In the team's first season, the franchise went through several different lineups and two coaching changes, but later made the playoffs by signing several players who had been part of the college point-shaving scandals, including Sherman White of Long Island University, Bob McDonald of Toledo University, and Ed Warner of CCNY.
With that lineup, the team was able to reach the Eastern League finals in its first season - only to lose to the Wilkes-Barre Barons in a best-of-three series.
By the team's second year of operation, the franchise was now known as the "Hawks," and became the first basketball team in an integrated professional league to have an all-black starting lineup, which included White, Tom Hemans of Niagara University, Jesse Arnelle from Penn State, Fletcher Johnson from Duquesne University, and Floyd Layne of CCNY.
The 1957-58 season saw the Hawks finish with an 18-10 record, tying them for first place in the league with the Wilkes-Barre Barons and Easton Madisons; after a three-way playoff, the Hawks were seeded third in the Eastern League playoffs, where the team eventually lost to the Madisons.
The Hawks remained in the Eastern League until 1962, when after three consecutive losing seasons the franchise folded.