The Philadelphia Sphas were an American professional basketball team active from 1917 to 1959. Throughout the team's tenure, they played in many ramshackle leagues, which was commonplace in the time before the formation of the NBA. Most of the Sphas' existence was spent in the Eastern Basketball League and the American Basketball League. They won twelve championships, one each in the short-lived Philadelphia League and Philadelphia Basket Ball League, three in the Eastern Basketball League, and seven in the American Basketball League.
| Year | League | Regular season | Playoffs | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1917–18 | American League of Philadelphia | 5th (tie for last) | No playoffs were held by the ALP | |
| 1918–19 | American League of Philadelphia | 5th (1st half); 5th (2nd half), 5th overall | ||
| 1919–20 | American League of Philadelphia | 3rd (1st half); 4th (2nd half) | ||
| 1920–21 | American League of Philadelphia | 4th (1st half); 7th (2nd half), 6th overall | ||
| 1921–22 | American League of Philadelphia | 1st (1st half); 3rd (2nd half) | ALP folded before the season completed | |
| 1922–23 | Manufacturer's League | 3rd (1st half); 6th (2nd half) | No playoffs were held by the Manufacturer's League | |
| Philadelphia League | 2nd (1st half); 6th (2nd half) | No playoffs were held by the Philadelphia League | ||
| 1923–24 | Philadelphia League | 5th (1st half); 1st (2nd half) | Champions (2–0 over Tri-Council Caseys) | |
| 1924–25 | Philadelphia Basket Ball League | 1st (1st half); 3rd (2nd half) | Champions (2–1 over Tri-Council Caseys) | |
| 1925–26 | Eastern League | 3rd (1st half); 1st (2nd half) | No playoffs were held by the Eastern League | |
| 1926–27 | American Basketball League (as Warriors) | 2nd (2nd half) | Did not qualify | |
| 1927–28 | American Basketball League (as Warriors) | 2nd | Lost division playoffs | |
| 1928–29 | Philadelphia Basket Ball League | 5th (1st half) | Sphas dropped out of the league after the first half | |
| The team was not part of any league and played independently | ||||
| 1929–30 | Eastern Basketball League | 2nd (1st half); 1st (2nd half) | Champions (3–2 over Philadelphia Elks) | |
| 1930–31 | Eastern Basketball League | 1st (1st half); 2nd (2nd half) | Champions (3–1 over Camden Skeeters) | |
| 1931–32 | Eastern Basketball League | 2nd (1st half, lost 1st half title to Philadelphia Moose); 1st (2nd half) | Champions (3–1 over Philadelphia Moose) | |
| 1932–33 | Eastern Basketball League | 1st (1st half); 3rd (2nd half) | Lost championship (3–1 to Trenton Moose) | |
| 1933–34 | American Basketball League | 3rd (1st half); 1st (2nd half) | Champions (4–2 over Trenton Moose) | |
| 1934–35 | American Basketball League | 2nd (1st half); 2nd (2nd half) | Lost second half title (2–1 to Brooklyn Visitations) | |
| 1935–36 | American Basketball League | 1st (1st half); 5th (2nd half) | Champions (4–3 over Brooklyn Visitations) | |
| 1936–37 | American Basketball League | 2nd (1st half); 1st (2nd half) | Champions (4–3 over Jersey Reds) | |
| 1937–38 | American Basketball League | 4th (1st half); 3rd (2nd half) | Did not qualify | |
| 1938–39 | American Basketball League | 2nd | Lost semifinals (2–0 to New York Jewels) | |
| 1939–40 | American Basketball League | 1st | Champions (defeated the Washington Brewers, Troy Celtics, New York Jewels, and Baltimore Clippers in round-robin series) | |
| 1940–41 | American Basketball League | 1st (1st half); 4th (2nd half) | Champions (3–1 over Brooklyn Celtics) | |
| 1941–42 | American Basketball League | 2nd (1st half); 3rd (2nd half) | No playoffs were held by the ABL | |
| 1942–43 | American Basketball League | 2nd | Champions (4–3 over Trenton Tigers) | |
| 1943–44 | American Basketball League | 4th (1st half); 1st (2nd half) | Lost championship (4–3 to Wilmington Blue Bombers) | |
| 1944–45 | American Basketball League | 1st | Champions (2–1 over Baltimore Bullets) | |
| 1945–46 | American Basketball League | 2nd | Lost championship (3–1 to Baltimore Bullets) | |
| 1946–47 | American Basketball League | 2nd | Lost second round (2–1 to Trenton Tigers) | |
| 1947–48 | American Basketball League | 6th | Did not qualify | |
| 1948–49 | American Basketball League | 8th | Did not qualify | |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah Stark, Douglas (2011). "Appendix E". The SPHAS: The Life and Times of Basketball's Greatest Jewish Team. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. pp. 295–297. ISBN 9781592136339. OCLC 859555296.
- ^ No relation to earlier Eastern League