Buchan Bakers
| Buchan Bakers | |
|---|---|
| Leagues |
Amateur Athletic Association 1948-1961 NIBL 1958-1961 |
| Founded | 1948 |
| Folded | 1961 |
| Arena | Seattle Civic Autitorium (2.963) |
| Team colors |
green, red & |
| Ownership | Buchan Baking |
| Championships |
1 AAU Tournament 1 National Industrial Basketball League |
The Buchan Bakers was an amateur basketball team located in Seattle, Washington and competed in the National Industrial Basketball League. The Bakers were one of the most popular teams of the Amateur Athletic Union, rising to fame in 1957 when the beat the Phillips 66ers in the AAU Tournament final. The team was sponsored by the Buchan Baking company, thus they adopted their name. During the 1955-56 season, the Buchan Bakers traveled to Asia, playing teams from Japan, China and They were the first AAU basketball team to play against Eastern European teams during the Cold War.
The Buchan Bakers were active for 13 seasons winning the National AAU Championship, the Northwest AAU title six times, representing the United States in trips to Asia, Europe and behind the Iron Curtain. In addition, the Bakers, with their three years in the National Industrial Basketball League, had been Seattle's first national sports franchise.
The Buchan Bakers were founded in 1948, when Warren Bud Howard convinced George Buchan and his Buchan Baking Company to sponsor his basketball team in the Northwest AAU League. The three first season until 1951 were not successful and, coach Howard decided to recruit higher-quality players with college experience for the 1951-52 season.
The Buchan Bakers that year were led by 6-foot, 8-inch center Rod Gibbs from College of Puget Sound and 5-foot, 7-inch guard Dar Gilchrist from Long Island University. Other members of the team included Jack Ward and Louis Soriano, both from the University of Washington. The Bakers breezed through Northwest League competition and went to the National AAU Tournament in Denver for the first time. Although they lost in the first round, for the Buchan Bakers the season had been a success.
In the 1952-1953 next season, the University of Washington basketball team, led by All-American center Bob Houbregs, made it to the NCAA Final Four, and Howard began recruiting all five Husky starters. Houbregs agreed to play for the Bakers, and both he and his father, were given jobs at the bakery. But shortly after Houbregs received his first paycheck, he signed a contract with the Milwaukee Hawks of the NBA. Howard did manage to sign up his supporting cast from the UW Charlie Koon, Joe Cipriano, Mike McCutcheon and Doug McClary, and he enlisted Bill Morris, the UW freshmen coach, to take over coaching. Howard became business manager of the team.
...
Wikipedia