Bobby McDermott Inducted in 1994
Bobby McDermott
Robert Frederick McDermott (January 7, 1914 – October 3, 1963) dropped out of high school after just one year and was picked up by the Brooklyn Visitations after making a name for himself on the playgrounds. He continued the trend in the American Basketball League. He led the league in scoring and helped Brooklyn win the 1934-35 ABL championship against the dominant Philadelphia Sphas in their prime. He spent a year in the New York Professional League where he set a playoff record for most points with 32. He played with the recently reorganized Original Celtics for the next three years.
As a player, he played for Brooklyn Visitations (1934-1936), Baltimore Clippers (1939-1941), Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (1941-1946), Chicago American Gears (1946-1947), Sheboygan Red Skins (1947), Tri-Cities Blackhawks (1947-1948), Hammond Calumet Buccaneers (1948-1949), Wilkes-Barre Barons (1949-1950), and Grand Rapids Hornets (1950). As a coach, he coached Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (1943-1945), Chicago American Gears (1947), Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (interim HC) (1947), Sheboygan Red Skins (1947-1948), Tri-Cities Blackhawk (1948-1949), and Grand Rapids Hornets (1950).
Career highlights as a player ABL champion (1935), 3× NBL champion (1944, 1945, 1947), 4× NBL Most Valuable Player (1943–1946), 6× All-NBL First Team (1942–1947), All-NBL Second Team (1948), NBL scoring champion (1943), NBL all-time leading scorer, NBL All-Time Team, 3× WPBT champion (1944–1946), WPBT MVP (1944), 3× All-WPBT First Team (1944–1946), and 2× All-WPBT Second Team (1943, 1948). As a head coach 3× NBL champion (1944, 1945, 1947), and 2× NBL Coach of the Year (1944, 1945).
As a player, he played for Brooklyn Visitations (1934-1936), Baltimore Clippers (1939-1941), Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (1941-1946), Chicago American Gears (1946-1947), Sheboygan Red Skins (1947), Tri-Cities Blackhawks (1947-1948), Hammond Calumet Buccaneers (1948-1949), Wilkes-Barre Barons (1949-1950), and Grand Rapids Hornets (1950). As a coach, he coached Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (1943-1945), Chicago American Gears (1947), Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (interim HC) (1947), Sheboygan Red Skins (1947-1948), Tri-Cities Blackhawk (1948-1949), and Grand Rapids Hornets (1950).
Career highlights as a player ABL champion (1935), 3× NBL champion (1944, 1945, 1947), 4× NBL Most Valuable Player (1943–1946), 6× All-NBL First Team (1942–1947), All-NBL Second Team (1948), NBL scoring champion (1943), NBL all-time leading scorer, NBL All-Time Team, 3× WPBT champion (1944–1946), WPBT MVP (1944), 3× All-WPBT First Team (1944–1946), and 2× All-WPBT Second Team (1943, 1948). As a head coach 3× NBL champion (1944, 1945, 1947), and 2× NBL Coach of the Year (1944, 1945).