The First Shot Heard round the World

During the inaugural 1946-47 season of the BAA (the Basketball Association of America – one of the two leagues that merged into the NBA), among the most outstanding players was the Providence Steamrollers’ 5'10" rookie point guard Ernie Calverley.

A standout for Rhode Island State (presently the University of Rhode Island), the Pawtucket, RI native was the country’s leading scorer in 1944 at 26.7 ppg. Two years later, he spearheaded the Rams’ deep run in the prestigious National Invitation Tournament. Towards the end of a first-round matchup against heavily-favored Bowling Green, Calverley swished a two-handed heave from well past midcourt to force overtime. “I knew I had to go to the left,” he recounted a half-century after, “so I could avoid the scoreboard that was hanging over center court.” The New Englanders would go on to win the game 82-79, and the 62-foot bucket was dubbed the “shot heard round the world.” The Rams would advance to the tourney final, only to fall short against powerhouse Kentucky by a single point. Nevertheless, Calverley was awarded the MVP of the 1946 NIT.

During his first year of professional ball, Ernie steered the fast-paced and undersized Steamrollers to a third-place finish (28-32). Not only was he the team’s high scorer, but the welterweight guard was considered the league’s best passer. According to the eminent basketball historian Charley Rosen, “The BAA’s board of governors so valued Calverley’s passing skills—and his potential . . . at the box office—that the league introduced a new statistic: assists. . . Neither the colleges nor any of the other pro leagues had bothered to record and tabulate this aspect of the game. (The same neglect was given to rebounds, steals, blocked shots, and turnovers. It was said that if the NCAA has tracked assists, Calverley would have averaged 15 or more during his tenure at Rhode Island.”

Although Ernie continued to produce at a similar clip the next two years, the Steamrollers brought up the Association’s rear. Following the 1948-49 campaign, the team folded and their point guard retired with career averages of 11.9 points and 3.5 assists per game.

Towards the end of the next decade, Calverley assumed the coaching reins of his alma mater. Over 11 seasons, he compiled a 154-125 record and shepherded the university to a pair of NCAA appearances.

According to URI’s athletic department, “He was Rhode Island Coach of the Year in 1962, and a member of the State of Rhode Island Heritage, New England Basketball, and Providence Gridiron Club Halls of Fame.” On October 20, 2003, Calverley passed away in the state capital.