Home Overview History Games Photographs Programs Tickets Schedules Media Guides Miscellaneous Roster		Association for Professional Basketball Research

Team and League History

December 27, 1947
Southern Professional Basketball League commissioner Raymond Johnson announces in Nashville that Bessemer has replaced Gadsden as home city for the Whiz Kids franchise.

No reasons were given for the move, but an 0-8 record and low fan interest no doubt played a large role in the move.

Plans are for the team to split their games at the Bessemer High School gym and Birmingham's National Guard Armory.

The three Spitzer brothers, Raymond, Lloyd, and Herbert, will follow the club to Bessemer and Clifford Kyle will remain as head coach.

Birmingham is already home to another SPBL team, the Birmingham Vulcans.

1947-48   Southern Professional Basketball League

Birmingham Vulcans

Gadsden Whiz Kids / Bessemer Whiz Kids

Houston Mavericks

Jackson Senators

Memphis Legionnaires

Montgomery Rebels

Nashville Vols

January 12, 1948
The SPBL announces the Memphis Legionnaires franchise will move to Mobile and become the Mobile Bears. Games will be played in Mobile's Recreation Center.

March 2, 1948
Johnson announces that Birmingham, Montgomery, and Nashville will form the playoff teams after Jackson withdraws due to injuries to three of their players.

The three teams will play one another until a team has lost three games. Then, the remaining two teams will play a best three out of five series for the championship.

Epilogue
The Bessemer Whiz Kids decide to fold after the season completes. The city's other SPBL team, the Birmingham Vulcans, also fold.

However, the league does return in 1948-49, and it has a new local team as a member, the Birmingham Steelers.

Unfortunately, the Southern Professional Basketball League decides to cease operations soon after the 1948-49 season ends.

Champions of the   Southern Professional Basketball League
Year	Team
1947-48	Montgomery Rebels
1948-49	Montgomery Rebels

	Years local team participated

			Teams of the             Southern Professional Basketball League
xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx		xxx
	NEED LOGO		NEED LOGO		NEED LOGO		NEED LOGO		NEED LOGO
	Bessemer Whiz Kids 1947-48		Birmingham Steelers 1948-49		Birmingham Vulcans 1947-48		Gadsden Whiz Kids 1947-48		Jackson Senators 1947-48
	NEED LOGO		NEED LOGO		NEED LOGO		NEED LOGO		NEED LOGO
	Laurel Oilers 1948-49		Memphis Legionnaires 1947-48		Mobile Bears 1947-48		Montgomery Rebels 1947-48 to 1948-49		Nashville Vols 1947-48 to 1948-49
	NEED LOGO
	New Orleans Sports 1948-49

Contact Gene Crowley
Last update: January 26, 2023