1957–58 Cincinnati Royals season

The 1957–58 season was the Royals first season in Cincinnati, following its relocation from Rochester during the offseason. Interest in the team was created by a draft deal that brought Lakers All-Star Clyde Lovellette to the team. The team then lured guard George King, the former Syracuse starter back from college coaching. Both additions added talent and veteran leadership to a still young squad.

1957–58 Cincinnati Royals season
Head coach	Bobby Wanzer
Arena	Cincinnati Gardens
Results
Record	33–39 (.458)
Place	Division: 2nd (Western)
Playoff finish	West Division Semifinals (Eliminated 0–2)
Stats @ Basketball-Reference.com
Local media
Television	WKRC-TV
Radio	WKRC

The roster included star shooter Jack Twyman, Dick Ricketts (who also pitched in the major leagues), and star swing man Tom Marshall. In their first year in Cincinnati, the Royals ended a 2-year playoff drought by finishing in a tie for 2nd place in the NBA's West Division.[1] The Royals finished with a record of 33–39. One of the team leaders was Maurice Stokes, who finished second in rebounding with 18.1 rebounds per game.[1] The 6'8 240-pound Stokes, arguably the NBA's first black superstar, also amazed by rating third in the NBA in assists.

Lovellette was fourth in the NBA in scoring, while Twyman led the NBA in shooting accuracy. The entire frontline of Stokes, Lovellette and Twyman were named NBA All-Stars that first season. The team had the makings of a real contender, but the backcourt was debilitated by injuries to Marhsall and King, plus promising Si Green and Johnny McCarthy had been lost to mandatory military service. The team's first-year promise took a tragic turn in mid-March. In the final game of the regular season, played on March 12, Stokes suffered an injury when his head hit the hardwood floor in a game versus the Minneapolis Lakers. Despite being knocked unconscious, Stokes would play in the playoffs against the Detroit Pistons. On the flight home after losing to the Pistons, Stokes suddenly fell ill and was rushed to the hospital upon landing.[1] As the Pistons swept the Royals, Stokes lapsed into a coma. It was revealed that Stokes suffered encephalopathy, a traumatic brain injury that damaged his motor control center. The injury would leave Maurice Stokes as a quadriplegic without the ability to speak.[1] Teammate Jack Twyman would serve as Stokes legal guardian until his death in 1970. The Stokes tragedy would ultimately decimate the team, with six other players not returning for next season. The team was also suddenly sold to local Cincinnati buyers, and coach Bobby Wanzer would also later be replaced. This first year, therefore, stands out from all the Cincinnati teams.

Draft picks

Round	Pick	Player	Position	Nationality	School/Club Team
1	1	Rod Hundley		United States	West Virginia

The Royals made the deal of the NBA draft with the first overall pick. They selected high-touted Rod Hundley, and then sent him along with two reserves to the Lakers for All-Star Clyde Lovellette and solid reserve Jim Paxson, who had been a college star at nearby Dayton. The Royals then tried to shore up their backcourt with selections Dick Duckett( 2 ), Gerry Paulson( 3 ),John Maglio ( 6 ) and Chet Forte ( 7 ). Forte was later the Director of ABC's Monday Night Football. As the season ended, local stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas were tabbed as territorial draft picks. Each would be selected by the team after the college senior seasons.

Regular season

Season standings

Western Division	W	L	PCT	GB	Home	Road	Neutral	Div
x-St. Louis Hawks	41	31	.569	-	23-8	8-19	10-4	24-12
x-Detroit Pistons	33	39	.458	8	14-14	13-17	6-8	18-18
x-Cincinnati Royals	33	39	.458	8	17-12	10-19	6-8	17-19
Minneapolis Lakers	19	53	.264	22	10-15	4-21	5-17	13-23

Record vs. opponents

1957-58 NBA Records
Team	BOS	CIN	DET	MIN	NYK	PHI	STL	SYR
Boston	—	7–2	8–1	9–0	7–5	6–6	5–4	7–5
Cincinnati	2–7	—	6–6	8–4	4–5	6–3	3–9	4–5
Detroit	1–8	6–6	—	6–6	4–5	5–4	6–6	5–4
Minneapolis	0–9	4–8	6–6	—	1–8	3–6	3–9	2–7
New York	5–7	5–4	5–4	8–1	—	4–8	3–6	5–7
Philadelphia	6–6	3–6	4–5	6–3	8–4	—	7–2	3–9
St. Louis	4–5	9–3	6–6	9–3	6–3	2–7	—	5–4
Syracuse	5–7	5–4	4–5	7–2	7–5	9–3	4–5	—

Schedule

Date	Opponent	Score	Result	Loss

[2]

The first Cincinnati Royals game ever was a home game against Syracuse, 26 October 1957, a 110–100 win behind local star Jack Twyman. The team opened to good crowds with home games in their first ten. Nov 7–7, Dec 5–13 with injuries and extra road games, January 11–5, Feb 4–12 with a season-ending injury to Marshall, March 5–2, plus two playoff losses to Detroit, due to the permanent loss of Stokes.

Playoffs

West Division Semifinals

(2) Detroit Pistons vs. (3) Cincinnati Royals: Pistons win series 2–0

• Game 1 @ Detroit: Detroit 100, Cincinnati 83
• Game 2 @ Cincinnati: Detroit 124, Cincinnati 104

Last Playoffs meeting: 1953 Western Division Semifinals (Pistons won 2–1, while still in Fort Wayne; Royals were in Rochester at the time).

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

Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Dick Duckett
George King
Clyde Lovellette
Tom Marshall
Monk Meineke
Jerry Paulson
Jim Paxson
Dave Piontek
Richie Regan
Dick Ricketts
Maurice Stokes
Jack Twyman

Playoffs

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
George King
Clyde Lovellette
Tom Marshall
Monk Meineke
Jim Paxson
Dave Piontek
Richie Regan
Dick Ricketts
Maurice Stokes
Jack Twyman

Awards and honors

• Maurice Stokes, 2nd in rebounds, 3rd in assists, Second Team All-NBA.
• Clyde Lovellette, 1st in field goals made, 4th in scoring, 4th in shooting accuracy, Second Team All-NBA.
• Jack Twyman, 1st in shooting accuracy, NBA All-Star.
• George King, among top ten in NBA assists.

References

1. Cincinnati Royals (1957–1972)
2. 1957–58 Cincinnati Royals Games – Basketball-Reference.com

• Royals on Basketball Reference