Norm Baker

For other people named Norman Baker, see Norman Baker (disambiguation).

Norm Baker
Personal information
Born(1923-02-17)February 17, 1923
Victoria, British Columbia
DiedApril 23, 1989(1989-04-23) (aged 66)
Victoria, British Columbia
NationalityCanadian
Listed height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Listed weight180 lb (82 kg)
Career information
Playing career1946–1948
PositionGuard
Number16
Career history
1946Chicago Stags
1946–1948Vancouver Hornets
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Norman Henry Baker (February 17, 1923 – April 23, 1989) was a Canadian professional basketball and lacrosse player.

Early life and career

Baker started his career at the age of ten while playing for the Nanaimo Mosquitoes.[1] He became the youngest player to win a Canadian senior national championship as the team won in 1939.[1] As a sixteen-year-old, Baker led the Mosquitoes to a win over the Harlem Globetrotters and was called "one of the greatest natural players I have ever seen" by Globetrotters founder Abe Saperstein.[2]

Baker won two more championships with the Mosquitoes in 1942 and 1946.[1] While serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force, he won another championship in 1943 for the Pat Bay Gremlins.[1] Baker set a league scoring record with the Gremlins when he posted 38 points in a game against Windsor.[1]

Professional career

Baker became professional in 1946 when he played for the Chicago Stags of the Basketball Association of America (BAA).[1] He was released after only four games with the team.[3] Baker stated that the main reason he did not stay was because he had trouble with his contract and was only offered $900 a month.[4]

Baker played lacrosse for the Westminster Adanacs in 1947.[1]

Baker played 70 games for the Vancouver Hornets of the Pacific Coast Professional Basketball League from 1947 to 1948 and averaged 28.0 points per game.[1] He joined the New York Celtics, Stars of America and Boston Whirlwinds as the touring opponent of the Harlem Globetrotters.[4] He played for the Whirlwinds in the 1950–51 and 1952–53 seasons.[1]

Baker was the only non-American player on a basketball team billed as "The Stars of the World" that toured thirteen countries in Europe and Africa in 1950.[1]

After his playing career ended, Baker worked as a police officer.[3] He coached basketball and lacrosse.[3]

Legacy

Baker was voted as Canada's "Most Outstanding Player of the Century" in 1950.[1]

He was inducted into the BC Sports Hall of Fame in 1966,[1] Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1978,[4] Canada Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979,[5] and Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.[2]

BAA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played
 FG%  Field-goal percentage
 FT%  Free-throw percentage
 APG  Assists per game
 PPG  Points per game

Regular season

Year Team GP FG% FT% APG PPG
1946–47 Chicago 4 .000 .000 .0 .0
Career 4 .000 .000 .0 .0

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Norm Baker". BC Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Norm Baker (1991)". Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  3. ^ a b c "Norm Baker". Pro Basketball Encyclopedia. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Catch You on the Rebound: Norm Baker". Basketball Canada. April 17, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  5. ^ "Norm Baker". Canada Basketball. Retrieved December 3, 2021.