Norman Henry Baker (February 17, 1923 – April 23, 1989) was a Canadian professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

and

lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensively ...

player.

Early life and career

Baker started his career at the age of ten while playing for the Nanaimo Mosquitoes. He became the youngest player to win a Canadian senior national championship as the team won in 1939. As a sixteen-year-old, Baker led the Mosquitoes to a win over the Harlem Globetrotters and was called "one of the greatest natural players I have ever seen" by Globetrotters founder

Abe Saperstein Abraham Michael Saperstein (; July 4, 1902 – March 15, 1966) was the founder, owner and earliest coach of the Harlem Globetrotters. Saperstein was a leading figure in black basketball and baseball from the 1920s through the 1950s, primarily be ...

. Baker won two more championships with the Mosquitoes in 1942 and 1946. While serving in the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; french: Aviation royale canadienne, ARC) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environm ...

, he won another championship in 1943 for the Pat Bay Gremlins. Baker set a league scoring record with the Gremlins when he posted 38 points in a game against Windsor.

Professional career

Baker became professional in 1946 when he played for the

Chicago Stags The Chicago Stags were a National Basketball Association team based in Chicago from 1946 to 1950. History 1946–47 season In the BAA's inaugural year, the Chicago Stags were placed in the Western Division, and after 60 games were tied with the ...

of the

Basketball Association of America The Basketball Association of America (BAA) was a professional basketball league in North America, founded in 1946. Following its third season, 1948–49, the BAA absorbed most of National Basketball League (NBL) and rebranded as the National Ba ...

(BAA). He was released after only four games with the team. Baker stated that the main reason he did not stay was because he had trouble with his contract and was only offered $900 a month. Baker played

for the Westminster Adanacs in 1947. Baker played 70 games for the Vancouver Hornets of the Pacific Coast Professional Basketball League from 1947 to 1948 and averaged 28.0 points per game. He joined the New York Celtics, Stars of America and Boston Whirlwinds as the touring opponent of the Harlem Globetrotters. He played for the Whirlwinds in the 1950–51 and 1952–53 seasons. Baker was the only non-American player on a basketball team billed as "The Stars of the World" that toured thirteen countries in Europe and Africa in 1950. After his playing career ended, Baker worked as a police officer. He coached basketball and lacrosse.

Legacy

Baker was voted as Canada's "Most Outstanding Player of the Century" in 1950. He was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 1966, Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1978, Canada Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979, and Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

BAA career statistics

Regular season

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baker, Norm 1923 births 1989 deaths Basketball people from British Columbia Canadian expatriate basketball people in the United States Canadian men's basketball players Canadian police officers Chicago Stags players Guards (basketball) National Basketball Association players from Canada Royal Canadian Air Force personnel of World War II Sportspeople from Victoria, British Columbia