Tri-Cities Blackhawks

1946–1953: Buffalo, Tri-Cities, and Milwaukee

Upon moving to Moline, the team was renamed the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and played their home games at Wharton Field House, a 6,000-seat arena in Moline. During the team's existence as the Blackhawks, the team had also been referred to as both the Tri-City Blackhawks and Quad-City Blackhawks alongside the more official Tri-Cities Blackhawks. The team featured guard/forward and coach Nat Hickey, and was owned by Leo Ferris and Ben Kerner. Pop Gates remained on the Blackhawks roster, and finished second on the team in scoring behind future 1949 NBL MVPDon Otten. A Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member, Gates helped to integrate the league and later became the first African-American coach in a major sports league, coaching Dayton in 1948.