Skip to content
YouTubeInstagramTikTokTwitchDiscordTwitterFacebookMail
Login / Register
RetroSeasons
RetroSeasons recaps past sports seasons through stories, photos, videos, and stats from every team, league, and stadium in history. Coverage includes the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, as well as vintage media from defunct teams and leagues.
RetroSeasonsRetroSeasons
  • Players
  • Teams
    • col1
      • Atlanta
      • Arizona
      • Baltimore
      • Boston
      • Buffalo
      • Calgary
      • Carolina
      • Chicago
      • Cincinnati
      • Cleveland
      • Columbus
      • Dallas
      • Denver
      • Detroit
      • Edmonton
      • Houston
    • col2
      • Indiana
      • Jacksonville
      • Kansas City
      • Las Vegas
      • Los Angeles
      • Louisville
      • Miami
      • Milwaukee
      • Minnesota
      • Montreal
      • New Orleans
      • New York
      • Oakland
      • Oklahoma
      • Orlando
      • Ottawa
    • col3
      • Philadelphia
      • Phoenix
      • Pittsburgh
      • Portland
      • San Antonio
      • San Diego
      • Seattle
      • San Francisco
      • St. Louis
      • Tampa Bay
      • Tennessee
      • Toronto
      • Utah
      • Vancouver
      • Washington DC
      • Winnipeg
  • Leagues
    • ⚾ Baseball
      • MLB
      • Negro League
      • Early Leagues
    • 🏈 Football
      • NFL
      • AFL
      • Early Leagues
    • 🏀 Basketball
      • NBA
      • ABA
      • Early Leagues
    • Hockey
      • NHL
      • WHA
      • Early Leagues
  • Stadiums
    • Search / AI
    • Blog
    • Help
    • Sources
    • Profile
  • Players
  • Teams
    • Atlanta
    • Arizona
    • Baltimore
    • Boston
    • Buffalo
    • Calgary
    • Carolina
    • Chicago
    • Cincinnati
    • Cleveland
    • Columbus
    • Dallas
    • Denver
    • Detroit
    • Edmonton
    • Houston
    • Indiana
    • Jacksonville
    • Kansas City
    • Las Vegas
    • Los Angeles
    • Louisville
    • Miami
    • Milwaukee
    • Minnesota
    • Montreal
    • New Orleans
    • New York
    • Oakland
    • Oklahoma
    • Orlando
    • Ottawa
    • Philadelphia
    • Phoenix
    • Pittsburgh
    • Portland
    • San Antonio
    • San Diego
    • Seattle
    • San Francisco
    • St. Louis
    • Tampa Bay
    • Tennessee
    • Toronto
    • Utah
    • Vancouver
    • Washington DC
    • Winnipeg
  • Leagues
    • Baseball
      • MLB
      • Negro League
      • Early Leagues
    • Football
      • NFL
      • AFL
      • Early Leagues
    • Basketball
      • NBA
      • ABA
      • Early Leagues
    • Hockey
      • NHL
      • WHA
      • Early Leagues
  • Stadiums
  • More
    • Search / AI
    • What’s New?
    • Sources
    • Help
    • Profile
World Professional Basketball Tournament logo

World Professional Basketball Tournament (WPBT)
History 1939-1948 (10 seasons)

  • League Overview
  • Seasons
  • Teams
  • Career Leaders
  • Season Records
  • Audio & Video Clips
  • Stories & Photos
  • Basketball Card History
  • Collectibles
  • Links Wikipedia
Leagues Basketball WPBT
The World Professional Basketball Tournament was an invitational tournament held in Chicago and sponsored by the Chicago Herald American. The annual event was held from 1939 to 1948, and the winner was generally acknowledged as the World Champions of basketball. Many teams came from the National Basketball League, but it also included the best teams from other leagues and the best independent barnstorming teams such as the New York Rens and Harlem Globetrotters. Games were played at various sites including Chicago Coliseum, International Amphitheater and Chicago Stadium. The NBL champion usually won this tournament, with three exceptions: the New York Rens won the first WPBT in 1939, while the Harlem Globetrotters—a strongly competitive squad in those days—won the following year. In 1943, the Washington Bears (with many New York Rens players on their roster) won the tournament. The NBL's Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons won the most titles (three, from 1944–46), while the NBL's Oshkosh All-Stars made the most finals appearances with five, winning only once (in 1942). The tournament disbanded in 1949, after the BAA and NBL merged to form the NBA.
The World Professional Basketball Tournament was an invitational tournament held in Chicago and sponsored by the Chicago Herald American. The annual event was held from 1939 to 1948, and the winner was generally acknowledged as the World Champions of basketball. Many teams came from the National Basketball League, but it also included the best teams from other leagues and the best independent barnstorming teams such as the New York Rens and Harlem Globetrotters. Games were played at various sites including Chicago Coliseum, International Amphitheater and Chicago Stadium. The NBL champion usually won this tournament, with three exceptions: the New York Rens won the first WPBT in 1939, while the Harlem Globetrotters—a strongly competitive squad in those days—won the following year. In 1943, the Washington Bears (with many New York Rens players on their roster) won the tournament. The NBL's Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons won the most titles (three, from 1944–46), while the NBL's Oshkosh All-Stars made the most finals appearances with five, winning only once (in 1942). The tournament disbanded in 1949, after the BAA and NBL merged to form the NBA.

Recap

The World Professional Basketball Tournament was an invitational tournament held in Chicago and sponsored by the Chicago Herald American. The annual event was held from 1939 to 1948, and the winner was generally acknowledged as the World Champions of basketball. Many teams came from the National Basketball League, but it also included the best teams from other leagues and the best independent barnstorming teams such as the New York Rens and Harlem Globetrotters. Games were played at various sites including Chicago Coliseum, International Amphitheater and Chicago Stadium.

The NBL champion usually won this tournament, with three exceptions: the New York Rens won the first WPBT in 1939, while the Harlem Globetrotters—a strongly competitive squad in those days—won the following year. In 1943, the Washington Bears (with many New York Rens players on their roster) won the tournament. The NBL's Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons won the most titles (three, from 1944–46), while the NBL's Oshkosh All-Stars made the most finals appearances with five, winning only once (in 1942). The tournament disbanded in 1949, after the BAA and NBL merged to form the NBA.

Close
Other concurrent basketball leagues:    
BAA  ·  PBLA  ·  NBL  ·  ABL

WPBT Champions

Year Team Coach
1948 Minneapolis Lakers John Kundla
1947 Indianapolis Kautskys
1946 Fort Wayne Pistons Carl Bennett
1945 Fort Wayne Pistons Bobby McDermott
1944 Fort Wayne Pistons Bobby McDermott
1943 Washington Bears
1942 Oshkosh All Stars Lon Darling
1941 Detroit Eagles Dutch Dehnert
1940 Harlem Globetrotters Abe Saperstein
1939 New York Rens Bob Douglas
View All WPBT Seasons

Related Content

Stories, Photos, Videos, Podcasts, and Publications featuring World Professional Basketball Tournament History
F i l t e r   &   S o r t  Filter & Sort
F i l t e r
S o r t
S e a r c h
0 matches
Sheboygan Redskins Entered In 1941 Basketball Tournament
Sheboygan Redskins Entered In 1941 Basketball Tournament
1941 · Playoffs
,Basketball  /  NBL (1938-1949),Basketball  /  WPBT (1939-1948),Sheboygan Red Skins (NPBL 1939-1951)

WPBT History

  • League Overview
  • Seasons
  • Teams
  • Career Leaders
  • Season Records
  • Audio & Video Clips
  • Stories & Photos
  • Basketball Card History
  • Collectibles
  • Links Wikipedia
© RetroSeasons.com (Privacy / Terms)
Historical data obtained from various sources
Logos are registered trademarks of their respective team or league
Go to Top