Ben Kerner was an American professional basketball owner.
19 Facts About Ben Kerner
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Ben Kerner was the co-founder and owner of the St Louis Hawks of the National Basketball Association, the present-day Atlanta Hawks.
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Ben Kerner moved the franchise from Moline, Illinois, to Milwaukee in 1951 and to St Louis in 1955.
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In 1946, along with business partner Leo Ferris, Ben Kerner founded a professional team in Buffalo, New York.
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In 1949, Ben Kerner hired eventual Naismith Hall of Fame coach Red Auerbach as coach of the Tri-Cities Blackhawks.
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Ben Kerner eventually traded Cousy to the Chicago Stags without playing a game for the Tri-Cities.
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Ben Kerner countered with $6,000 before trading him to the Stags on May 21,1950, for Frankie Brian.
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Ben Kerner drafted Hall of Fame player Bob Pettit in the first round of the 1954 NBA draft and Pettit became the cornerstone of the franchise.
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In 1956, Ben Kerner drafted Hall of Fame player Bill Russell as the second pick in the first round of the 1956 NBA draft.
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Ben Kerner then traded Russell to the Boston Celtics for Cliff Hagan and former St Louis University star Ed Macauley, both Hall of Fame players.
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Ben Kerner had a number of ties to the Boston Celtics; he had employed Celtics coach Red Auerbach, drafted Bob Cousy and Bill Russell and obtained former Celtics Cliff Hagan and Ed Macauley.
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Ben Kerner did not retain Hannum as coach, instead going with Andy Phillip, who in turn was replaced weeks into the season for Ed Macauley.
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One of them was Paul Seymour, who was not so much fired by Kerner as pushed out by players who reportedly wanted the ball more over rookie Cleo Hill to where Kerner forced Seymour to bench Hill.
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On May 3,1968, Ben Kerner sold the St Louis Hawks to Tom Cousins and former Georgia governor Carl Sanders for $3.5 million.
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Ben Kerner was born to Jacob and Helen Arbesman Kerner on June 9,1913, in Poland.
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Ben Kerner died on November 22,2000, and is buried in Mt.
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Ben Kerner was married to Ima Jean Bilbrey on November 24,1972, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
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Ben Kerner was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.
19.
In 2015, Ben Kerner was inducted into the St Louis Sports Hall of Fame.