1959-60 NBA Season
As originally written by Tony Miller:
Onward now to 1959-60. The final season played fully under the Eisenhower administration was also the first to see the NBA’s national-TV deal routinely cover both halves of the weekend. Gowdy and Nelson were again split up, with Marty Glickman and Bill O’Donnell returning to the NBA on NBC as fill-ins when baseball came calling.
Same teams, same arenas.
Data from ”The NBA on NBC 1954-55 to 1961-62”, courtesy librarybob and jtgrace1.
OCTOBER
Sunday 10/11:
Warriors-Hawks (preseason), 2:15, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Saturday 10/17:
Royals-Celtics, 4:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 10/18:
Pistons-Lakers, 1:15, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Saturday 10/24:
Pistons-Royals, 4:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 10/25:
Lakers-Royals, 1:15, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
NOVEMBER
Sunday 11/1:
Hawks-Lakers, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Sunday 11/8:
Royals-Warriors, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Sunday 11/15:
Pistons-Knicks, 2:15, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Saturday 11/21:
Lakers-Royals, 5:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 11/22:
Hawks-Royals, 2:15, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Sunday 11/29:
Knicks-Warriors, 2:15, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
DECEMBER
Saturday 12/5:
Lakers-Nationals, 1:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 12/6:
Hawks-Royals, 2:15, NBC. Marty Glickman
Saturday 12/12:
Royals-Lakers, 2:15, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 12/13:
Knicks-Pistons, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Saturday 12/19:
Knicks-Celtics, 4:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 12/20:
Royals-Knicks, 2:15, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Saturday 12/26:
Lakers-Pistons, 4:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 12/27:
Pistons-Lakers, 4:30, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
(Note: According to BD Sullivan on the source thread, the 12/6 game was likely the first NBA game broadcast nationally in color.)
JANUARY
Saturday 1/2:
Knicks-Royals, 2:30, NBC. Marty Glickman
Sunday 1/3:
Celtics-Nationals, 2:15, NBC. Marty Glickman
Saturday 1/9:
Nationals-Warriors, 1:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 1/10:
Celtics-Hawks, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Saturday 1/16:
Royals-Knicks, 2:15, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Sunday 1/17:
Warriors-Celtics, 1:30, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Saturday 1/23:
Warriors-Pistons, 1:15, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 1/24:
Celtics-Nationals, 3:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Saturday 1/30:
Warriors-Knicks, 2:15, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Sunday 1/31:
Pistons-Celtics, 2:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy
FEBRUARY
Saturday 2/6:
Nationals-Warriors, 2:15, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 2/7:
Warriors-Hawks, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Saturday 2/13:
Hawks-Knicks, 2:15, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 2/14:
Celtics-Warriors, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Saturday 2/20:
Pistons-Royals, 2:15, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 2/21:
Pistons-Nationals, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Saturday 2/27:
Knicks-Nationals, 2:15, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 2/28:
Warriors-Pistons, 2:15, NBC. Marty Glickman
MARCH
Saturday 3/5:
Hawks-Lakers, 2:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Sunday 3/6:
Nationals-Celtics, 2:00, NBC. Curt Gowdy
Saturday 3/12:
West semis, g1: Lakers-Pistons (at Grosse Pointe H.S.), 2:00, NBC. Bill O’Donnell
Sunday 3/13:
East semis, g2: Warriors-Nationals, 2:00, NBC. Marty Glickman
Saturday 3/19:
West finals, g3: Hawks-Lakers, 2:00, NBC. Bill O’Donnell
Sunday 3/20:
East finals, g4: Celtics-Warriors, 2:00, NBC. Marty Glickman
Saturday 3/26:
West finals, g7: Hawks-Lakers, 2:00, NBC. Bill O’Donnell
Sunday 3/27:
NBA Finals, g1: Hawks-Celtics, 2:00, NBC. Marty Glickman
(Note: Per theicedog on the source thread, the 3/12 game was moved to Grosse Pointe High School because of scheduling conflicts at the Olympia. Cobo Arena was not yet finished.)
APRIL
Saturday 4/2:
NBA Finals, g3: Celtics-Hawks, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson
Sunday 4/3:
NBA Finals, g4: Celtics-Hawks, 2:00, NBC. Marty Glickman
Saturday 4/9:
NBA Finals, g7: Hawks-Celtics, 2:00, NBC. Lindsey Nelson