The 1967–68 ABA season was the first season for the American Basketball Association. The ABA was challenging the National Basketball Association. The ABA introduced a red, white and blue basketball. They used a 30-second shot clock as opposed to the NBA's 24 second shot clock, and also used the three-point shot. There were 11 teams playing in the first season of the league, with each team playing a 78-game schedule.
History The American Basketball Association (ABA) was founded in 1967 by Dennis Murphy, former mayor of Buena Park, California, and Gary Davidson, an attorney from Orange County, California. George Mikan, a former National Basketball Association star best known for his career with the Minneapolis Lakers, was named as the league's first commissioner, saying that the ABA would avoid raiding the players from the NBA as the upstart league as it wanted to avoid legal issues relating to the reserve clause and hoped to avoid creating a bidding war for talent that would make player salaries unaffordable. Despite that, The New York Times reported that tentative offers had been made to Oscar Robertson and Wilt Chamberlain, who was offered a contract that would pay him $50,000 (half of what he was making with the Philadelphia 76ers) along with a 20% share of the team that started play as the New Jersey Americans.Hoppett, Leonard. "Lining Up for Tap-Off; American Basketball Association Parley To Complete Plans for Loop's Operation", The New York Times, February 12, 1967. Accessed September 1, 2010.
By April 1967, the league announced that they would begin play for the 1967–68 season with 11 teams in two divisions. The Eastern Division would include teams representing Indianapolis, Indiana, Louisville, Kentucky, New York City (though that team later played primarily in the state of New Jersey instead at Teaneck this season due to a lack of suitable locations for the New York City team), Minneapolis and Pittsburgh, while the Western division would be made up of Anaheim, California, Dallas, Denver (previously Kansas City as the original, intended location for the team), Houston, New Orleans and Oakland. (Supposedly, according to sports historian author Robert Bradley in The Compendium of Professional Basketball, there was initially going to be a twelfth team added out in Milwaukee in the Eastern Division by the start of the 1967–68 ABA season, but that ultimately never came to fruition (likely due to the NBA later choosing it alongside Phoenix, Arizona as their newest locations at hand for their league expansion in 1968)., p. 31) Each team owner made a commitment that they would have the resources to run for at least three years on annual budgets of $500,000 and would be able to absorb any financial losses during that period.Koppett, Leonard. "New 11-Team Basketball Loop Guaranteed to Operate 3 Years", The New York Times, April 4, 1967. Accessed September 1, 2010.
With the first pick in the league's inaugural draft in April 1967, Indianapolis chose Jimmy Walker, who had been a collegiate All-American at Providence College, where his 30.4 points per game led all major college players. Walker was also the first pick in the 1967 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons and ended up playing his entire career in the NBA. Among its picks, New Orleans selected pole vaulter Bob Seagren "because he is a great athlete and we think he can play pro basketball", despite the fact that he had never played basketball at the college level. The 11 teams selected a total of 130 players.Staff. "NEW COURT LOOP DRAFTS PLAYERS; 11 Teams Pick 130 Athletes --Seagren on List", The New York Times, April 3, 1967. Accessed September 1, 2010.
In June 1967, NBA leading scorer Rick Barry left the San Francisco Warriors to sign with Oakland, making him the seventh player and the first superstar to defect to the upstart league. The landmark three-year contract offer from singer and team owner Pat Boone was estimated to be worth $500,000 and would make him one of basketball's highest-paid players.via United Press International. "Barry Accepts $500,000 Contract; He Quits N.B.A. for 3-Year Pact With Oakland Five", The New York Times, June 21, 1967. Accessed September 1, 2010. The agreement included 15 percent ownership in the franchise, which led Barry to remark, "The offer Oakland made me was one I simply couldn't turn down." In August, however, a superior court judge upheld the reserve clause in Barry's contract and ruled that he was obligated to play for the Warriors or sit out for the entire season.via United Press International. "WARRIORS UPHELD ON OPTION CLAUSE; Court Rules Barry is Bound to Club One More Year", The New York Times, August 9, 1967. Accessed September 1, 2010. Barry ultimately chose to sit out for the year, rather than play for San Francisco.via United Press International. "Barry Ready to Sit Out Season Rather Than Play on Warriors", 'The New York Times', September 12, 1967. Accessed September 1, 2010.
Mikan unveiled the league's distinctive red, white and blue official ball in August, calling it "a patriotic ball" and saying that it would be more appealing visually on television.via Associated Press. "Official A.B.A. Ball: It's Red, White and Blue", The New York Times, August 20, 1967. Accessed September 1, 2010.
+Coaching changesIn-season Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach Anaheim Amigos Al Brightman Harry Dinnel Kentucky Colonels John Givens Gene Rhodes
Teams 1967–68 American Basketball Association Division Team City Arena Capacity Eastern Indiana Pacers Indianapolis, Indiana Indiana State Fair Coliseum 10,000 Kentucky Colonels Louisville, Kentucky Louisville Convention Center 6,000 Minnesota Muskies Bloomington, Minnesota Metropolitan Sports Center 15,000 New Jersey Americans Teaneck, New Jersey Teaneck Armory 5,500 Pittsburgh Pipers Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Civic Arena 12,508 Western Anaheim Amigos Anaheim, California Anaheim Convention Center 9,100 Dallas Chaparrals University Park, Texas Dallas, Texas Moody Coliseum Dallas Memorial Auditorium 8,998 9,815 Denver Rockets Denver, Colorado Denver Auditorium Arena 6,841 Houston Mavericks Houston, Texas Sam Houston Coliseum 9,200 New Orleans Buccaneers New Orleans, Louisiana Loyola Field House 6,500 Oakland Oaks Oakland, California Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena 13,502
Map of teams
Regular season First ABA Game: Anaheim vs. Oakland1234FAnaheim Amigos36243435129Oakland Oaks33372737134Location: Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum ArenaAttendance: 4,828
The Oakland Oaks defeated the Anaheim Amigos by a score of 134–129 in the league's inaugural game in front of 4,828 fans at the Oakland Arena on October 13, 1967.via Associated Press. "Oaks Grab Inaugural", Evening Independent, October 14, 1967. Accessed September 1, 2010. Oakland's Andy Anderson was the high scorer with 33 points and Les Selvage hit four three-point field goals.Grasso, John; and Pfander, Dick. 1967–68 ABA Game by Game Log-- Part 1, Remember the ABA. Accessed September 1, 2010.
The league's first all-star game was played in Indianapolis on January 9, 1968, at Hinkle Fieldhouse. Coach Jim Pollard of the Minnesota Muskies led the East to a 126–120 win over the West team coached by Babe McCarthy of the New Orleans Buccaneers. Larry Brown of the Buccaneers was chosen as the game's Most Valuable Player.ABA All-Star Games (1968–1976) , Remember the ABA. Accessed September 2, 2010. The nationally televised game was played in front of 10,872 fans, the largest attendance for any ABA game in Indianapolis as of that date.via United Press International. East Tops West In First ABA All-Star", The Bryan Times, January 10, 1968. Accessed September 2, 2010.
At the end of the regular season, the New Jersey Americans and the Kentucky Colonels finished the season tied for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Division, with identical 36–42 records. The teams were supposed to play a one-game playoff to determine who would advance to the postseason, which was supposed to be played at the Teaneck Armory in Teaneck, New Jersey, home court of the Americans, but could not be played there as the circus was in town and had the space booked. The team tried to relocate the game to the Long Island Arena in Commack, New York, but when the teams arrived, the playing surface was in such poor condition that the Colonels refused to play. Mikan ruled that the Americans had failed to provide acceptable playing facilities and forfeited the game to the Colonels, with Kentucky advancing to the divisional semifinals.via Associated Press. "N.J. Owner Wants New ABA Chief", Spartanburg Herald-Journal, March 27, 1968. Accessed September 1, 2010.
On March 24, 1968, the ABA awarded their first Most Valuable Player Award to Connie Hawkins of the Pittsburgh Pipers; Hawkins led the league in scoring with 26.9 points per game (1,877 total), field goals made (634).
Playoffs
The top seeds in each division during the regular season were the Eastern Division Pittsburgh Pipers and the New Orleans Buccaneers of the Western Division, and each won their respective division titles and won both divisional playoff rounds to advance to the league championship. In the seventh and deciding game, the Pipers defeated the Buccaneers by a score of 122–113 to take the first league championship, with Charlie Williams scoring a game high 35 points to lead the hometown Pipers in front of 11,475 fans.Staff. "PIPERS VANQUISH BUCS, WIN TITLE; Fight Off Rally in 122–113 A.B.A. Playoff Victory", The New York Times, May 5, 1968. Accessed September 1, 2010.
Final standings
Eastern Division + Team W L PCT. GB x- Pittsburgh Pipers 54 24 .692 — x-Minnesota Muskies 50 28 .641 4 x-Indiana Pacers 38 40 .487 16 x-Kentucky Colonels 36 42 .462 18 New Jersey Americans 36 42 .462 18
Western Division + Team W L PCT. GB x-New Orleans Buccaneers 48 30 .615 — x-Dallas Chaparrals 46 32 .590 2 x-Denver Rockets 45 33 .577 3 x-Houston Mavericks 29 49 .372 19 Anaheim Amigos 25 53 .321 23 Oakland Oaks 22 56 .282 26 x- denotes playoff team
Bold – ABA champions
Awards and honors
ABA Most Valuable Player Award: Connie Hawkins, Pittsburgh Pipers Rookie of the Year: Mel Daniels, Minnesota Muskies Coach of the Year: Vince Cazzetta, Pittsburgh Pipers Playoffs MVP: Connie Hawkins, Pittsburgh Pipers All-Star Game MVP: Larry Brown, New Orleans Buccaneers All-ABA First Team Connie Hawkins, Pittsburgh Pipers Doug Moe, New Orleans Buccaneers Mel Daniels, Minnesota Muskies Larry Jones, Denver Rockets Charlie Williams, Pittsburgh Pipers All-ABA Second Team Roger Brown, Indiana Pacers Cincy Powell, Dallas Chaparrals John Beasley, Dallas Chaparrals Larry Brown, New Orleans Buccaneers Louie Dampier, Kentucky Colonels All-ABA Rookie Team Louie Dampier, Kentucky Colonels Mel Daniels, Minnesota Muskies Jimmy Jones, New Orleans Buccaneers Bob Netolicky, Indiana Pacers Trooper Washington, Pittsburgh Pipers
References
Season summary on Basketball Reference