1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians season

1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians season
Head coachCliff Barker (24–32)
Wally Jones (7–5)
ArenaButler Fieldhouse
Results
Record31–37 (.456)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Western)
Playoff finishWest Division Semifinals
(eliminated 1–2)

Stats at Basketball Reference
RadioWXLW

The 1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians season was the Olympians' 2nd season in the NBA.[1] One lesser known aspect regarding this season involves how an NBA referee named Sol Levy would successfully rig a game involving the Olympians on November 12, 1950 to have them lose their match to the Boston Celtics instead, which later led to him being caught in the act and arrested as an eventual accomplice in the CCNY point-shaving scandal of 1951.[2][3]

NBA draft

Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 8 Bob Lavoy F/C  United States Western Kentucky
2 20 Paul Unruh F  United States Bradley
3 32 Chuck Mrazovich F  United States Eastern Kentucky
6 68 Ralph O'Brien G  United States Butler
7 80 Leon Blevins G  United States Arizona

Roster

1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians roster
Players Coaches
Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From
SG 10 Cliff Barker 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Kentucky
SF 20 Leo Barnhorst 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Notre Dame
G 12 Ralph Beard 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Kentucky
G 9 Leon Blevins 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Arizona
C 15 Alex Groza 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 218 lb (99 kg) Kentucky
G/F 7 Bruce Hale 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Santa Clara
SF 14 Joe Holland 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Kentucky
PF 17 Wallace Jones 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Kentucky
PF 8 Bob Lavoy 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Western Kentucky
F/C 18 Don Lofgran 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 200 lb (91 kg) San Francisco
C 19 John Mahnken 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 220 lb (100 kg) Georgetown
F/C 16 Mal McMullen 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Xavier
F 19 Chuck Mrazovich 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Eastern Kentucky
G/F 18 Carl Shaeffer 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 185 lb (84 kg) Alabama
SG 5 Paul Walther 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 160 lb (73 kg) Tennessee
Head coach

Legend
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Regular season

Season standings

W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-Minneapolis Lakers 44 24 .647 29–3 12–21 3–0 24–12
x-Rochester Royals 41 27 .603 3 29–5 12–22 18–15
x-Fort Wayne Pistons 32 36 .471 12 27–7 5–27 0–2 18–6
x-Indianapolis Olympians 31 37 .456 13 19–12 10–24 2–1 15–20
Tri-Cities Blackhawks 25 43 .368 19 22–13 2–28 1–2 12–24

Game log

1950–51 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Location Record
1 November 1 @ Washington L 84–100 Alex Groza (23) 0–1
2 November 4 @ Baltimore L 86–102 Alex Groza (26) 0–2
3 November 5 @ Fort Wayne L 63–68 Alex Groza (31) 0–3
4 November 7 New York W 86–73 Alex Groza (18) 1–3
5 November 9 @ New York W 85–73 Bob Lavoy (23) 2–3
6 November 12 @ Boston L 75–78 Ralph Beard (22) 2–4
7 November 14 Syracuse W 108–78 Bob Lavoy (21) 3–4
8 November 16 @ Philadelphia L 67–85 Alex Groza (23) 3–5
9 November 18 Tri-Cities W 74–67 Alex Groza (17) 4–5
10 November 19 @ Tri-Cities L 81–104 Alex Groza (16) 4–6
11 November 21 Rochester W 91–79 Alex Groza (32) 5–6
12 November 23 @ Syracuse W 92–85 Ralph Beard (25) 6–6
13 November 25 Baltimore W 92–81 Alex Groza (23) 7–6
14 November 26 @ Fort Wayne L 70–79 Alex Groza (21) 7–7
15 November 28 Fort Wayne W 90–66 Alex Groza (25) 8–7
16 December 1 Minneapolis W 66–65 Ralph Beard (18) 9–7
17 December 2 @ Rochester L 72–94 Bob Lavoy (15) 9–8
18 December 3 @ Syracuse L 81–84 Alex Groza (18) 9–9
19 December 5 New York W 95–89 Ralph Beard (20) 10–9
20 December 6 @ Washington W 101–79 Wallace Jones (34) 11–9
21 December 7 @ Philadelphia L 73–102 Alex Groza (18) 11–10
22 December 10 @ New York L 84–106 Alex Groza (33) 11–11
23 December 12 Tri-Cities W 75–74 Ralph Beard (21) 12–11
24 December 15 Minneapolis L 71–82 Alex Groza (19) 12–12
25 December 17 @ Minneapolis L 60–79 Alex Groza (20) 12–13
26 December 19 Fort Wayne L 92–93 Alex Groza (34) 12–14
27 December 23 @ Washington W 87–79 (OT) Paul Walther (17) 13–14
28 December 26 Washington L 81–88 Alex Groza (27) 13–15
29 December 29 Tri-Cities W 112–81 Ralph Beard (28) 14–15
30 January 2 Philadelphia L 86–87 (OT) Beard, Groza (19) 14–16
31 January 4 @ Fort Wayne W 94–83 Ralph Beard (28) 15–16
32 January 6 @ Rochester W 75–73 (6OT) Beard, Groza (17) 16–16
33 January 7 @ Tri-Cities L 79–83 Alex Groza (20) 16–17
34 January 9 Rochester L 59–77 Alex Groza (19) 16–18
35 January 12 Fort Wayne L 81–89 Bob Lavoy (18) 16–19
36 January 14 @ Minneapolis L 84–86 (OT) Ralph Beard (22) 16–20
37 January 16 Minneapolis W 82–68 Alex Groza (19) 17–20
38 January 18 @ Philadelphia L 80–114 Alex Groza (24) 17–21
39 January 20 @ Baltimore L 63–102 Alex Groza (24) 17–22
40 January 23 Boston L 79–83 (OT) Ralph Beard (27) 17–23
41 January 26 Philadelphia W 78–75 Alex Groza (27) 18–23
42 January 28 @ Minneapolis L 75–101 Alex Groza (24) 18–24
43 January 29 Tri-Cities W 87–85 Alex Groza (30) 19–24
44 January 31 Rochester W 68–63 Alex Groza (28) 20–24
45 February 3 Minneapolis L 84–89 Alex Groza (21) 20–25
46 February 4 @ New York W 105–83 Ralph Beard (31) 21–25
47 February 5 vs. Boston L 57–70 Ralph Beard (24) 21–26
48 February 6 Rochester W 78–76 Ralph Beard (24) 22–26
49 February 10 Philadelphia L 78–88 Alex Groza (25) 22–27
50 February 11 @ Minneapolis L 78–91 Alex Groza (21) 22–28
51 February 13 Fort Wayne W 80–78 Beard, Groza (21) 23–28
52 February 14 @ Tri-Cities L 91–98 Alex Groza (24) 23–29
53 February 15 vs. Baltimore W 69–60 Alex Groza (24) 24–29
54 February 16 Minneapolis L 71–76 Ralph Beard (24) 24–30
55 February 18 @ Boston L 75–78 Beard, Groza (17) 24–31
56 February 20 Syracuse L 79–81 Alex Groza (29) 24–32
57 February 25 @ Minneapolis W 75–73 Alex Groza (19) 25–32
58 February 27 Baltimore W 96–74 Ralph Beard (32) 26–32
59 March 4 @ Tri-Cities L 72–87 Ralph Beard (20) 26–33
60 March 6 Boston W 75–73 Alex Groza (20) 27–33
61 March 8 @ Syracuse L 97–121 Alex Groza (27) 27–34
62 March 9 Rochester L 84–91 Alex Groza (23) 27–35
63 March 11 @ Rochester W 95–88 Ralph Beard (35) 28–35
64 March 13 Syracuse W 98–93 Alex Groza (28) 29–35
65 March 14 @ Fort Wayne L 109–115 Alex Groza (35) 29–36
66 March 15 New York W 74–70 Alex Groza (26) 30–36
67 March 17 @ Baltimore W 92–91 Alex Groza (37) 31–36
68 March 18 @ Rochester L 79–91 Ralph Beard (22) 31–37

Playoffs

West Division Semifinals

(1) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (4) Indianapolis Olympians: Lakers win series 2-1

  • Game 1 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 95, Indianapolis 81
  • Game 2 @ Indianapolis: Indianapolis 108, Minneapolis 88
  • Game 3 @ Minneapolis: Minneapolis 85, Indianapolis 80

Awards and records

References

  1. ^ 1950–51 Indianapolis Olympians
  2. ^ Goldstein, Joe, "Explosion: 1951 scandals threaten college hoops" - ESPN - November 19, 2003
  3. ^ "When an NBA Referee Was Convicted of Shaving Points". July 24, 2007.