- 1955
- 1956
- 1958
- 1958
- 1968
-
Gateway City Here We Come
After four last-place seasons in Milwaukee, the Hawks arrived in St. Louis, who had once been home to the Bombers an early BAA franchise that folded in 1950 and were on the verge of becoming one of the top teams in the NBA with second-year Forward Bob Pettit. In their first season in the Gateway City, Pettit would earn the ... -
Trade Bill Russell to the Celtics
Prior to the start of the season, the Hawks made one of the biggest draft-day deals in NBA history sending second overall pick Bill Russell to the Boston Celtics for Rookie Guard Cliff Hagan and second-year star Ed Macauley, who had been a popular player at St. Louis University. Despite the movies, the Hawks struggled most of the season as ... -
NBA Championship
Coming off their trip to the NBA Finals the Hawks were flying high taking the Western Division by eight games with a solid 41-31 record as they played a strong ball control game with Bob Pettit ranking third in scoring and second in rebounding. In the Western Finals, the Hawks would have no problem with Detroit Pistons taking the series ... -
Coach Alex Hannum was Replaced
Despite winning the NBA Championship Coach Alex Hannum was replaced by Andy Phillip, who would only last two games before being replaced by Ed Macauley. The Hawks would also make changes to the team acquiring Clyde Lovellette from the Cincinnati Royals. The Hawks would go on to win the Western Division easily with a solid 49-23 record as Bob Pettit ... -
Best Season in St. Louis
With Zelmo Beaty and Lenny Wilkens averaging more the 20 ppg, the Hawks had their finest season in St. Louis posting a 56-26 record and finishing in first place. However, in the playoffs, the Hawks would be stunned in the first round by the San Francisco Warriors in six games. Following the season St. Louis fans would be further stunned ...
In 1954, the Hawks drafted Bob Pettit, a future NBA MVP. Despite this, the Hawks were one of the league’s worst teams, and in 1955 the Hawks moved, this time to St. Louis, Missouri, Milwaukee’s rival in the beer industry, and became the St. Louis Hawks.
Established
1946
City
Tri-Cities - Milwaukee - St. Louis - Atlanta
League History
1949 – Present / National Basketball Association
1946 – 1949 / National Basketball League
Team History
1968 – Present / Atlanta Hawks
1955 – 1968 / St. Louis Hawks
1951 – 1955 / Milwaukee Hawks
1946 – 1951 / Tri-Cities Blackhawks
Nickname
Hawks - The Tri-City Blackhawk’s name was shorted to just Hawks after the team moved to Milwaukee and continued to St. Louis.
Championship
NBA Championships 1
1958
Arena
2019 - Present / State Farm Arena
1999 - 2018 / Philips Arena
1997 – 1999 / Georgia Dome & Alexander Memorial Coliseum
1972 – 1997 / The Omni
1968 – 1972 / Alexander Memorial Coliseum
*St. Louis*
1955 – 1968 / Kiel Auditorium
*Milwaukee*
1951 – 1955 / Milwaukee Arena
*Moline*
1946 – 1951 / Wharton Field House
Owner
2015 – Present / Tony Ressler
2004 – 2015 / Atlanta Spirit, LLC
1977 – 2004 / Ted Turner/Turner Broadcasting
1968 – 1976 / Tom Cousins/Cousins Corporation, Carl Sanders
1946 – 1968 / Ben Kerner
Retired Number
9 / Bob Pettit
21 / Dominique Wilkins
23 / Lou Hudson
44 / Pete Maravich
55 / Dikembe Mutombo
59 / Kasim Reed
– / Ted Turner
*Blue is this team’s history