The Basketball Association of America was formed with teams to play in 13 cities: Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, St Louis, Toronto, and Washington.

The Philadelphia franchise was awarded to the Philadelphia Arena corporation with Peter Tyrrell as general manager. The team would call themselves the Warriors, adopting a name well-known in local basketball lore. Tyrrell announced that Philadelphia Sphas coach Eddie Gottlieb would be the team’s head coach. Gottlieb would continue coaching the Sphas while also coaching in the BAA.

Awarded franchise

Stanley Root, Philadelphia Arena president

Hired

Eddie Gottlieb, head coach
Peter Tyrrell, general manager

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Phila. Five Gets Pro Franchise,” 28

First Player Signed

The Warriors signed their first player, former St Joseph's guard Matt Guokas.

Signed

Matt Guokas, guard

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Guokas to Play with Arena Five,” 25

Two More Locals Signed

The Warriors signed two more players with local ties: former Temple University guard Angelo Musi and forward John Murphy, who had starred at Simon Gratz High School. Both spent most of the war in the US Army.

Signed

John Murphy, forward
Angelo Musi, guard

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Musi, Murphy to Play with Arena Quintet,” 26

Two more signings

The Warriors added a pair of players, bringing their roster total to five, both with local ties. Art Hillhouse, a 6'6“ center, led the American Basketball League last year in scoring with the Philadelphia Sphas, while 5'10” Petey Rosenberg came out of South Philadelphia High and chose basketball over baseball after receiving an offer from the Phillies.

Signed

Art Hillhouse, center
Petey Rosenberg, guard

Philadelphia Inquirer

“2 Stars Join Roster of Arena Team,” 28

Gottlieb Chooses BAA

The American Basketball League’s Philadelphia Sphas announced that head coach Eddie Gottlieb had resigned to focus his efforts on the Warriors.

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Litwick to Succeed Gottlieb as Coach of Sphas' Five,” 26

League Details

The BAA announced a number of the league's operational details. The Buffalo and Indianapolis franchises would be inactive during the league’s first season. The league was to be divided into two geographical divisions with Philadelphia assigned to the Eastern Division. Rosters would be limited to 20 players until the season opened, at which time they needed to be cut to 12 players. A further cutdown to 10 players would be required by February 10. Teams would be allowed no more than 10 players and no fewer than 8 players in uniform during games. Each team would play a 54-game schedule (27 home, 27 away) scheduled to start November 2. Teams would not be permitted to play any exhibitions.

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Phila. Warriors to Play 27 Games on Arena Court,” AP, 24

Another Local Signed

The Warriors picked up former St Joseph's star George Senesky. The 6'2“ forward had been named the city's top athlete in 1942 in a poll of local sportswriters.

Signed

George Senesky, forward

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Senesky Joins Arena Quintet,” 25

More Signings

The Warriors signed their first player from somewhere other than the Philadelphia area, Utah forward Fred Sheffield. They also added NYU's Jerry Fleishman.

Signed

Jerry Fleishman, guard
Fred Sheffield, forward

Philadelphia Inqurer

“Warriors Sign Utah's Sheffield,” 33

Fulks Signed

Little did they know it, but the Warriors signed the player who would be the first scoring wizard of the BAA, Murray State's Joe Fulks.

Signed

Joe Fulks, forward

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Warriors Sign Ex-Marine Star,” 36

The Warriors signed two players: Texas College of Mines and Metallurgy (now UTEP) guard Art Campa and Albright College center Bill Landis. Campa had been a member the Chihuahua team that had won the Mexican national basketball championship and had also played in the US Army during the war years.

Signed

Art Campa, guard
Bill Landis, center

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Warriors Sign Mexican Player,” 27

Schedule Set

The Warriors announced their schedule for the 1946-47 BAA season, opening at home against Pittsburgh on November 7. The league revised the number of games for each of the eleven teams from 54 to 60. The schedule would be balanced with each team playing every other team six times.

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Warriors to Play 30 Home Games,” 38

League Rules Set

The BAA announced that collegiate rules would be used with the following signification exceptions: games would consist of four 12-minute quarters, unlimited substitution was allowed, coaching from the bench was allowed, and free throws would be awarded after all fouls.

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Pro Court League Plans Innovations, Rule Changes,” Fred Byrod, 31

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Warriors Likely to Use 2 Teams,” 27

First mention of possible starting lineup

Angelo Musi, guard
George Senesky, guard
Jerry Fleishman, forward
Joe Fulks, forward
Art Hillhouse, center

Playmaker Signed

The Warriors signed former Stanford and Penn forward Howie Dallmar. According to the Inquirer, Eddie Gottlieb sought him out for his playmaking ability.

Signed

Howie Dallmar, forward

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Howie Dallmar Joins Warriors,” 15

Rullo Signed

The Warriors signed former Temple guard Jerry Rullo. The Inquirer identified him as one of a group of players who had been working out with the team, but hadn't been signed.

Signed

Jerry Rullo, guard

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Jerry Rullo Signs with Warriors,” 26

Waived

Art Campa, guard
Bill Landis, center

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Waivers Asked on Landis, Campa,” 31

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Old Warriors to Be Feted,” 38

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Matt Guokas,” photo, 37

Jerry Rullo, separated shoulder, injured in practice, out 2-3 weeks

Winners Out of the Gate

In their franchise debut, the Warriors overcame an 11-point deficit to beat the Pittsburgh Ironmen, 81-75, at the Philadelphia Arena. It was a vicious, physical struggle with five Pittsburgh players fouling out, leaving just four players eligible to play. Eddie Gottlieb offered to let one of the disqualified Pittsburgh players return to the game, but Ironmen coach Paul Birch refused the offer in a fit of pique against the officiating. Gottlieb then removed one of his own players and the last three minutes were played four-on-four. The total points scored was the highest of any game so far in the league's young history, as was the Warriors' team total of 81.

At Philadelphia Arena

Scoring

PGH - Moe Becker 20, Michael Bytzura 11, Ed Milovich 10, Press Maravich 9, Brooms Abramovic 8, John Mills 8, Stan Noszka 5, Nat Frankel

PHL - Joe Fulks 25, George Senesky 12, Fred Sheffield 11, Angelo Musi 9, Art Hillhouse 8, Howie Dallmar 6, Jerry Fleishman 4, Matt Guokas 3, John Murphy 2, Petey Rosenberg 1

Head coaches - Paul Birch, Eddie Gottlieb

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Warriors Meet Pittsburgh in Pro Basketball Opener,” Fred Byrod, 28, 29

Howie Dallmar replaced Art Hillhouse at starting center
Fred Sheffield replaced Jerry Fleishman at starting forward

Philadelphia Inquirer

“Warriors Win Opener, 81-75,” Fred Byrod, 32
“Scramble for Ball as Warriors Capture League Opener,” photo, 32

Warriors Improve to 2-0

The Warriors beat the Washington Capitols, 68-65, at the Arena. The Capitols were ice cold from the floor early on and the Warriors started the game with a 16-2 run. The Caps found their footing after that, but the Warriors were able to keep them at bay until early in the fourth, sporting a 19-point lead. At that point, Caps forward Bones McKinney got hot and led his team on a 16-point run to close the game to within three. The Warriors only just managed to hold them off from there and scoot away with the win.

“Unbeaten Warriors Play Here Tonight,” Fred Byrod, 25
“Kellett, Gottlieb Speak at Clinic,” 25

“Warriors Beat Capitols, 68-65,” Fred Byrod, 32

The St Louis Bombers handed the Warriors their first loss in a 66-63 contest at the Philadelphia Arena.

The Chicago Stags went on a 13-point run in the fourth quarter to take the lead and beat the Warriors, 65-63, at the Philadelphia Arena. Joe Fulks played, but was held out of the starting lineup with a cold.

The Warriors played an exhibition at the 111th Infantry Armory in Philadelphia, but the story in the Inquirer mentioned neither the opponent nor the score. The game was part of an effort to drum up new recruits for the Pennsylvania National Guard.

Angelo Musi led the Warriors with 16 points in a 66-54 win over the Boston Celtics at the Philadelphia Arena. Joe Fulks had recovered from his cold and returned to the starting lineup. Warriors forward Howie Dallmar left the game early with an elbow injury. The Arena surface was slick because of condensation caused by the hockey surface under the hardwood and led to Dallmar’s fall and injury.

The Detroit Falcons took advantage of a poor night of shooting by the Warriors and won, 68-55, at the Philadelphia Arena.

The Warriors overcame an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game at the end of regulation, but the Knicks came out 64-60 winners in overtime in New York. It was the first overtime game and first road game for the Warriors franchise.

Joe Fulks set a new league mark with 37 points as the Warriors beat the Providence Steamrollers, 79-68, at the Philadelphia Arena.

The Warriors put a stop to the New York Knicks’ nine-game winning streak, beating them 62-51 at the Philadelphia Arena.

The Warriors beat the Bombers, 57-47, in St Louis, despite losing scoring wizard Joe Fulks to injury in the third quarter. As was common in league arenas, the court was slick with condensation from the hockey ice underneath the surface and a number of players, including Fulks, took spills. He was carried off the court by teammates with a possible groin pull.

Play was stopped for a time in the second quarter to clean up “oranges and other debris” St Louis fans hurled at referee Pat Kennedy after a particularly irksome call

Joe Fulks returned from last night’s injury scare to score 25 points, but it wasn’t enough as the Rebels beat the Warriors, 72-66, in Cleveland.

Referee William Solodare issued a warning to head coach Eddie Gottlieb for “umpiring from the bench” after the Warriors coach had spent the first two quarters complaining about his work.

The Warriors set a new league scoring mark as they beat the Huskies, 85-73, in Toronto

The Washington Capitols beat the Warriors, 64-49, at the Philadelphia Arena to win their 11th straight game.

• The Warriors scored just seven fourth-quarter points as they fell to the Celtics, 77-65, in Boston.

In a battle between the league’s top two scorers, Joe Fulks’s Warriors beat Stan Miasek’s Detroit Falcons, 57-49, at the Philadelphia Arena.

The Warriors ended the Cleveland Rebels’ three-game win streak, beating them at the Philadelphia Arena, 58-44.

The Capitols extended their winning streak to 14 games by beating the Warriors, 68-56, in Washington.

The Warriors jumped out to a 29-13 halftime lead over the Pittsburgh Ironmen, then held off a late charge to win, 53-46, at Convention Hall.

Joe Fulks sank a pair of free throws late to put the Warriors on top for good in a 63-60 win over the Celtics in Boston.

In a contentious, whistle-filled contest, the Bombers beat the Warriors, 75-68, in St Louis.

According to the Inquirer, a number of travel delays, including a pair of flights that were canceled or re-routed, contributed to the team’s subpar performance.

Clutch free throws from Joe Fulks and George Senesky gave the Warriors a 62-60 win over the Ironmen in Pittsburgh.