The Akron Firestone NonSkids were an American professional basketball team based in
Akron, Ohio
Akron () is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Ohio, fifth-most populous city in Ohio, with a population of 190,469 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The Akron metr ...
. The team was one of the thirteen founding members of the
National Basketball League (NBL), which formed in 1937. The team was named for the
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, which was headquartered in Akron, Ohio.
Franchise history
The team was founded by Firestone as an amateur industrial team. Like other industrial teams of the era, the players were company employees with yearround jobs who were not paid for basketball but owed their jobs to their basketball skills. The NonSkids first competed professionally in the 193233 National Basketball League and defeated the
Indianapolis Kautskys in the championship game. In 1935, the NonSkids joined the
Midwest Basketball Conference. In 1937, Firestone,
General Electric
General Electric Company (GE) was an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in 1892, incorporated in the New York (state), state of New York and headquartered in Boston.
Over the year ...
, and
Goodyear created the National Basketball League from companysponsored teams and independent teams.
The NonSkids were NBL champions in 1939 and 1940, defeating the
Oshkosh All-Stars both years in the Finals. Following the 19401941 season, the Akron Firestone NonSkids disbanded, leaving the
Akron Goodyear Wingfoots
The Akron Goodyear Wingfoots are one of the oldest basketball teams in the United States. They were founded in 1918, by the workers at the Goodyear Tire Company, in Akron, Ohio. The teams, while giving workers recreation, also helped to promote ...
as the only NBL team representing Akron.
Players of note
*
Chuck Taylor
*
Soup Cable
*
John Moir
*
Glenn Roberts
*
Wesley Bennett
*
Irving Terjesen
*
Roy "Goose" Burris
Coaches
*
Paul Sheeks
References
External links
Firestone Non-Skids Complete HistoryAkron Firestone Non-Skids
at Ohio History Central
1937 establishments in Ohio
Basketball teams established in 1937
Basketball teams disestablished in 1941
1941 disestablishments in Ohio
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