On this day 78 years ago in 1946, the NBA hosted its first match in Toronto, Canada. Hosted at Maple Leaf Gardens, the Toronto Huskies and the New York Knickerbockers went head to head in the league, with the score ending in 68-66. An entertaining event which sparked yearly traditions and a cult following will undoubtedly be remembered for years to come.

Known today as the Kicks, the Knickerbockers ultimately triumphed over the Huskies in the 1946 game. While they may have fallen before 7,090 fans, it was Huskies players Ed Sadowski and George Norstrand who had the highest scores of the day, with 18 and 16 points respectively.

Although the Kicks defeated the Huskies in the first game, it was the Philadelphia Warriors who won the league title, with the kicks coming in third and the Huskies last in the Eastern division.

Now being the reason for more than just under 200 thousand basketball games, the NBA first began as a small event, yearning to grow. In order to promote their game, those involved advertised free admission to those taller than 6 ‘8, while those shorter bought tickets ranging from 75 cents to $2.50.

Formerly known as the Basketball Association of America, or BAA, the league which hosted the very first game merged with the National Basketball League in 1949; creating the esteemed league that viewers know and love today.

Image: https://www.designrush.com/best-designs/logo/nba-logo-design

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/nba-first-game-new-york-knicks