Miami Floridians
Encyclopedia
The Miami Floridians, later in their history known simply as The Floridians, were a professional basketball franchise in the original, now-defunct American Basketball Association
. The Miami Floridians played in the ABA from 1968
through 1970
when they became simply The Floridians. The team had two color schemes: their original red
, blue
, and white, and their later black
, magenta
, and orange.
The Miami Floridians began as the Minnesota Muskies
, a charter ABA franchise who played in Bloomington, Minnesota
at the Met Center and wore blue and gold. The Muskies finished with the league's second-best record, but wretched attendance figures (officially 2,800 per game, a figure that was likely padded) led owner Larry Shields to conclude that the team could not be viable in the Twin Cities. He sold minority shares to a group of Florida businessmen and moved the team to Miami. However, in order to pay leftover debts in Minnesota, Shields sold Rookie of the Year Mel Daniels
to the Indiana Pacers
, a deal now reckoned as the most lopsided trade in ABA history.
and the Convention Center Annex. Coached by former Minneapolis Lakers great Jim Pollard, the 1968-69
season was the most successful for the Miami Floridians by far, finishing their first season in Florida with a 43-35 record and defeating the Minnesota Pipers (who ironically played in the city the Floridians had just abandoned) in the Eastern Division semifinals 4 games to 3, before losing in the divisional finals to the Indiana Pacers
4 games to 1.
The 1969-1970
season was largely forgettable for the Miami Floridians. They split their home games between Dinner Key Auditorium and Miami-Dade Junior College North's gym. Dinner Key, a former aircraft hangar, was perhaps the most infamous building in ABA history. It had no air conditioning and would often get quite hot inside, forcing management to throw open the doors; players would then have to adjust their shots by the ocean breezes that whistled onto the court. The Floridians dismissed Pollard during the season and named Hal Blitman of Cheyney State College as their head coach. The minority partners began taking a greater role in team operations, often trading players without Blitman's knowledge. Not surprisingly given the constant turnover on the roster, the Floridians finished 23-61 and missed the playoffs. The team's original owners, Shields and Fred Jefferson, sold the Floridians at the end of the season.
-St. Petersburg
at the Curtis Hixon Hall
and Bayfront Arena
, Jacksonville
at the Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum
, and in West Palm Beach
at the West Palm Beach Auditorium. In an unprecedented move, Doyle "fired" the entire team (all players were traded or released) and kept the coach. The team replaced Blitman after an 18-30 start with Bob Bass
. He also converted the team into a "regional" franchise: in Bass was able to turn the team around and the Floridians finished fourth in the Eastern Division with a record of 37-47. The Floridians made the playoffs, but lost their series to the Kentucky Colonels
4-2.
For the 1971-1972 season, the Floridians split their home games between Miami and Tampa. They again finished in fourth place in the Eastern Division, with a record of 36-48. Once again the team made the playoffs, and once again they lost their series, this time to the Virginia Squires
4-0.
The Floridians' dreadful attendance for their two home playoff games against the Squires convinced Doyle that the team could not be viable in South Florida. After trying to find a bigger market, he disbanded the franchise in June 1972. Big-time basketball wouldn't return to Florida until the 1988 expansion Miami Heat
played their first NBA
season. The Orlando Magic
followed a year later. The Heat wore replicas of the 1970-71 Floridians uniforms for seven dates in 2005-06 as part of the NBA's "Hardwood Classics" program. During these games Heat dancers wore bikinis with white go-go boots like their Floridian predecessors.
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:...
. The Miami Floridians played in the ABA from 1968
1968 in sports
1968 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall champion: Jean-Claude Killy, France** Women's overall champion: Nancy Greene, Canada-American football:...
through 1970
1970 in sports
1970 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion – Karl Schranz, Austria** Women's overall season champion – Michèle Jacot, France-American football:...
when they became simply The Floridians. The team had two color schemes: their original red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
, blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
, and white, and their later black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
, magenta
Magenta
Magenta is a color evoked by light stronger in blue and red wavelengths than in yellowish-green wavelengths . In light experiments, magenta can be produced by removing the lime-green wavelengths from white light...
, and orange.
The Miami Floridians began as the Minnesota Muskies
Minnesota Muskies
The Minnesota Muskies were a charter member of the American Basketball Association, born with the league's creation on February 2, 1967. L.P. Shields and Fred Jefferson bought in to create the franchise for $30,000...
, a charter ABA franchise who played in Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington, Minnesota
Bloomington is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota in Hennepin County. Located on the north bank of the Minnesota River above its confluence with the Mississippi River, Bloomington lies at the heart of the southern...
at the Met Center and wore blue and gold. The Muskies finished with the league's second-best record, but wretched attendance figures (officially 2,800 per game, a figure that was likely padded) led owner Larry Shields to conclude that the team could not be viable in the Twin Cities. He sold minority shares to a group of Florida businessmen and moved the team to Miami. However, in order to pay leftover debts in Minnesota, Shields sold Rookie of the Year Mel Daniels
Mel Daniels
Melvin Joe Daniels is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6' 9" center, he played for the University of New Mexico Lobo men's basketball team from 1964-67...
to the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
, a deal now reckoned as the most lopsided trade in ABA history.
Move to Miami
The Floridians never did attract a large following, but the team did manage to make the playoffs three out of the four years of their existence. The Floridians' first homes were the Miami Beach Convention CenterMiami Beach Convention Center
Miami Beach Convention Center is an indoor arena in Miami Beach, Florida and it is currently the largest convention center in the Miami area. It now features 4 large rooms each holding about 12,000 people.- History :...
and the Convention Center Annex. Coached by former Minneapolis Lakers great Jim Pollard, the 1968-69
1969 in sports
1969 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall champion: Karl Schranz, Austria** Women's overall champion: Gertrud Gabl, Austria-American football:...
season was the most successful for the Miami Floridians by far, finishing their first season in Florida with a 43-35 record and defeating the Minnesota Pipers (who ironically played in the city the Floridians had just abandoned) in the Eastern Division semifinals 4 games to 3, before losing in the divisional finals to the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
4 games to 1.
The 1969-1970
1970 in sports
1970 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion – Karl Schranz, Austria** Women's overall season champion – Michèle Jacot, France-American football:...
season was largely forgettable for the Miami Floridians. They split their home games between Dinner Key Auditorium and Miami-Dade Junior College North's gym. Dinner Key, a former aircraft hangar, was perhaps the most infamous building in ABA history. It had no air conditioning and would often get quite hot inside, forcing management to throw open the doors; players would then have to adjust their shots by the ocean breezes that whistled onto the court. The Floridians dismissed Pollard during the season and named Hal Blitman of Cheyney State College as their head coach. The minority partners began taking a greater role in team operations, often trading players without Blitman's knowledge. Not surprisingly given the constant turnover on the roster, the Floridians finished 23-61 and missed the playoffs. The team's original owners, Shields and Fred Jefferson, sold the Floridians at the end of the season.
The Floridians
Following the 1969-1970 season, new owner Ned Doyle dropped "Miami" from the team's name and made it a "regional" franchise, scheduling games in Miami (back at the Miami Beach Convention Center), TampaTampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
-St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
at the Curtis Hixon Hall
Curtis Hixon Hall
Curtis Hixon Hall, located at 600 Ashley Drive, was an indoor sports arena, convention center, concert venue, and special events center built downtown beside the Hillsborough River in Tampa, Florida...
and Bayfront Arena
Bayfront Arena
The Bayfront Center was an indoor arena in St. Petersburg, Florida that hosted many concerts, sports, and other events, holding up to 7,500 people. It was built in 1965 and demolished in 2004....
, Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
at the Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum
Jacksonville Memorial Coliseum
Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum was an 11,000-seat multi-purpose arena, in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. Built in 1960 and known as "northern Florida's most historic concert venues", it was home to most of the city's indoor professional sports teams and hosted various concerts, circuses and...
, and in West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
at the West Palm Beach Auditorium. In an unprecedented move, Doyle "fired" the entire team (all players were traded or released) and kept the coach. The team replaced Blitman after an 18-30 start with Bob Bass
Bob Bass
Bob Bass is a former basketball coach and executive who worked in the NCAA, American Basketball Association, and the National Basketball Association....
. He also converted the team into a "regional" franchise: in Bass was able to turn the team around and the Floridians finished fourth in the Eastern Division with a record of 37-47. The Floridians made the playoffs, but lost their series to the Kentucky Colonels
Kentucky Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did...
4-2.
For the 1971-1972 season, the Floridians split their home games between Miami and Tampa. They again finished in fourth place in the Eastern Division, with a record of 36-48. Once again the team made the playoffs, and once again they lost their series, this time to the Virginia Squires
Virginia Squires
The Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association from 1970 until just before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976.-In Oakland :...
4-0.
The Floridians' dreadful attendance for their two home playoff games against the Squires convinced Doyle that the team could not be viable in South Florida. After trying to find a bigger market, he disbanded the franchise in June 1972. Big-time basketball wouldn't return to Florida until the 1988 expansion Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
played their first NBA
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...
season. The Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
followed a year later. The Heat wore replicas of the 1970-71 Floridians uniforms for seven dates in 2005-06 as part of the NBA's "Hardwood Classics" program. During these games Heat dancers wore bikinis with white go-go boots like their Floridian predecessors.