Memphis Pros
Louisiana Buccaneers 1970 Memphis Pros 1970-72 Memphis Tams 1972-74 Memphis sounds 1974-75 Baltimore Hustlers 1975 Baltimore Claws 1975
The Memphis Pros were an American basketball franchise from Memphis, Tennessee, who played 1970-1972 in the American Basketball Association.
Origins
The New Orleans Buccaneers were a founding member of the ABA, who played there from 1967-1970 and in 1969 won the championship in the Western Division. After the 1969/70 season the team was renamed the Louisiana Buccaneers worthy of hosting their home games in several cities of the state. Finally, this idea was discarded and the future of the Bucs was uncertain.
On August 21, 1970, the team was at the businessman PW Blake sold from Memphis. 10 days later he moved with the team and changed its name to Memphis Pros, because the already ordered Bucs jerseys at low cost in Pros - shirts could be converted.
1970-1971
The Pros came quickly through the bad time of the change in problems. The Mid-South Coliseum was almost fully booked throughout the winter and the pros were able to secure only a Friday deadline for a home game. So they had to deliver in some other halls in Tennessee and Mississippi their home games. It was not surprising that the ticket sales were low; at the beginning of the season we sold only 180 season tickets.
Bobby Warren of the Los Angeles Lakers concurred with the team; Ron Franz and Dave Nash were released to The Floridians in exchange for Wilbert Jones, Al Cueto and Erv Staggs. Later, Red Robbins exchanged with the Utah Stars for Craig Raymond and Skeeter Swift with the Pittsburgh Pipers for Charlie Williams. Jimmy Jones, Steve Jones and Wendell Ladner played in the All Star Game; Ladner was benann into space Rookie Team. During the season, an average of 3199 fans came to the home games. The pros finished the regular season with 41 wins and 43 defeats, what third place in the Eastern Division meant. In the playoffs, would retire in the first round with 0:4 against the Indiana Pacers.
The Pros almost did not survive this season. In December 1970, Blake simply left the team and stated that he had lost $ 200,000. The League tried desperately to find a new owner, but found none. Finally, a group called Memphis Area Sports Inc. bought the team for $ 700,000. It consisted of 4600 residents of Tennessee, the shares in the team for 5, 10 or $ 50 and bought a board of 24 people selected. The stockbroker A.W. Hart from Memphis became president.
1971-1972
The team undertook Johny Neumann from the University of Mississippi and Larry Cannon, but lost Steve Jones as a free agent at the Dallas Chaparrals; Jimmy Jones left the team and joined the Utah Stars.
On October 6, 1971 Pros the Boston Celtics of the NBA received in a friendly game that the Celtics won with 115:94. That was the only time that a team from Memphis played against a team from the NBA until the Vancouver Grizzlies moved to Memphis in 2001.
The Pros gave Larry Cannon from during the season to the Indiana Pacers for Don Sidle and sent Wendell Ladner, Tom Owens and Bobby Warren to the Carolina Cougars in exchange for Randy Denton, Warren Davis and George Lehmann. This trade was initiated by hard without consulting with coach McCarthy.
In All Star Game played only a player of the Pros, Wil Jones.
Despite (or because of) the personnel changes, the team finished the regular season with only 26 wins and 58 defeats, which meant the fifth and last place in the Western Division and missing the playoffs.
Although 4441 fans came to the games on average, showed again the financial problems, so the league for the second time had to take control of the team.
On April 27, 1972 Babe McCarthy resigned as coach of the Pros. On 13 June 1972, the team of Charles O. Finley, who also owned the Oakland A's acquired. Finley also took over the debts of the team. The former coach of the University of Kentucky, Adolph Rupp became president.
Prior to the 1972/73 season Finley changed the name of the team in Memphis Tams.