 24 Minneapolis L 102–104 (OT) Ed Macauley (27) 7–5
13 November 25 @ Minneapolis W 95–94 Ed Macauley (26) 8–5
14 November 27 Boston L 90–102 Bob Pettit (25) 8–6
15 December 1 Philadelphia L 95–107 Bob Pettit (23) 8–7
16 December 4 vs. Boston L 107–108 Bob Pettit (24) 8–8
17 December 6 vs. Minneapolis L 96–103 Bob Pettit (17) 8–9
18 December 7 New York L 101–107 Bob Pettit (22) 8–10
19 December 8 vs. New York L 104–109 Bob Pettit (21) 8–11
20 December 11 @ New York W 137–128 Bob Pettit (41) 9–11
21 December 12 @ Philadelphia L 99–115 Jack Coleman (25) 9–12
22 December 15 @ Boston L 99–102 Bob Pettit (31) 9–13
23 December 16 @ Syracuse L 91–101 Bob Pettit (26) 9–14
24 December 18 vs. Fort Wayne W 95–84 Bob Pettit (30) 10–14
25 December 22 @ Boston L 93–95 Bob Pettit (28) 10–15
26 December 25 @ New York W 107–105 (OT) Bob Pettit (37) 11–15
27 December 27 Syracuse W 102–95 Bob Pettit (39) 12–15
28 December 29 @ Minneapolis W 95–92 Bob Pettit (22) 13–15
29 December 30 Minneapolis W 100–93 Bob Pettit (41) 14–15
30 January 1 @ Rochester L 101–102 (OT) Bob Pettit (32) 14–16
31 January 3 vs. Philadelphia L 81–82 Bob Pettit (26) 14–17
32 January 4 @ Philadelphia 92–96 Jack Coleman (21) 14–18
33 January 6 Rochester L 86–93 Bob Pettit (33) 14–19
34 January 10 vs. New York L 84–89 (OT) Bob Pettit (38) 14–20
35 January 12 Boston W 100–98 Bob Pettit (39) 15–20
36 January 13 @ Fort Wayne L 89–91 Bob Pettit (28) 15–21
37 January 16 @ Rochester W 108–106 (OT) Bob Pettit (26) 16–21
38 January 17 vs. Fort Wayne W 106–82 Slater Martin (22) 17–21
39 January 18 @ Boston L 117–126 Bob Pettit (38) 17–22
40 January 19 @ Syracuse W 104–96 Bob Pettit (30) 18–22
41 January 20 Philadelphia W 104–102 (OT) Bob Pettit (23) 19–22
42 January 22 @ Fort Wayne L 87–97 Bob Pettit (30) 19–23
43 January 23 vs. Fort Wayne W 101–78 Bob Pettit (22) 20–23
44 January 24 @ Philadelphia L 96–107 Bob Pettit (30) 20–24
45 January 25 vs. Rochester W 100–99 Bob Pettit (36) 21–24
46 January 27 Rochester W 107–83 Bob Pettit (33) 22–24
47 January 29 Fort Wayne L 85–91 Bob Pettit (26) 22–25
48 February 2 @ Minneapolis W 106–97 Bob Pettit (37) 23–25
49 February 3 Minneapolis W 102–85 Bob Pettit (31) 24–25
50 February 5 Philadelphia L 87–101 Bob Pettit (26) 24–26
51 February 6 @ Rochester L 100–103 Bob Pettit (24) 24–27
52 February 7 @ Syracuse L 110–112 Bob Pettit (31) 24–28
53 February 8 @ Philadelphia L 90–93 Bob Pettit (41) 24–29
54 February 10 Rochester W 117–93 Bob Pettit (44) 25–29
55 February 11 vs. Syracuse W 107–101 Bob Pettit (33) 26–29
56 February 12 vs. Minneapolis L 105–110 Bob Pettit (35) 26–30
57 February 15 Boston L 116–123 (2OT) Bob Pettit (31) 26–31
58 February 17 @ Minneapolis W 118–115 (OT) Ed Macauley (36) 27–31
59 February 19 Fort Wayne W 96–83 Ed Macauley (23) 28–31
60 February 21 @ Boston L 112–125 Jack Coleman (33) 28–32
61 February 23 @ Rochester L 86–101 Ed Macauley (21) 28–33
62 February 24 Philadelphia W 113–112 Chuck Share (28) 29–33
63 February 25 vs. Minneapolis W 110–94 Med Park (24) 30–33
64 February 26 @ New York L 76–107 Jack Coleman (17) 30–34
65 February 27 vs. Syracuse L 93–108 Ed Macauley (21) 30–35
66 March 2 New York L 94–97 Cliff Hagan (19) 30–36
67 March 3 @ Fort Wayne W 112–102 Jack McMahon (27) 31–36
68 March 5 Boston W 104–102 Jack McMahon (21) 32–36
69 March 8 vs. Rochester W 100–92 Ed Macauley (26) 33–36
70 March 9 Fort Wayne W 97–96 Bob Pettit (23) 34–36
71 March 10 @ Minneapolis L 104–117 Ed Macauley (17) 34–37
72 March 13 vs. Rochester L 99–104 Ed Macauley (22) 34–38

Playoffs

1957 playoff game log
Division Tiebreaker (finished as West's #1 seed)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds Location Record
1 March 14 Fort Wayne W 115–103 Jack McMahon (24) Cliff Hagan (16) Kiel Auditorium 1–0
2 March 16 Minneapolis W 114–111 (OT) Cliff Hagan (28) Bob Pettit (18) Kiel Auditorium 2–0
Division Finals: 3–0 (home: 2–0; road: 1–0)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 March 21 Minneapolis W 118–109 Slater Martin (24) Bob Pettit (16) Jack McMahon (9) Kiel Auditorium
6,028 		1–0
2 March 24 Minneapolis W 106–104 Bob Pettit (30) Jack Coleman (15) — Kiel Auditorium
9,451 		2–0
3 March 26 @ Minneapolis W 143–135 (2OT) Bob Pettit (35) — — Minneapolis Auditorium 3–0
NBA Finals: 3–4 (home: 2–1; road: 1–3)
Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location
Attendance		 Series
1 March 30 @ Boston W 125–123 (2OT) Bob Pettit (37) Bob Pettit (14) — Boston Garden
5,976 		1–0
2 March 31 @ Boston L 99–119 Ed Macauley (19) Bob Pettit (13) Slick Leonard (4) Boston Garden
13,909 		1–1
3 April 6 Boston W 100–98 Bob Pettit (26) Bob Pettit (28) three player tied (5) Kiel Auditorium
10,048 		2–1
4 April 7 Boston L 118–123 Bob Pettit (33) Bob Pettit (16) Martin, Hagan (6) Kiel Auditorium
10,035 		2–2
5 April 9 @ Boston L 109–124 Bob Pettit (33) Bob Pettit (15) Med Park (6) Boston Garden
13,909 		2–3
6 April 11 Boston W 96–94 Bob Pettit (32) Bob Pettit (23) — Kiel Auditorium
10,053 		3–3
7 April 13 @ Boston L 123–125 (2OT) Bob Pettit (39) Bob Pettit (19) Martin, Coleman (7) Boston Garden
13,909 		3–4
1957 schedule

Awards and honors

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "St. Louis Hawks – Sports Ecyclopedia".
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.