How Ass Man Organized the First NBA Game

Frank J. Selke was a tough, hard-nosed, god-fearing man who was an assistant general manager with the 1945 NHL champion Toronto Maple Leafs.

As is customary, Frank’s name was engraved on the Stanley Cup as “F.J. Selke (Ass Man)” and he helped organize the first game in the history of the NBA.

The BAA & the Ass Man

Let’s back up a bit. Before there was ever an NBA, there was a Basketball Association of America (BAA), which was founded by a good ol’ boy network of hockey arena owners from across the U.S. and Canada.

These cantankerous old white dudes thought shooting a leather ball through a hoop was more circus sideshow than sport, but they wanted to fill empty arena dates to boost revenue.

So they had a meeting in New York, where they officially formed the BAA, assigned franchise rights among themselves, and probably sat around a roundtable chomping on cigars and comparing the ‘assets’ of each other’s mistresses.

Enter the Ass Man

Conn Smythe, part-owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Maple Leaf Gardens arena was supposed to be one of the old white dudes in attendance at the NY meeting, but alas he was overseas taking care of more important business.

In his place, Maple Leaf’s exec Frank Selke Sr. (ass man) was left in charge and by being in the right place, at the right time, he unwittingly made history by organizing the first NBA game.

Not only did he help find the backers to put up the $150,000 ($2.3 million in today’s dollars) necessary to found Canada’s first pro basketball team – the appropriately named Toronto Huskies. But he also made sure the arena he was left in charge of, Maple Leaf Gardens hosted the first game.

Unfortunately, this is where the feel-good story ends, as the Huskies sucked😝 They lost the first game in BAA (now NBA) history on November 1st, 1946 to the New York Knickerbockers 68-66 and they only lasted a single season before folding due to poor attendance. Despite zany promotions like giving away free pantyhose to anyone who would attend a game.

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