Tri-Cities Sent Jorgensen and Cash to Syracuse
On December 13, 1950, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks traded Noble Jorgensen and cash to the Syracuse Nationals for Ed Peterson. Tri-Cities' transaction page, Syracuse's transaction page, the league transaction log and executive records for Ben Kerner and Leo Ferris all identify the same exchange. Jorgensen had averaged 11.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in 22 Tri-Cities games that season. Peterson had averaged 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 17 games for Syracuse.
Peterson Helped the Blackhawks for 36 Games
Peterson gave the Blackhawks a respectable short-term return. He appeared in 36 games after the trade and averaged 7.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists. His rebounding role was especially useful for a team that needed frontcourt size, and his scoring improved from the smaller role he had occupied in Syracuse. The limitation is duration. Those 36 games were the last regular-season appearances of Peterson's NBA career, so Tri-Cities did not receive a multi-season player or a later trade asset from the deal.
Jorgensen Stayed Three Seasons in Syracuse
Jorgensen became a larger and much more durable piece for the Nationals. He played 41 games for Syracuse in the remainder of 1950-51, averaging 9.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists. He then stayed for two more full seasons, appearing in 66 games in 1951-52 and 70 in 1952-53. Across his Syracuse tenure after the trade, Jorgensen played 177 regular-season games. He also participated in the playoffs in each of those seasons. Syracuse received that multi-year center production plus an undisclosed cash payment.
Durability and Cash Put the Nationals Ahead
Tri-Cities received a useful player, so this is not a one-sided transaction in the sense of one team getting nothing. Peterson played 36 games and rebounded well. Syracuse still owns the stronger return because Jorgensen was productive immediately and remained part of the rotation for three seasons. The 177-game Syracuse tenure creates a large durability gap, and the cash component moves in the same direction rather than offsetting it. That combination makes the Nationals' advantage clearer than the legacy grade suggested.
Final Verdict
Nationals Win — Tri-Cities C+, Syracuse A-. Tri-Cities traded Noble Jorgensen and cash to the Syracuse Nationals for Ed Peterson on December 13, 1950. Peterson became a useful short-term center for the Blackhawks, averaging 7.8 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 36 games, but his NBA career ended after the season. Jorgensen immediately gave Syracuse more scoring and stayed far longer: 9.3 points and 5.5 rebounds across 41 games in 1950-51, followed by 66 games in 1951-52 and 70 in 1952-53.