The 1949–50 NBA season was the second season for the Fort Wayne Pistons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and ninth overall as a franchise.
After missing the playoffs for the first time in 1949 the franchise made their first NBA playoff berth, starting a streak of 14 straight post-season berths. After beating the Chicago Stags 86-69 in a tiebreaker game, the Pistons entered the playoffs as the three seed in the east and defeated their old rivals, the Rochester Royals, in a first round sweep, before the Pistons got swept by the eventual champion Minneapolis Lakers. Fort Wayne was led by Indiana basketball legend point guard Curly Armstrong (7.3 ppg, 2.8 apg) and rookie forward Fred Schaus (14.3 ppg).[1] [2]
See main article: 1949 BAA draft.
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/club team | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | F/C | ||||
| 2 | – | G | ||||
| 3 | – | F | ||||
| 4 | – | G |
| 1949–50 NBA records | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=100 | Team | AND | BAL | BOS | CHI | DEN | FWP | IND | MIN | NYK | PHI | ROC | SHE | STL | SYR | TCB | WAS | WAT |
| — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 2–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–2 | 2–0 | 3–4 | 7–2 | 1–1 | 7–0 | ||
| 1–1 | — | 2–4 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–1 | ||
| 2–0 | 4–2 | — | 0–6 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | ||
| 1–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | — | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 2–0 | ||
| 3–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | — | 0–2 | 0–7 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–4 | 0–2 | 1–6 | 0–7 | 0–2 | 2–5 | ||
| Fort Wayne | 1–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | |
| 5–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 7–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–2 | 1–1 | 2–7 | 4–3 | 1–1 | 5–2 | ||
| 1–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | — | 5–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 1–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 1–1 | 1–5 | — | 1–5 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 4–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 5–1 | 2–0 | ||
| 1–1 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 2–4 | 1–5 | — | 1–5 | 2–0 | 2–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–4 | 2–0 | ||
| 2–0 | 3–3 | 6–0 | 4–2 | 2–0 | 3–3 | 1–1 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–1 | — | 1–1 | 5–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 6–0 | 2–0 | ||
| 2–5 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–3 | 0–2 | 2–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | — | 0–2 | 1–6 | 3–4 | 2–0 | 4–3 | ||
| 0–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | 1–5 | 1–1 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–6 | 1–1 | ||
| 4–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 6–1 | 2–0 | 7–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 6–1 | 1–1 | — | 6–1 | 1–1 | 6–1 | ||
| 2–7 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 7–0 | 0–2 | 3–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–3 | 0–2 | 1–6 | — | 1–1 | 4–3 | ||
| 1–1 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 2–0 | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–6 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 0–6 | 0–2 | 6–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | ||
| 0–7 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 5–2 | 1–1 | 2–5 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–4 | 1–1 | 1–6 | 3–4 | 1–1 | — | ||
| 1949–50 game log | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record | ||
| 1 | November 3 | 87–72 | John Oldham (15) | 1–0 | ||
| 2 | November 6 | 87–70 | Fred Schaus (21) | 2–0 | ||
| 3 | November 10 | 89–59 | Armstrong, Schaus (14) | 3–0 | ||
| 4 | November 12 | 75–82 | Bob Carpenter (19) | 3–1 | ||
| 5 | November 13 | 90–71 | Fred Schaus (19) | 4–1 | ||
| 6 | November 16 | at Chicago | 72–85 | Charles Black (12) | 4–2 | |
| 7 | November 19 | 88–85 | Charles Black (16) | 5–2 | ||
| 8 | November 20 | 99–89 | John Oldham (20) | 6–2 | ||
| 9 | November 24 | at Boston | 99–85 | Fred Schaus (28) | 7–2 | |
| 10 | November 26 | 76–93 | Fred Schaus (15) | 7–3 | ||
| 11 | November 27 | New York | 72–77 | Leo Klier (23) | 7–4 | |
| 12 | November 30 | at Waterloo | 71–95 | Charles Black (14) | 7–5 | |
| 13 | December 1 | 74–70 | Fred Schaus (16) | 8–5 | ||
| 14 | December 4 | Washington | 72–68 | Fred Schaus (22) | 9–5 | |
| 15 | December 8 | 87–66 | Fred Schaus (26) | 10–5 | ||
| 16 | December 10 | at Washington | 69–75 | Fred Schaus (19) | 10–6 | |
| 17 | December 11 | 90–74 | Charles Black (24) | 11–6 | ||
| 18 | December 12 | 97–105 | Fred Schaus (23) | 11–7 | ||
| 19 | December 14 | 83–96 | Jack Kerris (17) | 11–8 | ||
| 20 | December 15 | 69–66 | Bob Carpenter (16) | 12–8 | ||
| 21 | December 18 | Baltimore | 106–95 | Bob Carpenter (22) | 13–8 | |
| 22 | December 22 | 87–75 | Fred Schaus (20) | 14–8 | ||
| 23 | December 25 | at Minneapolis | 58–72 | Charles Black (13) | 14–9 | |
| 24 | December 26 | Chicago | 76–74 | Fred Schaus (24) | 15–9 | |
| 25 | December 28 | Tri-Cities | 81–75 (OT) | Leo Klier (14) | 16–9 | |
| 26 | December 29 | at Rochester | 79–97 | Bob Carpenter (14) | 16–10 | |
| 27 | December 30 | at Boston | 73–92 | Fred Schaus (16) | 16–11 | |
| 28 | December 31 | at Philadelphia | 65–62 | Fred Schaus (14) | 17–11 | |
| 29 | January 1 | Boston | 80–72 | Curly Armstrong (17) | 18–11 | |
| 30 | January 4 | at Minneapolis | 75–91 | Fred Schaus (16) | 18–12 | |
| 31 | January 5 | St. Louis | 87–83 | Bob Carpenter (18) | 19–12 | |
| 32 | January 7 | at New York | 88–80 | Curly Armstrong (16) | 20–12 | |
| 33 | January 8 | 83–69 | Charles Black (15) | 21–12 | ||
| 34 | January 12 | Syracuse | 62–64 | Charles Black (12) | 21–13 | |
| 35 | January 15 | Philadelphia | 81–67 | Bob Harris (17) | 22–13 | |
| 36 | January 18 | at Sheboygan | 73–72 | Fred Schaus (15) | 23–13 | |
| 37 | January 19 | at St. Louis | 64–74 | Bob Carpenter (17) | 23–14 | |
| 38 | January 21 | at Indianapolis | 94–112 | Fred Schaus (19) | 23–15 | |
| 39 | January 22 | Washington | 82–70 | Bob Carpenter (14) | 24–15 | |
| 40 | January 24 | at Philadelphia | 74–87 | Fred Schaus (15) | 24–16 | |
| 41 | January 25 | at New York | 66–96 | Fred Schaus (17) | 24–17 | |
| 42 | January 26 | at Boston | 68–89 | Fred Schaus (14) | 24–18 | |
| 43 | January 28 | at Baltimore | 64–77 | Bob Carpenter (12) | 24–19 | |
| 44 | January 29 | New York | 92–70 | Fred Schaus (29) | 25–19 | |
| 45 | January 31 | at Chicago | 93–89 | Howie Schultz (18) | 26–19 | |
| 46 | February 2 | Minneapolis | 78–79 | Bob Harris (16) | 26–20 | |
| 47 | February 5 | Anderson | 95–85 | Fred Schaus (22) | 27–20 | |
| 48 | February 7 | at Denver | 83–67 | Fred Schaus (20) | 28–20 | |
| 49 | February 9 | Philadelphia | 61–64 | Fred Schaus (13) | 28–21 | |
| 50 | February 11 | at Rochester | 92–84 | Bob Carpenter (16) | 29–21 | |
| 51 | February 12 | Rochester | 76–74 | Johnson, Kerris (16) | 30–21 | |
| 52 | February 15 | Boston | 84–78 | Duane Klueh (16) | 31–21 | |
| 53 | February 16 | at Baltimore | 77–83 | Fred Schaus (15) | 31–22 | |
| 54 | February 17 | at Philadelphia | 68–67 | Fred Schaus (16) | 32–22 | |
| 55 | February 18 | at New York | 84–80 | Jack Kerris (13) | 33–22 | |
| 56 | February 19 | Baltimore | 79–71 | Jack Kerris (21) | 34–22 | |
| 57 | February 23 | at St. Louis | 74–72 | Fred Schaus (17) | 35–22 | |
| 58 | February 26 | Washington | 78–81 | Red Rocha (15) | 35–23 | |
| 59 | February 28 | at Minneapolis | 65–71 | Fred Schaus (14) | 35–24 | |
| 60 | March 1 | at St. Louis | 75–70 | Bob Carpenter (18) | 36–24 | |
| 61 | March 2 | St. Louis | 91–61 | Duane Klueh (21) | 37–24 | |
| 62 | March 4 | at Rochester | 70–73 | Curly Armstrong (16) | 37–25 | |
| 63 | March 5 | Rochester | 60–65 | Fred Schaus (13) | 37–26 | |
| 64 | March 9 | Chicago | 84–71 | Duane Klueh (18) | 38–26 | |
| 65 | March 11 | at Chicago | 88–90 | Fred Schaus (23) | 38–27 | |
| 66 | March 12 | Baltimore | 86–75 | Bob Carpenter (25) | 39–27 | |
| 67 | March 18 | at Washington | 76–82 | Fred Schaus (16) | 39–28 | |
| 68 | March 19 | Minneapolis | 69–67 | Bob Carpenter (12) | 40–28 |
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 20| Chicago| W 86–69| Fred Schaus (18)| Fred Schaus (6)| North Side High School Gym| 1–0|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 1| March 23| @ Rochester| W 90–84| Wager, Schaefer (18)| Edgerton Park Arena| 1–0|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"| 2| March 24| Rochester| W 79–78 (OT)| Bob Carpenter (27)| North Side High School Gym| 2–0|-|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 1| March 27| @ Minneapolis| L 79–93| Fred Schaus (20)| Fred Schaus (4)| Minneapolis Auditorium| 0–1|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"| 2| March 28| Minneapolis| L 82–89| Fred Schaus (33)| —| North Side High School Gym| 0–2|-