The 1939 season was the last season the Kentucky Kings played in Louisville. They were remarkably competitive all things considered, as they were relevant in the division race for most of the season and finished 68-72. But they still played in front of thousands of empty seats, and it was clear that their fan base had given up on them. They have not posted a winning record since 1923, and in 39 years in existence they have never once made the playoffs.
As for who did make the playoffs...the Knights, of course. Who else? They went 100-40 to once again run away with the ABC East. The Cincinnati Silverbacks won their division for the second year in a row and the third time in the past four years. Over in the NBC, the Eagles took their turn to win the East, which has not had a repeat champion since the 1934 & 1935 New York Bears (who have not returned to the playoffs since). Between 1935 and 1939, every team in the NBC East has finished first at least once except for the Lions. And in the NBC West, the Browns narrowly fended off the Atlanta Colonels to win the division.
In the playoffs, the Knights and Silverbacks went a full five games, but Cincinnati could just not get past New York, as the Knights bounced them for the third time in as many meetings. In the NBC, the Browns swept the Eagles to advance to the World Series, the third Knights/Browns World Series of the decade. The Knights got their revenge for 1937, defeating the Browns in five games to win yet another championship. It was their 2nd in a row, their 5th in the 1930s alone, and their 12th in team history.
After the season, the relocation of the Kentucky Kings was made official: they would be moving to Charlotte, North Carolina and would be renamed the Charlotte Roadrunners. Even though they were moving east, they would remain in the NBC West, as all five teams in the NBC East were located just as far east, and it made no sense to move one of them to the West division.
