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1958–59 Cincinnati Royals season

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NBA professional basketball team season
1958–59 Cincinnati Royals season
Head coachBobby Wanzer
Tom Marshall
OwnersThomas E. Wood
ArenaCincinnati Gardens
Results
Record19–53 (.264)
PlaceDivision: 4th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
TelevisionWKRC-TV
RadioWKRC
< 1957–58 1959–60 >

The 1958–59 Cincinnati Royal season was the 14th season of the franchise, its 11th season in the NBA and second season in Cincinnati.

This season is being one of the most notorious seasons faced by an NBA team in the league's history. The reason was the tragic career-ending head injury to star Maurice Stokes, who became permanently hospitalized at the age of 24 at the end of the previous season, which had been the team's first in Cincinnati. The loss of Stokes shocked six other roster players into retirement. Also, the team had been sold to new, inexperienced local ownership and also soon had to replace their coach. Star shooter Jack Twyman returned for the club as the only returnee from a year ago. Had Twyman accepted other offers that year, the team would have likely folded.

St. Louis owner Ben Kerner, a long-time friend of previous owners Les and Jack Harrison, agreed to help the club. He sent five players to the Royals in return for All-Pro Clyde Lovellette and the rights to talented Si Green. The result was a diluted roster of rookies and journeymen. Two rookies were burly 6-foot 8-inch big man Wayne Embry and 6' 4 defender Arlen Bockhorn. Both had to make the team before being offered contracts, and both were pleasant surprises to the beleaguered team. Twyman was far and away the team's only star. He scored 25.8 points per game, trying more shots than any player in the league for his new team. The slender 6-foot 6-inch star also led the Royals in rebounds, and came within 16 assists of leading the team there as well. More than that, he mentored the new players and also carried on Stokes's charity causes off the court. He achieved a kind of fame, respect and notoriety unlike any NBA player ever. One of his creations to pay for his fallen teammate's soaring hospital bills was The Maurice Stokes Charity Game, which was played at Kutcher's resort in Monticello, New York, every August. A slew of NBA notables came to play in the event for Stokes every year.

Despite Twyman's starring play, the Royals sank to 19–53 this season after contending much of the previous season. To limit over-exposure of a bad product at home, some 17 home games were played elsewhere this season. Several times that year, the team failed to draw 2000 fans to Cincinnati Gardens.

Somehow, the new ownership made it through the season and vowed to carry on. The NBA was of some help, granting territorial draft picks to Oscar Robertson and Ralph Davis from the local University of Cincinnati, as well as local high school player Jerry Lucas.

Regular season

Season standings

Western Division W L PCT GB Home Road Neutral Div
x-St. Louis Hawks 49 23 .681 – 28–3 14–15 7–5 27–9
x-Minneapolis Lakers 33 39 .458 16 15–7 9–17 9–15 18–18
x-Detroit Pistons 28 44 .389 21 13–17 8–20 7–7 17–19
Cincinnati Royals 19 53 .264 30 9–19 2–25 8–9 10–26
x – clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents

1958–59 NBA records
Team BOS CIN DET MIN NYK PHI STL SYR
Boston — 8–1 8–1 9–0 7–5 9–3 4–5 7–5
Cincinnati 1–8 — 3–9 6–6 3–6 2–7 1–11 3–6
Detroit 1–8 9–3 — 4–8 3–6 5–4 4–8 2–7
Minneapolis 0–9 6–6 8–4 — 4–5 6–3 4–8 5–4
New York 5–7 6–3 6–3 5–4 — 5–7 4–5 9–3
Philadelphia 3–9 7–2 4–5 3–6 7–5 — 4–5 4–8
St. Louis 5–4 11–1 8–4 8–4 5–4 5–4 — 7–2
Syracuse 5–7 6–3 7–2 4–5 3–9 8–4 2–7 —

Game log

1958–59 Game log
# Date Opponent Score High points Record
1 October 22 @ Minneapolis 79–99 Dave Piontek (17) 1–0
2 October 25 Minneapolis 94–110 Jack Twyman (29) 1–1
3 October 31 @ Detroit 113–120 Jack Twyman (27) 1–2
4 November 1 @ Syracuse 108–130 Jack Twyman (22) 1–3
5 November 2 St. Louis 97–90 Sihugo Green (19) 1–4
6 November 5 New York 108–97 Jack Twyman (26) 1–5
7 November 9 Philadelphia 106–92 Jim Palmer (20) 1–6
8 November 12 Syracuse 116–115 Jack Twyman (32) 1–7
9 November 15 @ Boston 105–130 Jack Twyman (33) 1–8
10 November 19 Boston 103–119 Jack Twyman (45) 2–8
11 November 21 @ Philadelphia 90–108 Vernon Hatton (22) 2–9
12 November 22 @ Detroit 86–103 Jack Twyman (23) 2–10
13 November 23 St. Louis 100–89 Jim Palmer (22) 2–11
14 November 25 @ New York 115–113 Jack Twyman (26) 3–11
15 November 26 Detroit 112–95 Jack Twyman (19) 3–12
16 November 28 @ Minneapolis 93–114 Jack Twyman (22) 3–13
17 November 29 @ St. Louis 86–98 Jack Twyman (18) 3–14
18 November 30 Minneapolis 84–77 Dave Piontek (22) 3–15
19 December 2 N St. Louis 105–81 Sihugo Green (22) 3–16
20 December 3 New York 108–110 Arlen Bockhorn (23) 4–16
21 December 6 N Minneapolis 128–132 (3OT) Jack Twyman (34) 5–16
22 December 7 Philadelphia 103–90 Jack Twyman (20) 5–17
23 December 10 Syracuse 97–94 Jack Twyman (20) 5–18
24 December 12 @ Boston 115–125 (OT) McCarthy, Twyman (22) 5–19
25 December 16 @ New York 106–118 Jack Twyman (24) 5–20
26 December 18 Boston 104–90 Jack Twyman (26) 5–21
27 December 20 @ Syracuse 121–120 (OT) Jack Twyman (27) 6–21
28 December 25 St. Louis 100–92 Jack Twyman (29) 6–22
29 December 26 @ Detroit 91–131 Jack Twyman (28) 6–23
30 December 28 Minneapolis 116–120 Jack Twyman (32) 7–23
31 December 29 @ St. Louis 112–124 Jack Twyman (32) 7–24
32 December 30 St. Louis 119–104 Jack Twyman (20) 7–25
33 January 2 N Detroit 104–111 Jack Twyman (34) 8–25
34 January 4 Boston 111–108 Wayne Embry (27) 8–26
35 January 6 N Boston 95–109 Jack Twyman (33) 8–27
36 January 8 Syracuse 145–138 (3OT) Jack Twyman (41) 8–28
37 January 9 N St. Louis 112–101 Arlen Bockhorn (27) 8–29
38 January 10 Detroit 101–69 Jack Twyman (14) 8–30
39 January 11 @ Syracuse 110–127 Wayne Embry (27) 8–31
40 January 13 N Detroit 112–92 Jim Palmer (14) 8–32
41 January 16 N Minneapolis 91–95 Jack Twyman (30) 9–32
42 January 17 @ New York 105–117 Jack Twyman (36) 9–33
43 January 18 Detroit 88–107 Archie Dees (18) 10–33
44 January 20 N New York 108–114 Jack Twyman (30) 11–33
45 January 21 New York 130–109 Arlen Bockhorn (27) 11–34
46 January 24 @ Syracuse 102–123 Archie Dees (23) 11–35
47 January 25 Syracuse 104–109 Jack Twyman (33) 12–35
48 January 27 N Philadelphia 92–100 Jack Twyman (37) 13–35
49 January 28 @ Philadelphia 84–99 Archie Dees (14) 13–36
50 January 30 @ St. Louis 87–118 Jack Twyman (21) 13–37
51 January 31 @ Detroit 88–103 Dees, Park (14) 13–38
52 February 3 Philadelphia 103–120 Jack Twyman (31) 14–38
53 February 8 @ Boston 117–136 Jack Twyman (30) 14–39
54 February 9 N Detroit 122–97 Jack Twyman (30) 14–40
55 February 10 N Minneapolis 118–100 Med Park (25) 14–41
56 February 11 N Minneapolis 106–105 Johnny McCarthy (31) 14–42
57 February 12 N Minneapolis 114–119 Jack Twyman (33) 15–42
58 February 14 N Philadelphia 106–94 Jack Twyman (35) 15–43
59 February 15 @ New York 97–124 Jack Twyman (27) 15–44
60 February 18 New York 118–116 Jack Twyman (34) 15–45
61 February 21 @ St. Louis 120–121 Jack Twyman (38) 15–46
62 February 22 Boston 129–112 Johnny McCarthy (26) 15–47
63 February 24 N Syracuse 109–113 Jack Twyman (29) 16–47
64 February 25 N Minneapolis 116–96 Jack Twyman (34) 16–48
65 February 26 N Detroit 101–106 Jack Twyman (27) 17–48
66 February 28 St. Louis 122–124 (OT) Jack Twyman (50) 18–48
67 March 1 @ Detroit 101–117 Jack Twyman (30) 18–49
68 March 3 @ St. Louis 102–113 Jack Twyman (26) 18–50
69 March 4 Minneapolis 122–128 Jack Twyman (46) 19–50
70 March 7 @ Philadelphia 86–93 Jack Twyman (21) 19–51
71 March 8 @ Boston 131–141 Jack Twyman (45) 19–52
72 March 10 Philadelphia 102–96 Jack Twyman (26) 19–53

Player statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Arlen Bockhorn
Archie Dees
Wayne Embry
Si Green
Vernon Hatton
Tom Marshall
Johnny McCarthy
Jim Palmer
Med Park
Jack Parr
Dave Piontek
Phil Rollins
Larry Staverman
Jack Twyman

References

  1. 1958–59 Cincinnati Royals
1958–59 NBA season
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