List of Eastern Basketball Association seasons

The Eastern Basketball Association was a professional basketball league based in the United States. The league began in 1946 and was known as the Eastern Pennsylvania Basketball League. After one season the league changed its name to the Eastern Professional Basketball League. In 1979, the league changed its name again to the Continental Basketball Association.

1946–47 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Rockets
 * Binghamton Triplets (relocated to Pottsville, Pennsylvania during the season)
 * Hazleton Mountaineers
 * Lancaster Red Roses
 * Pottsville Pros (relocated from Binghamton, New York during the season)
 * Reading Keys
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason


 * League map


 * Notes
 * The Binghamton Triplets re-located to Pottsville, Pennsylvania in December 1946.

1947–48 season

 * Teams
 * Harrisburg Senators
 * Hazleton Mountaineers
 * Lancaster Red Roses
 * Philadelphia Lumberjacks
 * Pottsville Packers
 * Reading Keys
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason


 * League map

1948–49 season

 * Teams
 * Harrisburg Senators
 * Lancaster Rockets
 * Pottsville Packers
 * Reading Keys
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Williamsport Billies
 * York Victory A.C.


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason


 * League map

1949–1950 season

 * Teams
 * Berwick Carbuilders
 * Harrisburg Senators (later renamed the "Caps")
 * Lancaster Rockets
 * Pottsville Packers
 * Reading Rangers
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Williamsport Billies
 * York Victory A.C.


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason


 * League map

1950–51 season

 * Teams
 * Berwick Carbuilders
 * Harrisburg Senators
 * Lancaster Rockets
 * Pottsville Packers
 * Reading Rangers
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Williamsport Billies
 * York Professionals


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason


 * League map

1951–52 season

 * Teams
 * Ashland Greens (relocated to Hazleton, Pennsylvania after 10 days in Ashland)
 * Lancaster Rockets
 * Hazleton Mountaineers
 * Pottsville Packers
 * Reading Merchants
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Williamsport Billies
 * York Cleaners (relocated to Ashland, Pennsylvania after 11 games)


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason


 * League map

1952–53 season

 * Teams
 * Berwick Carbuilders
 * Harrisburg Capitols
 * Lancaster Rockets
 * Lebanon Seltzers
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason


 * League map

1953–54 season

 * Teams
 * Berwick Carbuilders
 * Lancaster Rockets
 * Lebanon Seltzers
 * Hazleton Hawks
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason


 * League map

1954–55 season

 * Teams
 * Carbondale Celtics (folded midseason)
 * Lancaster Rockets
 * Hazleton Hawks
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings


 * Notes
 * William Morgan, the league commissioner since its inception, was succeeded by Harry Rudolph.

1955–56 season

 * Teams
 * Hazleton Hawks
 * New York–Harlem Yankees
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Trenton Capitols (folded midseason)
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings
 * $§$ New York–Harlem Yankees took over the Trenton Capitols schedule and record after Trenton folded during the season

1956–57 season

 * Teams
 * Easton-Phillipsburg Madisons
 * Hazleton Hawks
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings

1957–58 season

 * Teams
 * Easton-Phillipsburg Madisons
 * Hazleton Hawks
 * Reading Keys (folded midseason)
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Williamsport Billies
 * Wilmington Jets


 * Regular season standings


 * Notes and events
 * Two expansion franchises were admitted to the league in September 1957. They were clubs in Reading, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware which would become the Reading Keys and Wilmington Jets, respectively.
 * Harry Rudolph was elected league president in September 1957. Barry Sherman was elected secretary and public relations director. Elected members of the board of governors were Clem Palevitch, Richard Smith and Jack Agnor.

1958–59 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Baltimore Bullets
 * Easton-Phillipsburg Madisons
 * Hazleton Hawks
 * Rochester Colonels (folded after eight games)
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings


 * Notes and events
 * League president Harry Rudolph announced that Bill Spivey of the Wilkes-Barre team was fined $10 for fighting during a game. It was Spivey's second fine of the season and Rudolph said if another incident occurred it would result in a suspension.

1959–1960 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Baltimore Bullets
 * Easton-Phillipsburg Madisons
 * Hazleton Hawks
 * Rochester Colonels (folded after eight games)
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings


 * Notes and events
 * During the offseason before the 1959–1960 season, the league announced their collegiate draft was postponed so the league could vote on an expansion franchise from Baltimore, Maryland (which became the Baltimore Bullets).
 * In January 1960, the league announced it had scrapped a rule permitting National Basketball Association (NBA) teams only one option per season on players. This rule would allow NBA team to call-up and send down players as much as they wished.

1960–61 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Baltimore Bullets
 * Easton-Phillipsburg Madisons
 * Hazleton Hawks
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings


 * Notes and events
 * The league held its annual preseason meeting on June 13, 1960 where league president Harry Rudolph was re-elected to a two-year term. He was also elected treasurer of the league. Ray Saul was re-elected as public relations director and secretary.
 * EPBL president Harry Rudolph announced plans to file a $1,000,000 defamation of character lawsuit against National Football League (NFL) commissioner Pete Rozelle for saying, "several players in the Eastern Basketball [League] were accused of gambling on games involving teams for which they formerly played." The comment was about Rozelle's decision to bar NFL player Gene Lipscomb from joining the EPBL Baltimore Bullets.

1961–62 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Camden Bullets (relocated from Baltimore, Maryland preseason)
 * Easton-Phillipsburg Madisons (relocated to Trenton, New Jersey midseason)
 * Hazleton Hawks
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Trenton Colonials (relocated from Easton-Phillipsburg midseason)
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings


 * Notes and events
 * At the league's annual meeting during the offseason before the 1961–62 season a proposal to relocate the Baltimore franchise to New England was to be proposed. The potential move would have been to either Bridgeport or Milton, Connecticut as facilitated by the prospective owner, Herb Kables. The proposal was ultimately rejected.
 * The league postponed its collegiate draft due to the 1961 NCAA University Division men's basketball gambling scandal.
 * Rules were adopted before the 1961–62 season to mirror the rules of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
 * The Allentown Jets announced they had signed Andrew "Fuzzy" Levane to a one-year contract as coach in September 1961.
 * In October 1961, the EPBL passed a resolution that would give a lifetime ban to any player who left an EPBL team for another league. The rule came in response to players who left the league the fledgling American Basketball League (ABL).
 * In December 1961, a "State Basketball Championship" for Pennsylvania was proposed by Pittsburgh Rens owner Lenny Litman between his ABL team, the NBA Philadelphia Warriors and the EPBL Sunbury Mercuries.
 * EPBL president Harry Rudolph announced that the Camden franchise had been fined $150 for failing to have the required seven players in uniform for a game on January 27, 1962 in which Camden lost to Williamsport 153–126. According to the Associated Press several Camden players were delayed by car trouble forcing the team to play with six players.
 * EPBL president Harry Rudolph announced that Trenton Colonials coach Harry Landa had been fined for pushing a referee during a game on February 3, 1962. According to Rudolph, if Landa failed to pay the fine he would be suspended for the remainder of the season.

1962–63 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Camden Bullets
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Trenton Colonials
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Williamsport Billies


 * Regular season standings


 * Notes and events
 * During the offseason before the 1962–63 season, the EPBL considered admitting two new franchises in Philadelphia and Carbondale, Pennsylvania/ The Philadelphia franchise was not approved as the team's owners could not find a suitable venue. The Carbondale franchise was admitted to the league, but that deal was eventually voided when team owners failed to meet their financial obligations according to league president Harry Rudolph.
 * In November 1962, after the American Basketball League (ABL) folded, EPBL president Harry Rudolph announced that players who were banned for leaving their EPBL teams for the ABL could apply for re-admittance to the league if they wrote a letter to the league president with $25 as payment for a fine. Players affected by the ban were: Hal Lear, David Gunther, Hershel Thurner, Kelly Coleman and Spike Gibson.
 * In April 1963, EPBL president Harry Rudolph announced that Camden Bullets player Tom Hoover was fined $100 and suspended for four games following a physical altercation with referee Jim Armstong.

1963–64 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Camden Bullets
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Trenton Colonials
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Williamsport Billies
 * Wilmington Blue Bombers


 * Regular season standings


 * Notes and events
 * During the offseason before the 1963–64, the Wilmington Blue Bombers of Wilmington, Delaware were admitted into the league. The league also announced it had abolished its territorial draft.
 * The Wilmington Blue Bombers announced they had hired Alexander Severance as coach during the offseason before the 1963–64 season.
 * In October 1963, the Camden Bullets announced that Charles "Buddy" Donnelly was hired as coach.

1964–65 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Camden Bullets
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Trenton Colonials
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Wilmington Blue Bombers


 * Regular season standings


 * Notes and events
 * EPBL president Harry Rudolph was re-elected to a two-year term during the offseason before the 1964–65 season. The league also re-elected Ray Saul as secretary. David Waters was newly elected to the position of vice president. Hal Simon, Spike Shandelman and Arthur Pachter were elected to the board of governors.
 * In June 1964, the EPBL held its annual collegiate draft in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
 * Before the 1964–65 season, the EPBL established a three-point field goal from 25 feet away from the basket.
 * Brendan McCann replaced Pete Monska as the Allentown Jets' head coach during the offseason before the 1964–65 season.

1965–66 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Camden Bullets
 * Harrisburg Patriots
 * Johnstown C-J's
 * New Haven Elms
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Trenton Colonials
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Wilmington Blue Bombers


 * Regular season standings

1966–67 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Asbury Park Boardwalkers
 * Harrisburg Patriots
 * Hartford Capitols
 * New Haven Elms
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Trenton Colonials
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Wilmington Blue Bombers


 * Regular season standings

1967–68 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Asbury Park Boardwalkers
 * Binghamton Flyers (relocated from Bridgeport, Connecticut midseason)
 * Bridgeport Flyers (relocated to Binghamton, New York midseason)
 * Hartford Capitols
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Trenton Colonials
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Wilmington Blue Bombers


 * Regular season standings

1968–69 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Binghamton Flyers
 * Hartford Capitols
 * New Haven Elms
 * Scranton Miners
 * Springfield Hall of Famers (folded after an 0–7 start to the season)
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Trenton Colonials
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Wilmington Blue Bombers


 * Regular season standings
 * $§$ Springfield Hall of Famers folded midseason

1969–1970 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Binghamton Flyers
 * Hamden Bics
 * Hartford Capitols
 * Scranton Miners
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons
 * Wilmington Blue Bombers


 * Regular season standings

1970–71 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Camden Bullets
 * Delaware Blue Bombers
 * Hamden Bics
 * Hartford Capitols
 * Scranton Apollos
 * Sunbury Mercuries
 * Trenton Pat Pavers


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason

League map


 * Notes
 * William J. Montzman is named the commissioner of the league, making him the third person to serve in that capacity. He succeeded Harry Rudolph, who was commissioner since 1955.


 * ABA and NBA affiliations
 * Hartford Capitols: Boston Celtics (NBA), Dallas Chaparrals (ABA)

1971–72 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Cherry Hill Demons (relocated from Camden, New Jersey preseason, relocated to Hazleton, Pennsylvania mid-season)
 * Hamden Bics
 * Hartford Capitols
 * Hazleton Bits (relocated from Cherry Hill, New Jersey mid-season)
 * Scranton Apollos
 * Trenton Pat Pavers
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason

League map


 * ABA and NBA affiliations
 * Hartford Capitols: Philadelphia 76ers (NBA), Dallas Chaparrals (ABA)

1972–73 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Garden State Colonials
 * Hamden Bics
 * Hamburg Bullets (relocated from Hazleton, Pennsylvania before the season, but moved back midseason)
 * Hartford Capitols
 * Hazleton Bullets (relocated to Hamburg, Pennsylvania before the season, but moved back midseason)
 * Scranton Apollos
 * Trenton Pat Pavers


 * Regular season standings

League map

1973–74 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Cherry Hill Rookies
 * East Orange Colonials
 * Hamilton Pat Pavers
 * Hartford Capitols
 * Hazleton Bullets
 * Scranton Apollos
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons (folded midseason)


 * Regular season standings


 * Notes
 * The East Orange Colonials (originally the Garden State Colonials) were owned by author Larry Armour and his 14 year-old son, Andy Armour, who was the youngest team owner in EBA history. The Colonials had a working agreement with three NBA teams: the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Golden State Warriors and the Detroit Pistons.

1974–75 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Cherry Hill Rookies
 * Hazleton Bullets
 * Scranton Apollos


 * Regular season standings

1975–76 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Connecticut Gold Coast Stars (disbanded midseason)
 * Hazleton Bullets
 * Lancaster Red Roses
 * Long Island Sounds
 * Scranton Apollos
 * Trenton Capitols
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons


 * Regular season standings
 * $§$ Gold Coast disbanded midseason


 * ABA and NBA affiliations
 * Gold Coast Stars: Phoenix Suns (NBA), Houston Rockets (NBA), San Antonio Spurs (ABA)
 * Scranton Apollos: Buffalo Braves (NBA), Phoenix Suns (NBA), Portland Trail Blazers (NBA), Chicago Bulls (NBA), Spirits of St. Louis (ABA)

1976–77 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Brooklyn Pros (relocated to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania midseason)
 * Hartford Downtowners
 * Hazleton Bullets (relocated to New Jersey midseason)
 * Jersey Shore Bullets (relocated from Hazleton, Pennsylvania midseason)
 * Lancaster Red Roses
 * Scranton Apollos
 * Syracuse Centennials
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons (relocated from Brooklyn, New York)


 * Regular season standings
 * $§$ Syracuse Centennials folded midseason


 * Timeline
 * October 25, 1976: Syracuse was admitted into the EBA. Team owners were professional football players Walt Patulski, Jim Braxton, Mike Kruczek, Mike Kadish and Tony Greene.


 * NBA affiliations
 * Allentown Jets: New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets
 * Brooklyn Pros: New York Nets, New Orleans Jazz, Kansas City Kings
 * Scranton Apollos: Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers
 * Syracuse Centennials: Buffalo Braves, Milwaukee Bucks, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons
 * Hartford Downtowners: Boston Celtics, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets
 * Hazleton Bullets: Phoenix Suns, Seattle SuperSonics, Cleveland Cavaliers
 * Lancaster Red Roses: Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Bullets

1977–78 season

 * Teams
 * Allentown Jets
 * Anchorage Northern Knights
 * Brooklyn Dodgers
 * Jersey Shore Bullets
 * Lancaster Red Roses
 * Long Island Ducks
 * Providence Shooting Stars
 * Quincy Chiefs
 * Washington Metros
 * Wilkes-Barre Barons


 * Regular season standings


 * Postseason

League map


 * NBA affiliations
 * Anchorage Northern Knights: Phoenix Suns, Seattle SuperSonics
 * Jersey Shore Bullets: Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Jazz
 * Quincy Chiefs: Boston Celtics, Kansas City Kings