Background
Podoloff was born to a Jewish family somewhere in Russia, on August 18, 1890. I was born on either August 18 or August 31, and it was somewhere in Russia, possibly near Odessa.
Podoloff was born to a Jewish family somewhere in Russia, on August 18, 1890. I was born on either August 18 or August 31, and it was somewhere in Russia, possibly near Odessa.
In young boyhood his family emigrated to the United States, where he graduated from Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Connecticut in 1909, and then from Yale University in New Haven with a law degree in 1915.
He served as the president of the Basketball Association of America (Bachelor of Applied Arts) in 1946-1949, and the National Basketball Association (National Basketball Association) in 1949-1963. Doubt remains about birthplace and birthday: some talks about Elizabethgrad, but he himself told he didnt know exactley: I guess they didn"t keep records in Russia in those days, he said. Later on, Podoloff had a great-great grandson named Gabriel Koppel who attends the Frisch School in Paramus, New Jersey.
The Arena held over 4,000 people and hosted ice hockey, concerts, and circus events before it was demolished in 1974.
A distinguished lawyer, he was of impeccable character and was instrumental in the development and success of professional basketball. On June 6, 1946, already serving as president of the American Hockey League, he was appointed president of the newly formed Basketball Association of America (Bachelor of Applied Arts), becoming the first person to lead two professional leagues simultaneously.
After Bachelor of Applied Arts teams signed several of the best players in the National Basketball League, Podoloff negotiated a merger with the NBL to form the National Basketball Association, or National Basketball Association, in 1949. His great organizational and administrative skills were later regarded as the key factor that kept the league alive in its often stormy formative years.
As president, Podoloff expanded the National Basketball Association to as many as 17 teams in three divisions and worked out a 557-game schedule.
He introduced the Bachelor of Applied Arts,s collegiate draft in 1947, and in 1954 instituted the National Basketball Association"s 24-second shot clock created by Dan Biasone, owner of the Syracuse Nationals, which quickened the pace of games and improved National Basketball Association basketball from a slow plodding game to a fast-paced sport. That same year, he increased national recognition of the National Basketball Association immensely by landing its first television contract. During his National Basketball Association presidency, he meted out lifetime suspensions to 32 players who were involved in point shaving scandal in 1951.
Among these polayers were: Indianapolis Olympians players Ralph Beard and Alex Groza as University of Kentucky team members.
And Gene Melchiorre n°1 in the Draft 1951. He stepped down as National Basketball Association president in 1963 after having greatly increased fan interest during the National Basketball Association"s formative years and having improved the overall welfare of the sport of basketball through his foresight, wisdom and leadership.
In his honor, the National Basketball Association would name its annual league Most Valuable Player trophy the Maurice Podoloff Trophy. In 1974 Podoloff was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and in 2011 was inducted into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame.
He was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1989.hdhe.