The Waterloo Hawks were a National Basketball League and

National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...

team based in

Waterloo, Iowa Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census the population was 67,314, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. The city is part of the Waterloo – Cedar Falls ...

. The Hawks remain the only sports franchise ever based in

Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...

from any of the current Big Four Leagues.

Franchise history

The Waterloo Hawks were founded in 1948, playing in the National Basketball League. In 1949, the National Basketball League was absorbed by its rival, 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 ...

, forming the

; the Hawks were thus a founding member of the NBA. In the 1949–1950 season, their first and only one in the NBA, they finished 19–43, fifth out of six in the Western Division. The Waterloo Hawks are of no relation to the current-day

Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta. The Hawks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast Division (NBA), Sou ...

franchise; at the time of Waterloo's existence in the NBA, the latter franchise was based in

Moline, Illinois Moline ( ) is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. With a population of 42,985 in 2020, it is the largest city in Rock Island County. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline, Illinois, East M ...

as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks (and moved to Milwaukee when Waterloo's franchise folded). The

contracted after the 1949–1950 season. The league went from 17 teams to 11 before the 1950–1951 season started. Midway through the 1950–1951 season, the

Washington Capitols The Washington Capitols were a former Basketball Association of America (forerunner of the National Basketball Association) team based in Washington, D.C. from 1946 to 1951. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach ...

folded as well, bringing the number of teams in the league down to ten. Meanwhile, the National Professional Basketball League was formed around the former NBA teams, with teams added in new larger markets. The charter teams were the East Division:

Sheboygan Redskins The Sheboygan Red Skins (or Redskins) was a professional basketball team based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, which was an original National Basketball Association franchise during the 1949–1950 season. History Overview The Redskins played in th ...

(Former NBA),

Anderson Packers The Anderson Packers, also known as the Anderson Duffey Packers and the Chief Anderson Meat Packers, were a professional basketball team based in Anderson, Indiana, in the 1940s and 1950s. The team was founded and owned by brothers Ike W. and Jo ...

(Former NBA),

Louisville Alumnites Louisville Alumnites were a team in the National Professional Basketball League (1950-1951), based in Louisville, Kentucky. History The National Basketball Association contracted after the 1949–1950 season, losing six teams: The Anderson Packers ...

and Grand Rapids Hornets. West Division:

Denver Refiners The Denver Refiners were a professional basketball team who played in Denver, Colorado, in 1950–1951 and were a member of the Western Division of the National Professional Basketball League, which lasted one season. History The National Basket ...

Evansville Agogans :''Also see: Sports in Evansville''. The Evansville Agogans were a professional basketball team who played in Evansville, Indiana, in 1951 and were a member of the Western Division of the National Professional Basketball League (1950–1951), Natio ...

Saint Paul Lights The St. Paul Lights were a franchise for the one season (1950) of the National Professional Basketball League, based in St. Paul, Minnesota. History The National Basketball Association contracted after the 1949–1950 season, losing six teams: ...

Kansas City Hi-Spots The Kansas City Hi-Spots were a franchise for one season (1950-1951) in the National Professional Basketball League, based in Kansas City, Missouri. History The National Basketball Association contracted after the 1949-1950 season, losing six te ...

and Waterloo Hawks (Former NBA).

The arena

The Waterloo Hawks played at the Hippodrome, also known as McElroy Auditorium. The arena is still in use today and is located at 250 Ansborough Ave, Waterloo, IA 50701.

Season-by-season records

Waterloo Hawks all-time coaches

Charley Shipp Charles William Shipp (December 3, 1913 – March 21, 1988) was an American professional basketball player and coach. A 6'1" guard-forward, Shipp attended Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, where he led the Irish to the National Catholic Ch ...

(record 8–27) *

Jack Smiley Arthur John Smiley (December 22, 1922 – July 30, 2000) was an American professional basketball player. Smiley played basketball for Waterman High School, in Waterman, Illinois. With Gene Vance, Andy Phillip, Ken Menke, and Art Mathisen, Smiley ...

(record 11–16)

Waterloo Hawks all-time roster

B

C

G

H

K

M

O

P

S

T

References

External links

Waterloo Hawks Complete History

Iowa's NBA team
from ''

The Des Moines Register ''The Des Moines Register'' is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa. History Early period The first newspaper in Des Moines was the ''Iowa Star''. In July 1849, Barlow Granger began the paper in an abandoned log cabin by the junctio ...

''
Promoter put Hawks on an NBA track
from ''

''

{{NBAdefunct Waterloo Hawks, Basketball teams established in 1948 Basketball teams disestablished in 1951 Defunct basketball teams in the United States National Professional Basketball League (1950–51) 1948 establishments in Iowa 1951 disestablishments in Iowa Defunct National Basketball Association teams Waterloo, Iowa