Citizendia

This page is about the American Basketball Association (ABA) team. For the WNBA team formerly known as the Utah Starzz, see San Antonio Silver Stars. The San Antonio Silver Stars are a team in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA based in San Antonio Texas.

The Utah Stars was an American Basketball Association (ABA) team based in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. The American Basketball Association ( ABA) was a professional Basketball league founded in 1967, and eventually merged in part with the National Salt Lake City is the Capital and the most populous city of the U

Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround. William Walton "Bill" Sharman (born May 25 1926 in Abilene Texas) is a former professional Basketball player and coach [1]

Contents

History

The team was founded as the Anaheim Amigos, a charter member of the ABA based in Anaheim, California. They played at the Anaheim Convention Center. Anaheim Convention Center is a major Convention center in Anaheim California. The team's colors were orange and black.

The Anaheim Amigos became the Los Angeles Stars in 1968 and played at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, until 1970, at which point the team moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, to become the Utah Stars. The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena is a multipurpose sports Arena in the University Park neighborhood of Los Angeles California at Exposition Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Salt Lake City is the Capital and the most populous city of the U

The Utah Stars played at the Salt Palace from 1970 to December 1975 when the team folded during the 1975-1976 ABA season. This article describes a large building in Utah A one-story building made of locally mined salt blocks in Grand Saline Texas is also called the "Salt Palace" They won the ABA championship in the 1970-1971 season over the Kentucky Colonels 4 games to 3 and reached the championship again in the 1973 to 1974 season, losing to the New York Nets 4 games to 1. The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's 9 years The New Jersey Nets are a professional Basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic

The Stars are widely considered one of the most successful teams in ABA history. They were also known for having some of the best fan support in the ABA, even up until the team folded in 1975. From 1970-1975 the Stars went an impressive 265-171 (. 608), which was the best winning percentage of any team that played more than 1 season in the league.

1967-68 season

The Anaheim Amigos were founded by Art Kim, a Hawaii native who had long been active in basketball as a player, Amateur Athletic Union administrator and owner. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the Official NameAmateur Athletic Union of the United States Incorporated (AAU The Amigos lost the very first ABA game to Oakland, 132-129. They finished their first season with 25 wins and 53 losses, good for fifth place in the Western Division but not good enough to make the playoffs.

1968-1969 season

The Amigos lost $500,000 in their first season, largely due to poor attendance; they only averaged 1,500 fans per game in a 7,500-seat arena. Kim realized he didn't have the resources to keep going and sold the team to construction company owner Jim Kirst, who moved the team to Los Angeles as the Stars. The franchise made an attempt to sign legendary center Wilt Chamberlain. Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain (August 21 1936&ndashOctober 12 1999 nicknamed Wilt the Stilt, The Big Dipper, and Chairman of the Boards Chamberlain did not sign with the Stars (though he did play for the ABA's San Diego Conquistadors). The San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's" were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego California. With 33 wins and 45 losses, the Stars improved from their first season but again finished fifth in the Western Division and did not make the playoffs.

1969-1970 season

In October 1969 the Stars signed Zelmo Beaty away from the NBA's Atlanta Hawks, but Beaty had to sit out the season due to a one year option held by the Hawks, which the Stars would not buy out for $75,000. Zelmo "Big Z" Beaty (born October 25, 1939, in Hillister, Texas) is a former American Basketball player The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional Basketball team based in Atlanta Georgia. First year players Mack Calvin and Willie Wise signed with the Stars. Mack Calvin (born July 27, 1947 in Fort Worth Texas) is an American former Basketball player Willie M Wise (born March 3, 1947 in San Francisco California) is an American former professional Basketball player The Stars finished fourth in the Western Division with a record of 43-41, earning the first winning season in franchise history and a playoff berth. The Stars defeated the Dallas Chaparrals 4 games to 2 in the Western Division semifinals and bested the Denver Rockets 4 games to 1 in the semifinals before losing the ABA championship series 4 games to 2 to the Indiana Pacers. Denver Rockets were a charter member of the American Basketball Association. Kirst hadn't anticipated the fast turnaround, and didn't book the Sports Arena for several dates. They had to play several first and second round games in their old home in Anaheim, as well as at the Long Beach Sports Arena in Long Beach. Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center is a Convention center located in Long Beach California. Long Beach is a city located in southern California, USA, on the Pacific coast

1970-1971 season

Despite a promising young roster, the Stars were more or less an afterthought in a market whose first choices where the Los Angeles Lakers and UCLA Bruins; they only averaged 2,500 fans per game. The Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association (NBA team based in Los Angeles, California. The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California Los Angeles (UCLA In June 1970, he sold the team to Colorado cable TV pioneer Bill Daniels, who moved the team to Salt Lake City as the Utah Stars. Zelmo Beaty suited up for the team and the Stars finished second in the Western Division with their best record yet, 57 wins and 27 losses. The Stars defeated the Texas Chaparrals 4 games to none in the first round of the playoffs, beat the Indiana Pacers 4 games to 3 in a fiercely contested semifinal series, and edged out the Kentucky Colonels 4 games to 3 in another fiercely contested series, this time for the ABA championship. The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's 9 years

1971-1972 season

The Stars won their first division championship, winning the Western Division with a record of 60 wins and 24 losses. The Stars defeated the Dallas Chaparrals 4 games to none in the Western Division semifinals before falling to the Indiana Pacers in the Western Division finals, 4 games to 3.

1972-1973 season

The Stars hosted the ABA All Star Game and again won the Western Division with a record of 55 wins and 29 losses. The Stars defeated the San Diego Conquistadors 4 games to none in the Western Division semifinals but lost in the Western Division finals 4 games to 2 to the Indiana Pacers. The San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's" were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego California.

1973-1974 season

In 1973-74 the Stars finished with a record of 51-33 and won first place in the ABA's Western Division under new coach Joe Mullaney. Joseph A Mullaney ( November 17 1925 &ndash March 8 2000) was a successful American Basketball player and coach It was the Stars' third straight Western Division title. In the playoffs the Stars again defeated the San Diego Conquistadors in the Western Division semifinals, this time 4 games to 2, and went on to defeat the Indiana Pacers 4 games to three in the Western Division finals. The San Diego Conquistadors, nicknamed the "Q's" were an American Basketball Association team based in San Diego California. The Stars then lost the championship to the New York Nets 4 games to 1. The New Jersey Nets are a professional Basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference 's Atlantic

1974-1975 season

The Stars' final full ABA season was 1974-75. Daniels was almost broke due to a series of failed business ventures and an unsuccessful run for governor of Colorado. The Governor of the State of Colorado is the chief executive of the U One of the casualties of the team's financial woes was Mullaney, who resigned after being told the team couldn't afford to meet his contract. Daniels tried to sell the team, but couldn't find a local buyer. The Stars made a high-profile personnel move that season by signing high school player Moses Malone to play for them. Moses Eugene Malone (born March 23 1955 in Petersburg Virginia) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA Basketball player who The Stars finished the season in fourth place in the Western Division and lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Denver Nuggets, 4 games to 1. The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado.

1975-1976 season

Despite averaging over 8,500 fans per game that season, the Stars entered the following year on shaky financial footing. During the preseason, the Stars (and the Virginia Squires) failed to make payments required as a guarantee for hosting the NBA's Chicago Bulls in one of the common ABA vs. The Virginia Squires was a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association that existed from 1967 through 1976 The Chicago Bulls are an American professional Basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern NBA preseason exhibition games.

By this time, Daniels was completely broke. As a result, on December 2, 1975, the league canceled the Stars franchise for missing payroll. Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Four of their players (including Moses Malone) were sold to the Spirits of St. Louis while a fifth player was sold to the Virginia Squires. Moses Eugene Malone (born March 23 1955 in Petersburg Virginia) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA Basketball player who The Spirits of St Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the merger with the NBA Daniels ultimately paid back all of the season ticket holders at eight percent interest.

Aftermath

In 1976 the owners of the Spirits of St. Louis announced that they were moving the team to Utah for the 1976-1977 ABA season, to play as the Utah Rockies. The Spirits of St Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the merger with the NBA Utah Rockies was the name under which the Spirits of St Louis were to play during the ulitmately aborted 1976-77 American Basketball Association season However, the ABA merged with the NBA in June 1976 and the Spirits and the Kentucky Colonels were the only two teams left out of the merged league. The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's 9 years (The Virginia Squires were folded shortly after the conclusion of regular season play and just prior to the ABA-NBA merger due to their inability to make good on a required league assessment payment. The Virginia Squires was a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association that existed from 1967 through 1976 )

Professional basketball finally returned to Salt Lake City when the NBA's New Orleans Jazz relocated there in 1979. The Utah Jazz is a professional Basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Jazz have played in Salt Lake City ever since, making it interesting to ponder how the Stars might have fared had they survived the ABA's final season and entered the NBA along with the Pacers, Spurs, Nuggets and Nets. The only other three ABA teams to complete the 1975-76 ABA season yet not move on to the NBA were the Kentucky Colonels, Spirits of St. Louis and Virginia Squires, all of whom played in cities that, unlike Salt Lake City, never had an NBA franchise afterward.

ABA Championship

In their first season in Salt Lake City, the Stars dominated their way to a 57-27 record and a 2nd place finish in the Western Division standings, a game behind the Indiana Pacers. In the Western Division Semifinals, the Stars would go on to sweep the Texas Chaparrals and then stunned the Pacers in game 7 of the Western Division Finals, earning a spot in the ABA Championship.

The Stars would face the Kentucky Colonels in the ABA Championship. The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's 9 years In game one a near capacity crowd filed into the Salt Palace to watch the Stars defeat Kentucky 136-117. The Stars set an ABA Playoff record by scoring 50 points in the 2nd quarter. In game 2, the series continued its high scoring with the Stars beating Kentucky 138-125. The series shifted to Louisville and Kentucky took game 3 and 4, tying the series up at 2-2. The series then returned to Salt Lake City, where the Stars beat Kentucky 137-127, taking a 3-2 series lead. The Stars looked to wrap up the ABA Championship with a game 6 victory in Louisville. However Kentucky clawed their way to a 7th game, barely beating the Stars 105-102, sending the series to a decisive 7th game back in Salt Lake City.

With the ABA Championship on the line, an ABA record crowd of 13,260 packed into the Salt Palace to watch game 7 of the 1971 ABA Championship. The game remained close throughout, however the Stars pulled away late, winning the 1971 ABA Championship 131-121. [2] As the game ended, hundreds of Stars fans rushed the court, lifting players onto their shoulders in a jubilant celebration. The actions were a total surprise to Stars officials, as they had not anticipated such a reaction from the fans.

Utah Stars vs. NBA teams

The ABA teams frequently played exhibition games in the preseason vs. NBA teams. While the ABA overall had a winning record vs. the NBA in head to head competition, the Stars had an overall record of 7 wins and 9 losses against NBA teams.

The Stars' first game against the NBA was a 96-89 loss at home to the New York Knicks on September 28, 1971. The Stars lost their first four games against NBA teams, earning their first win against that league with a win against the Seattle Supersonics in Honolulu, Hawaii on September 24, 1972. The Seattle SuperSonics (also called the Seattle Sonics) were an American professional Basketball team based in Seattle Washington that played Honolulu is the Capital and most populous Census-designated place (CDP in the U

Other Stars wins against the NBA include defeating the Boston Celtics at home on October 4, 1973 (part of a double header in which 12,431 Utah fans also saw the ABA's Denver Rockets defeat the NBA's Phoenix Suns 113-111 prior to the Stars' win); a home win against the Kansas City-Omaha Kings on October 8, 1974; a home win against the Supersonics on October 7, 1975; a win against the Kings on October 11, 1975 in Denver as part of a double header in which 17,018 fans saw the Denver Nuggets lose to the NBA's Golden State Warriors 115-100); and a 118-108 road win against the Supersonics in Seattle on October 15, 1975. The Boston Celtics are an American professional Basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, playing in the Atlantic Division of the Denver Rockets were a charter member of the American Basketball Association. The Phoenix Suns are a professional Basketball team based in Phoenix Arizona. The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. The Golden State Warriors are an American professional Basketball team based in Oakland, California.

In the very last game ever played between ABA and NBA teams, the Stars defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 106 to 101 in Salt Lake City on October 21, 1975. (In the penultimate ABA vs. NBA matchup, the ABA's Kentucky Colonels defeated the Washington Bullets 121-111 two nights prior. )

By the numbers


References

  1. ^ ESPN.com - Page2 - NBA backstage
  2. ^ "Deseret News article on the 1971 Championship Game", Deseret News, May 19, 1971.  

External links

Famous Stars

Willie M Wise (born March 3, 1947 in San Francisco California) is an American former professional Basketball player Ronald Bruce Boone (born September 6 1946 in Oklahoma City Oklahoma) is a retired American Basketball Association (ABA player Moses Eugene Malone (born March 23 1955 in Petersburg Virginia) is an American former National Basketball Association (NBA Basketball player who Jimmy Jones may refer to Horace A Jones (1906&ndash2001 - American Hall of Fame horse trainer Jimmy Jones (pianist - American jazz Zelmo "Big Z" Beaty (born October 25, 1939, in Hillister, Texas) is a former American Basketball player Richard Carl (Rick Mount (born January 5 1947 in Lebanon Indiana) is a former American Basketball player in the American Basketball Association
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