1952–53 Fort Wayne Pistons season

NBA team season

NBA professional basketball team season

1952–53 Fort Wayne Pistons season

Head coach| Paul Birch
Arena| War Memorial Coliseum
Results
Record| 36-33 (.522)
Place| Division: 3rd (Western)
Playoff finish| West Division Finals
(eliminated 2–3)

* * *

Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
| < 1951–52  | 1953–54 >

|

The 1952–53 NBA season was the Pistons' fifth season in the NBA and 12th season as a franchise.[1]

The Pistons finished the season above .500 at 36-33 (.522), 3rd in the Western Division. The team advanced to the playoffs, defeating the Rochester Royals 2-1 in the opening series, including a 67-65 home nail-biter to take the series, but lost in the division finals 3-2 to the Minneapolis Lakers as each team won at home in the 5-game series. The Pistons were led on the season by center-forward Larry Foust (14.3 ppg, 11.5 rpg, NBA All-Star), guard Andy Phillip (10.0 ppg, 5.0 apg, NBA All-Star) and Don Meineke (10.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg), who would win the inaugural NBA Rookie of the Year Award.[2] First round draft choice Dick Groat (11.9 ppg) would play for the Pistons while finishing his degree at Duke University, left the team in February 1953 to serve in the United States Army and returned to sports in 1955 to pursue a baseball career. Groat became one of 13 players to play in both the NBA and Major League Baseball.[3][4]

## Draft picks[edit]

Main article: 1952 NBA draft

Round  | Pick  | Player  | Position  | Nationality  | College

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1 | 3 | Dick Groat | G |  United States | Duke
2 | 12 | Monk Meineke | F |  United States | Dayton

## Regular season[edit]

### Season standings[edit]

Western Division

* v
* t
* e

|  W  |  L  |  PCT  |  GB  |  Home  |  Road  |  Neutral  |  Div

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x-Minneapolis Lakers | 48 | 22 | .686 | - | 24-2 | 16-15 | 8-5 | 17-13
x-Rochester Royals | 44 | 26 | .629 | 4 | 24-8 | 13-17 | 7-1 | 27-13
x-Fort Wayne Pistons | 36 | 33 | .522 | 11.5 | 25-9 | 8-19 | 3-5 | 18-22
x-Indianapolis Olympians | 28 | 43 | .394 | 20.5 | 19-14 | 4-23 | 5-6 | 15-26
Milwaukee Hawks | 27 | 44 | .380 | 21.5 | 14-8 | 3-24 | 10-12 | 15-26

x – clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents[edit]

1952-53 NBA Records

Team  | BAL  | BOS  | FWP  | IND  | MIL  | MIN  | NYK  | PHI  | ROC  | SYR
Baltimore | — | 2–8 | 0–6 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 0–10 | 6–4 | 0–6 | 2–8
Boston | 8–2 | — | 4–2 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 1–5 | 6–4 | 9–1 | 4–2 | 5–6
Fort Wayne  | 6–0 | 2–4 | — | 7–3 | 7–3 | 1–9 | 4–2 | 5–0 | 3–7 | 1–5
Indianapolis | 4–2 | 2–4 | 3–7 | — | 5–6 | 4–6 | 1–5 | 5–1 | 3–7 | 1–5
Milwaukee | 3–3 | 1–5 | 3–7 | 6–5 | — | 3–7 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 3–7 | 3–3
Minneapolis | 5–1 | 5–1 | 9–1 | 6–4 | 7–3 | — | 4–2 | 6–0 | 4–6 | 2–4
New York | 10–0 | 4–6 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | — | 10–0 | 3–3 | 6–4
Philadelphia | 4–6 | 1–9 | 0–5 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 0–10 | — | 2–4 | 2–8
Rochester | 6–0 | 2–4 | 7–3 | 7–3 | 7–3 | 6–4 | 3–3 | 4–2 | — | 2–4
Syracuse | 8–2 | 6–5 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 4–6 | 8–2 | 4–2 | —

### Game log[edit]

1952–53 Game log

# | Date | Opponent | Score | High points | Record
1 | November 1 | @ Rochester | 82–94 | Frank Brian (15) | 0–1
2 | November 2 | Minneapolis | 81–69 | Larry Foust (19) | 0–2
3 | November 6 | Rochester | 84–64 | Frank Brian (20) | 0–3
4 | November 9 | Indianapolis | 71–74 | Frank Brian (18) | 1–3
5 | November 11 | @ Indianapolis | 63–78 | Larry Foust (16) | 1–4
6 | November 15 | @ Milwaukee | 68–71 | Frank Brian (22) | 1–5
7 | November 16 | New York | 83–112 | Dick Groat (25) | 2–5
8 | November 20 | Minneapolis | 89–81 | Fred Schaus (24) | 2–6
9 | November 22 | @ Minneapolis | 89–96 | Larry Foust (21) | 2–7
10 | November 23 | Philadelphia | 80–92 | Fred Schaus (22) | 3–7
11 | November 26 | @ Milwaukee | 80–72 | Don Meineke (19) | 4–7
12 | November 27 | Milwaukee | 87–95 (OT) | Dwight Eddleman (24) | 5–7
13 | November 29 | N Boston | 71–78 | Frank Brian (17) | 5–8
14 | November 30 | Baltimore | 95–100 (2OT) | Dwight Eddleman (27) | 6–8
15 | December 4 | Syracuse | 78–70 | Dwight Eddleman (21) | 6–9
16 | December 5 | @ Indianapolis | 74–84 | Larry Foust (27) | 6–10
17 | December 6 | @ Baltimore | 103–91 | Fred Schaus (21) | 7–10
18 | December 7 | New York | 91–102 | Don Meineke (27) | 8–10
19 | December 11 | Milwaukee | 70–71 (OT) | Larry Foust (22) | 9–10
20 | December 14 | Indianapolis | 71–86 | Larry Foust (27) | 10–10
21 | December 16 | N Philadelphia | 64–95 | Foust, Groat (18) | 11–10
22 | December 18 | @ Philadelphia | 86–79 | Larry Foust (22) | 12–10
23 | December 20 | @ Rochester | 89–92 | Larry Foust (23) | 12–11
24 | December 21 | Philadelphia | 71–74 | Don Meineke (16) | 13–11
25 | December 23 | @ Indianapolis | 59–72 | Fred Schaus (14) | 13–12
26 | December 25 | Milwaukee | 69–71 (2OT) | Larry Foust (14) | 14–12
27 | December 27 | N New York | 91–92 | Dick Groat (17) | 15–12
28 | December 28 | Boston | 89–66 | Frank Brian (19) | 15–13
29 | December 31 | Indianapolis | 85–91 | Larry Foust (25) | 16–13
30 | January 1 | @ Syracuse | 78–92 | Larry Foust (22) | 16–14
31 | January 3 | @ Rochester | 101–106 | Brian, Eddleman, Foust, Groat (13) | 16–15
32 | January 4 | Philadelphia | 68–79 | Andy Phillip (25) | 17–15
33 | January 6 | @ Milwaukee | 71–73 | Brian, Foust (17) | 17–16
34 | January 10 | N Minneapolis | 84–79 | Fred Schaus (20) | 17–17
35 | January 11 | Indianapolis | 68–72 | Larry Foust (17) | 18–17
36 | January 15 | Boston | 85–91 | Dwight Eddleman (28) | 19–17
37 | January 16 | N Indianapolis | 68–75 | Larry Foust (15) | 20–17
38 | January 18 | Rochester | 87–90 | Dick Groat (22) | 21–17
39 | January 21 | @ Boston | 84–94 | Frank Brian (21) | 21–18
40 | January 22 | @ Syracuse | 75–87 | Larry Foust (15) | 21–19
41 | January 24 | @ New York | 76–82 | Larry Foust (22) | 21–20
42 | January 25 | Milwaukee | 62–65 | Don Meineke (15) | 22–20
43 | January 27 | N Minneapolis | 96–76 | Andy Phillip (17) | 22–21
44 | January 29 | Boston | 98–111 | Larry Foust (21) | 23–21
45 | January 30 | N Rochester | 70–68 (OT) | Phillip, Schaus (15) | 23–22
46 | January 31 | @ Minneapolis | 80–87 | Dick Groat (19) | 23–23
47 | February 1 | Minneapolis | 92–76 | Frank Brian (16) | 23–24
48 | February 5 | Indianapolis | 63–68 | Andy Phillip (19) | 24–24
49 | February 8 | Baltimore | 78–89 | Andy Phillip (19) | 25–24
50 | February 11 | Syracuse | 78–96 | Frank Brian (20) | 26–24
51 | February 14 | @ Baltimore | 102–88 | Fred Schaus (20) | 27–24
52 | February 15 | Rochester | 84–72 | Chuck Share (17) | 27–25
53 | February 17 | @ Rochester | 88–78 | Andy Phillip (19) | 28–25
54 | February 19 | Baltimore | 79–83 (OT) | Fred Scolari (17) | 29–25
55 | February 21 | @ Minneapolis | 75–85 | Andy Phillip (15) | 29–26
56 | February 22 | Minneapolis | 78–90 | Andy Phillip (20) | 30–26
57 | February 24 | @ Rochester | 91–80 | Don Meineke (19) | 31–26
58 | February 26 | @ Syracuse | 77–89 | Don Meineke (20) | 31–27
59 | February 28 | @ New York | 74–85 | Larry Foust (20) | 31–28
60 | March 1 | Milwaukee | 74–76 | Fred Scolari (24) | 32–28
61 | March 3 | N Minneapolis | 86–68 | Larry Foust (18) | 32–29
62 | March 4 | Syracuse | 75–73 (2OT) | Larry Foust (20) | 32–30
63 | March 6 | @ Indianapolis | 73–64 | Andy Phillip (23) | 33–30
64 | March 7 | @ Baltimore | 83–81 (OT) | Brian, Foust, Schaus (15) | 34–30
65 | March 8 | Rochester | 71–69 | Foust, Phillip, Scolari (13) | 34–31
66 | March 9 | Milwaukee | 74–94 | Fred Schaus (17) | 35–31
67 | March 11 | @ Boston | 92–98 | Fred Scolari (26) | 35–32
68 | March 15 | New York | 69–81 | Fred Schaus (18) | 36–32
69 | March 17 | @ Milwaukee | 61–87 | Larry Foust (12) | 36–33

## Playoffs[edit]

1953 playoff game log

Division Semifinals: 2–1 (home: 0–1; road: 2–0)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | Location | Series

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1  | March 20  | @ Rochester | W 84–77 | Fred Schaus (20)  | Edgerton Park Arena | 1–0
2  | March 22  | Rochester | L 71–83 | Larry Foust (24)  | War Memorial Coliseum | 1–1
3  | March 24  | @ Rochester | W 67–65 | Larry Foust (18)  | Edgerton Park Arena | 2–1

Division Finals: 2–3 (home: 2–0; road: 0–3)

| Game | Date | Team | Score | High points | Location | Series

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1  | March 26  | @ Minneapolis | L 73–83 | Larry Foust (16)  | Minneapolis Auditorium | 0–1
2  | March 28  | @ Minneapolis | L 75–82 | Larry Foust (21)  | Minneapolis Auditorium | 0–2
3  | March 30  | Minneapolis | W 98–95 | Fred Scolari (27)  | War Memorial Coliseum | 1–2
4  | April 1  | Minneapolis | W 85–82 | Larry Foust (20)  | War Memorial Coliseum | 2–2
5  | April 2  | @ Minneapolis | L 58–74 | Larry Foust (16)  | Minneapolis Auditorium | 2–3

1953 schedule

## Awards and records[edit]

* Don Meineke, NBA Rookie of the Year Award

## References[edit]

1. ^ 1952–53 Fort Wayne Pistons
2. ^ "1952-53 Fort Wayne Pistons Roster and Stats".
3. ^ "Baseball (MLB) and Basketball (NBA) Players | Baseball Almanac".
4. ^ "Chevette to Corvette No. 26: The 1952-53 Detroit Pistons". November 8, 2011.

## See also[edit]

* 1952-53 NBA season

* v
* t
* e

1952–53 NBA season by team

* 1952 NBA draft
* All-Star Game
* Playoffs
* Finals
* Transactions

Eastern|

* Baltimore
* Boston
* New York
* Philadelphia
* Syracuse

Western|

* Fort Wayne
* Indianapolis
* Milwaukee
* Minneapolis
* Rochester

* v
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Detroit Pistons seasons

* Franchise
* Seasons

1940s|

|  |  | 1941–42 | 1942–43 | 1943–44 | 1944–45 | 1945–46 | 1946–47 | 1947–48 | 1948–49

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1950s|

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1960s|

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1970s|

| 1969–70 | 1970–71 | 1971–72 | 1972–73 | 1973–74 | 1974–75 | 1975–76 | 1976–77 | 1977–78 | 1978–79

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1980s|

| 1979–80 | 1980–81 | 1981–82 | 1982–83 | 1983–84 | 1984–85 | 1985–86 | 1986–87 | 1987–88 | 1988–89

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1990s|

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2000s|

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2010s|

| 2009–10 | 2010–11 | 2011–12 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | 2014–15 | 2015–16 | 2016–17 | 2017–18 | 2018–19

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2020s|

| 2019–20 | 2020–21 | 2021–22 | 2022–23 | 2023–24 |  |  |  |  |

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Bold indicates NBA Finals victory
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template
*[ W ]: Games won
*[ L ]: Games lost
*[ PCT ]: Winning percentage
*[ GB ]: Games behind
*[ Home ]: Home record
*[ Road ]: Road record
*[ Neutral ]: Neutral record
*[ Div ]: Division record