Before the Blues and the football Cardinals, there was the St. Louis Hawks — a powerhouse NBA franchise that brought the city its only professional basketball championship in 1958.

In this episode of Show Me History, we take you courtside for the rise and fall of the Hawks, tracing their journey from Buffalo to the Tri-Cities, Milwaukee, and finally St. Louis. You’ll hear about legendary players like Bob Pettit, nail-biting playoff rivalries with the Celtics, and how the Hawks helped pave the way for St. Louis to become a multi-sport city — only to be pushed out by the very teams they made possible.

Packed with drama, civic pride, and court-side controversy, this is the story of the last pro basketball team to call St. Louis home — and the complex reasons they left for Atlanta in 1968.

🏀 Rivalries. Racism. Relocation. The story of the Hawks is one St. Louis shouldn’t forget.

All research, editing, and production by River City Productions for Show-Me History.

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Thank you for listening — and as always, we’ll see you in the Lou.