Kansas City (ABA)
Encyclopedia
Kansas City, Missouri
was granted a charter franchise in the American Basketball Association
in February 1967.
On February 2, 1967, the ABA was created. One of the charter teams announced that day was an unnamed Kansas City franchise. The Kansas City team was awarded for $35,000 to James B. Trindle.
On March 27, 1967, Vince Boryla
was named general manager of the Kansas City team.
The Kansas City team had ongoing problems finding an arena to host their games in Kansas City.
On April 1, 1967 due to an inability to nail down an arena deal in their home city the Kansas City franchise was relocated to Denver and named the Denver Larks.
Trindle had ongoing financial problems with the team, leading Boryla to resign and ultimately to the team being sold to J. William Ringsby, the owner of Rocket Truck Lines. Ringsby soon renamed the team the Denver Rockets in homage to his trucking business.
The Denver Rockets played in the ABA from 1967 through 1974.
In 1974 the team became the Denver Nuggets
and played as such through the ABA's final two seasons. With the ABA-NBA merger
in 1976 the Denver Nuggets joined the NBA and continue to play in that league to the present day.
Professional basketball returned to Kansas City in the fall of 1972 when the Cincinnati Royals relocated there and became the Kansas City Kings. The Kings left for Sacramento, California
in 1985 and Kansas City has been without an NBA franchise since then.
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
was granted a charter franchise in the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
in February 1967.
On February 2, 1967, the ABA was created. One of the charter teams announced that day was an unnamed Kansas City franchise. The Kansas City team was awarded for $35,000 to James B. Trindle.
On March 27, 1967, Vince Boryla
Vince Boryla
Vincent Joseph Boryla is a retired American basketball player, coach, and executive. His nickname was "Moose". He graduated from East Chicago Washington High School in 1944. He played basketball at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Denver...
was named general manager of the Kansas City team.
The Kansas City team had ongoing problems finding an arena to host their games in Kansas City.
On April 1, 1967 due to an inability to nail down an arena deal in their home city the Kansas City franchise was relocated to Denver and named the Denver Larks.
Trindle had ongoing financial problems with the team, leading Boryla to resign and ultimately to the team being sold to J. William Ringsby, the owner of Rocket Truck Lines. Ringsby soon renamed the team the Denver Rockets in homage to his trucking business.
The Denver Rockets played in the ABA from 1967 through 1974.
In 1974 the team became the Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
and played as such through the ABA's final two seasons. With the ABA-NBA merger
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
in 1976 the Denver Nuggets joined the NBA and continue to play in that league to the present day.
Professional basketball returned to Kansas City in the fall of 1972 when the Cincinnati Royals relocated there and became the Kansas City Kings. The Kings left for Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
in 1985 and Kansas City has been without an NBA franchise since then.