American Basketball League (1961-1963)
Encyclopedia
The American Basketball League played one full season, 1961
-1962
, and part of 1962-1963. The league actually folded on December 31, 1962. The ABL was the first basketball league to have a three point shot for baskets scored far away from the goal.
mogul Abe Saperstein
did not get the Los Angeles National Basketball Association
(NBA) franchise he felt he had been promised in return for his years of supporting the NBA with doubleheader games featuring his Harlem Globetrotters
. When Minneapolis Lakers owner Bob Short
was permitted to move the Lakers to Los Angeles, Saperstein reacted by convincing National Alliance of Basketball Leagues
(NABL) team owner Paul Cohen (Tuck Tapers) and Amateur Athletic Union
(AAU) National Champion Cleveland Pipers
owner George Steinbrenner
to take the top NABL and AAU teams and players and form a rival league. Saperstein and Cohen each secretly made arrangements with local promoters in the other cities to finance those teams so there would be an eight-team league. Saperstein's ego led him to place the Los Angeles Jets
to take on the transplanted Lakers. He got Bill Sharman
as coach and signed former NBA players Larry Friend and George Yardley
to give the team instant credibility. The idea backfired; the Jets did not last the season.
, who became the first African-American coach of a major pro basketball team. McLendon had several of his star players from Tennessee State
such as John Barnhill
and Ben Warley
, plus several former Akron Wingfoots
, such as Johnny Cox
and Jimmy Darrow
, who had won the AAU National Championship the year before. In a game against the Hawaii Chiefs, Steinbrenner sold player Grady McCollum to the Chiefs at halftime. McLendon chafed at Steinbrenner's interference and quit in midseason. Steinbrenner immediately named Sharman, from the recently defunct Jets, as his coach, and the Pipers won the 1961 ABL title. The Tuck Tapers were placed in Washington after years in New York as an NABL team, but soon returned to New York in midseason. Despite good attendance in several cities, the league had more problems prior to year two.
Steinbrenner's fame became cemented as owner of the New York Yankees
MLB franchise from 1973 until his death in 2010.
to a contract worth $40,000. With the Lucas signing, Steinbrenner had a secret deal with NBA commissioner Maurice Podoloff
. The Pipers would merge with the Kansas City Steers and join the NBA. A schedule was printed for the 1963-64 NBA season with the Pipers playing the New York Knicks in the first game. The gambit worked, but the ABL sued to block the move, and as a result Steinbrenner had a team and no league. Instead of returning to the ABL, Steinbrenner folded his tent. This chicanery masked a series of other ABL moves.
, as Saperstein was determined to create havoc for the Lakers. San Francisco escaped head-to-head competition with the newly relocated Warriors
by heading to Oakland. Paul Cohen, who secretly owned the Pittsburgh team as well as officially owning the Tapers, moved the Tapers again from New York, where they had been an NABL powerhouse for years, to Philadelphia, where he hoped to fill the void of the shocking move of the Warriors (with Wilt Chamberlain
) from Philadelphia to San Francisco.
The multiple radical changes, combined with uneven attendance (although some teams, such as the Kansas City Steers
, drew well), and no fresh capital from new owners, caused Saperstein and Cohen to decide to throw in the towel with the close of 1962
on December 31. The league that pioneered the three-point shot and the wider foul line (both eventually adopted by the rest of the basketball world) was gone. After the ABL folded, Steinbrenner had $125,000 in debts and personal losses of $2 million.
, Kansas City Steers
, Hawaii Chiefs, Cleveland Pipers
, and the Los Angeles Jets
eventually returned to their NABL roots, where they continue as AAU Elite teams.
1961 in sports
1961 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* AFL Championship – Houston Oilers won 10-3 over the San Diego Chargers* NFL Championship – Green Bay Packers won 37-0 over the New York Giants...
-1962
1962 in sports
1962 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* AFL Championship – Dallas Texans won 20-17 over the Houston Oilers in double overtime* NFL Championship – Green Bay Packers won 16-7 over the New York Giants...
, and part of 1962-1963. The league actually folded on December 31, 1962. The ABL was the first basketball league to have a three point shot for baskets scored far away from the goal.
Formation
The league was formed when basketballBasketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
mogul Abe Saperstein
Abe Saperstein
Abraham M. Saperstein was an owner and coach of the Savoy Big Five, which later became the Harlem Globetrotters...
did not get the Los Angeles National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA) franchise he felt he had been promised in return for his years of supporting the NBA with doubleheader games featuring his Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
. When Minneapolis Lakers owner Bob Short
Bob Short
Robert Earl Short was an American sport teams owner and politician.-Biography:A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Short bought the Minneapolis Lakers of the National Basketball Association in the late 1950s and moved the team to Los Angeles in 1960...
was permitted to move the Lakers to Los Angeles, Saperstein reacted by convincing National Alliance of Basketball Leagues
National Alliance of Basketball Leagues
The National Alliance of Basketball Leagues is the descendant of the industrial-based basketball clubs that formed into the National Basketball League in the early 1930s. The league was the brainchild of Indianapolis grocer Irv Kautsky, who sponsored the Indianapolis Kautskys club team, and...
(NABL) team owner Paul Cohen (Tuck Tapers) and Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
(AAU) National Champion Cleveland Pipers
Cleveland Pipers
The Cleveland Pipers was an American basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio that played in the short-lived American Basketball League from 1961-62. General Manager, Mike Cleary hired John McLendon, the first African American head coach in professional basketball to lead the squad. Playing under...
owner George Steinbrenner
George Steinbrenner
George Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
to take the top NABL and AAU teams and players and form a rival league. Saperstein and Cohen each secretly made arrangements with local promoters in the other cities to finance those teams so there would be an eight-team league. Saperstein's ego led him to place the Los Angeles Jets
Los Angeles Jets
The Los Angeles Jets were an American basketball team based in Los Angeles, California that was a member of the American Basketball League in the league's 1961-62 season. The team's only coach was Bill Sharman....
to take on the transplanted Lakers. He got Bill Sharman
Bill Sharman
William Walton "Bill" Sharman is a former professional basketball player and coach. Sharman completed high school in the rural city of Porterville, California and is mostly known for his time with the Boston Celtics in the 1950s, partnering with Bob Cousy in what some consider the greatest...
as coach and signed former NBA players Larry Friend and George Yardley
George Yardley
George Harry Yardley III , best known as simply George Yardley, was an NBA Hall of Fame basketball player. He was the first player in history to score 2,000 points in one season, breaking the 1,932-point record held by fellow Hall of Famer George Mikan...
to give the team instant credibility. The idea backfired; the Jets did not last the season.
George Steinbrenner
In Cleveland, Steinbrenner's coach was the legendary John McLendonJohn McLendon
John B. McLendon, Jr. was a pioneering American basketball coach who is recognized as the first African American basketball coach at a predominantly white university. He was a major contributor to the development of modern basketball and coached on both the college and professional levels during...
, who became the first African-American coach of a major pro basketball team. McLendon had several of his star players from Tennessee State
Tennessee State University
Tennessee State University is a land-grant university located in Nashville, Tennessee. TSU is the only state-funded historically black university in Tennessee.-History:...
such as John Barnhill
John Barnhill (basketball)
John Anthony "Rabbit" Barnhill is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'1" guard, Barnhill attended Tennessee State University, where he won an NAIA championship in 1957. Barnhill's 1957 TSU Tigers were notable as the first all-black team to win a major American basketball tournament...
and Ben Warley
Ben Warley
Benjamin Vallentina Warley was an American professional basketball player.A 6'5" forward/guard from Tennessee State University, Warley played five seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Syracuse Nationals, Philadelphia 76ers, and Baltimore Bullets. He averaged 8.4...
, plus several former Akron Wingfoots
Akron Wingfoots
The Akron Wingfoots are one of the oldest basketball teams in the United States. They were founded in 1918 by the workers at the Goodyear Tire Company in Akron, Ohio...
, such as Johnny Cox
Johnny Cox
Johnny W. Cox is a retired American basketball player.A 6'4" guard from Hazard High School in Kentucky, Cox starred at the University of Kentucky from 1956 to 1959. He scored 1,461 points in 84 career games and won an NCAA Championship in 1958...
and Jimmy Darrow
Jimmy Darrow
James K. "Jimmy" Darrow was an American basketball player. He was born in Akron, Ohio.A 5'10" , 170 lb guard, Darrow starred at Bowling Green State University. He was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks of the National Basketball Association and played five games with them during the 1961-62 NBA...
, who had won the AAU National Championship the year before. In a game against the Hawaii Chiefs, Steinbrenner sold player Grady McCollum to the Chiefs at halftime. McLendon chafed at Steinbrenner's interference and quit in midseason. Steinbrenner immediately named Sharman, from the recently defunct Jets, as his coach, and the Pipers won the 1961 ABL title. The Tuck Tapers were placed in Washington after years in New York as an NABL team, but soon returned to New York in midseason. Despite good attendance in several cities, the league had more problems prior to year two.
Steinbrenner's fame became cemented as owner of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
MLB franchise from 1973 until his death in 2010.
Jerry Lucas
Steinbrenner signed All-American Jerry LucasJerry Lucas
Jerry Ray Lucas was a basketball player from the 1950s to the 1970s, and is now a memory education expert. In 1996, the NBA's 50th anniversary, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in National Basketball Association history...
to a contract worth $40,000. With the Lucas signing, Steinbrenner had a secret deal with NBA commissioner Maurice Podoloff
Maurice Podoloff
Maurice Podoloff was a U.S. lawyer and basketball and ice hockey administrator. He was the first president of the National Basketball Association...
. The Pipers would merge with the Kansas City Steers and join the NBA. A schedule was printed for the 1963-64 NBA season with the Pipers playing the New York Knicks in the first game. The gambit worked, but the ABL sued to block the move, and as a result Steinbrenner had a team and no league. Instead of returning to the ABL, Steinbrenner folded his tent. This chicanery masked a series of other ABL moves.
Relocation
The Hawaii Chiefs drew well, but other teams felt the air travel was prohibitive. The Chiefs relocated in Long Beach, CaliforniaLong Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
, as Saperstein was determined to create havoc for the Lakers. San Francisco escaped head-to-head competition with the newly relocated Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
by heading to Oakland. Paul Cohen, who secretly owned the Pittsburgh team as well as officially owning the Tapers, moved the Tapers again from New York, where they had been an NABL powerhouse for years, to Philadelphia, where he hoped to fill the void of the shocking move of the Warriors (with Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
) from Philadelphia to San Francisco.
The multiple radical changes, combined with uneven attendance (although some teams, such as the Kansas City Steers
Kansas City Steers
The Kansas City Steers were an American basketball team based in Kansas City, Missouri that was a member of the American Basketball League.-Year-by-year:...
, drew well), and no fresh capital from new owners, caused Saperstein and Cohen to decide to throw in the towel with the close of 1962
1962 in sports
1962 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* AFL Championship – Dallas Texans won 20-17 over the Houston Oilers in double overtime* NFL Championship – Green Bay Packers won 16-7 over the New York Giants...
on December 31. The league that pioneered the three-point shot and the wider foul line (both eventually adopted by the rest of the basketball world) was gone. After the ABL folded, Steinbrenner had $125,000 in debts and personal losses of $2 million.
Top players
ABL players included the following:- Jack Adams
- Dick Barnett
- Sylvester "Sy" BlyeSylvester BlyeSylvester "Sy" Blye is a former American street and professional basketball player.Blye was famous in the Rucker Park league in New York City, being named to its Hall of Fame...
- Bucky Bolyard
- Bill Bridges
- Frank Burgess
- Jeff CohenJeff Cohen (basketball)Jeffrey Maxwell Cohen was an All-American basketball player at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia during his senior season in 1960-61...
- Kelly Coleman
- Gene ConleyGene ConleyDonald Eugene Conley is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played eleven seasons from to for four different teams. Conley also played forward in the 1952-1953 season and from 1958 to 1964 for two teams in the National Basketball Association...
- Johnny CoxJohnny CoxJohnny W. Cox is a retired American basketball player.A 6'4" guard from Hazard High School in Kentucky, Cox starred at the University of Kentucky from 1956 to 1959. He scored 1,461 points in 84 career games and won an NCAA Championship in 1958...
- Connie DierkingConnie DierkingConrad William Dierking is an American former professional basketball player.A 6'9" center from the University of Cincinnati, Dierking played in the National Basketball Association from 1958 to 1971 as a member of the Syracuse Nationals, Philadelphia 76ers, San Francisco Warriors, and Cincinnati...
- Bevo FrancisBevo FrancisBevo Francis was an American basketball player. He became one of the most prolific scorers in college basketball history during his career at Rio Grande College, topping over 100 points on two occasions...
- Connie HawkinsConnie HawkinsCornelius L. Hawkins is a former National Basketball Association and American Basketball Association player, Harlem Globetrotter and New York City playground legend...
- Tony JacksonTony Jackson (basketball)Tony B. Jackson was a professional basketball player.Jackson was born in the borough of Brooklyn in New York City. A standout player under coach Joe Lapchick at St...
- Roger KaiserRoger KaiserRoger Allen Kaiser is a retired American basketball player and coach. Kaiser was a two-time All-American player at Georgia Tech and won four NAIA national championships as a coach at the University of West Georgia and Life University....
- Maurice KingMaurice King (basketball)Maurice "Maury" E. King was an American professional basketball player, who played in the National Basketball Association for the Boston Celtics and Chicago Zephyrs, and with the Baltimore Bullets of the Eastern Professional Basketball League and the Kansas City Steers of the American Basketball...
- Herb Lee
- Walt Mangham
- Nick Mantis
- Phil Rollins
- Fred Sawyer
- Ken SearsKen SearsKenneth Robert Sears is a retired American professional basketball player. He holds the distinction of being the first basketball player to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine, appearing on the December 20, 1954 issue.A 6'9" forward from Santa Clara University, Sears played eight...
- Larry SiegfriedLarry SiegfriedLarry E. Siegfried was an American National Basketball Association player.-Early years:Siegfried led Ohio in scoring as a senior at Shelby High School....
- Bill SpiveyBill SpiveyWilliam "Bill" Spivey was an American basketball player. A center, he played college basketball for the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Kentucky Wildcats from 1949 to 1951. After his high school career, Spivey was recruited to the University of Kentucky...
- Bruce Spraggins
- Larry StavermanLarry StavermanLarry Joseph Staverman was an American professional basketball player and coach. A 6' 7" forward from Villa Madonna College , Staverman was drafted in the 9th round of the 1958 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals...
- John F. SullivanJohn F. SullivanJohn Francis Sullivan was a player on the Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers men's basketball team from 1953 to 1957. His average of 25.4 points per game is still the school record. His 2,676 points is still the school record for a career. His 1,070 points in the 1957 season is still the school record...
- Dan SwartzDan SwartzDaniel S. Swartz was an American basketball player born in Owingsville, Kentucky.A 6'4" forward from Morehead State University, Swartz played one season in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Boston Celtics...
- Roger Taylor
- Gene Tormohlen
- Hershell Turner
- Ben WarleyBen WarleyBenjamin Vallentina Warley was an American professional basketball player.A 6'5" forward/guard from Tennessee State University, Warley played five seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Syracuse Nationals, Philadelphia 76ers, and Baltimore Bullets. He averaged 8.4...
- Win WilfongWin WilfongAlva Winfred Wilfong was an American professional basketball player.A 6'2" guard/forward from the University of Memphis, Wilfong played four seasons in the National Basketball Association as a member of the St. Louis Hawks and Cincinnati Royals. He averaged 6.8 points per game and won a league...
- George YardleyGeorge YardleyGeorge Harry Yardley III , best known as simply George Yardley, was an NBA Hall of Fame basketball player. He was the first player in history to score 2,000 points in one season, breaking the 1,932-point record held by fellow Hall of Famer George Mikan...
- Wayne YatesWayne YatesWayne Yates is a retired American basketball player and coach. He played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association and later was a college coach, most notably at Memphis State University .-College playing career:Wayne Yates, a 6'8 center from North Little Rock High School in...
Rebirth
The Philadelphia TapersPhiladelphia Tapers
The Philadelphia Tapers were an American amateur and professional basketball team. Originally the New York Tapers, the team played in the NABL and was sponsored by Technical Tape Corporation, makers of Tuck brand adhesive and recording tapes....
, Kansas City Steers
Kansas City Steers
The Kansas City Steers were an American basketball team based in Kansas City, Missouri that was a member of the American Basketball League.-Year-by-year:...
, Hawaii Chiefs, Cleveland Pipers
Cleveland Pipers
The Cleveland Pipers was an American basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio that played in the short-lived American Basketball League from 1961-62. General Manager, Mike Cleary hired John McLendon, the first African American head coach in professional basketball to lead the squad. Playing under...
, and the Los Angeles Jets
Los Angeles Jets
The Los Angeles Jets were an American basketball team based in Los Angeles, California that was a member of the American Basketball League in the league's 1961-62 season. The team's only coach was Bill Sharman....
eventually returned to their NABL roots, where they continue as AAU Elite teams.
Complete team list
|
Oakland Oaks (ABL) The Oakland Oaks were an American basketball team based in Oakland, California that was a member of the American Basketball League.The team was previously known as the San Francisco Saints.-Year-by-year:... (1961/62-62/63, as San Francisco Saints San Francisco Saints (ABL) The San Francisco Saints were an American basketball team based in San Francisco, California that was a member of the American Basketball League.After the 1961/62 season, the team became the Oakland Oaks.-Year-by-year:... in 1961/62) Philadelphia Tapers The Philadelphia Tapers were an American amateur and professional basketball team. Originally the New York Tapers, the team played in the NABL and was sponsored by Technical Tape Corporation, makers of Tuck brand adhesive and recording tapes.... (1961/62-62/63, as Washington Tapers in 1961/62; moved to New York during 1961/62 season; as New York Tapers in 1961/62) Pittsburgh Rens The Pittsburgh Rens were an American basketball team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that was a member of the American Basketball League. The founder of the ABL, Abe Saperstein, was the owner of the Harlem Globetrotters who had competed for many decades against the New York Rens and eventually... (1961/62-62/63) |
Year Winner Result Runner-up
- 1961/62 Cleveland PipersCleveland PipersThe Cleveland Pipers was an American basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio that played in the short-lived American Basketball League from 1961-62. General Manager, Mike Cleary hired John McLendon, the first African American head coach in professional basketball to lead the squad. Playing under...
3-2 Kansas City SteersKansas City SteersThe Kansas City Steers were an American basketball team based in Kansas City, Missouri that was a member of the American Basketball League.-Year-by-year:... - 1962/63 Kansas City SteersKansas City SteersThe Kansas City Steers were an American basketball team based in Kansas City, Missouri that was a member of the American Basketball League.-Year-by-year:...
declared champions