Virginia Squires
Encyclopedia
The Virginia Squires were a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association
from 1970 until just before the ABA-NBA merger
in 1976.
The Squires were founded in 1967 as the Oakland Oaks, a charter member of the ABA. The team colors were green and gold. An earlier Oakland Oaks
basketball team played in the American Basketball League in 1962.
The Oaks were owned in part by pop singer Pat Boone
. They were probably noted more for a major contract dispute with the cross-bay San Francisco Warriors of the established National Basketball Association
over the rights to star player Rick Barry
than for any on-court accomplishments. Barry, a former NBA Rookie of the Year who led the Warriors to the NBA finals in 1966-67, was so angered by management's failure to pay him certain incentive awards he felt he was due that he sat out the 1967-68 season. He joined the Oaks in the following year, leading the franchise to its one and only ABA championship in 1968-69.
However, even with Barry the team proved to be a very poor investment for Boone and his co-owners. Despite winning the ABA championship, the Oaks were an abysmal failure at the box office, due in large part to the proximity of the NBA Warriors. At one point they only drew 2,500 fans per game.
, Boone sold the team to Washington, D.C.
lawyer Earl Foreman
, who moved the team to Washington for the 1969-70 season as the Washington Caps. The team colors of green and gold were retained, but the logo was a red, white and blue rendition of the United States Capitol
. They played at the Washington Coliseum
. However, for reasons that remain unknown to this day, they remained in the Western Division—forcing them on the longest road trips in the league. Attendance was no better in Washington than it was in Oakland because the Coliseum was located in the Near Northeast neighborhood, an area that had gone to seed. Miraculously, they managed to finish four games above .500, but lost in the first round to the powerful Denver Rockets
.
owner Abe Pollin
wanted to move his team to Washington, but didn't want the Caps there. The other ABA owners persuaded Foreman to move the Caps for the second time in as many seasons. Foreman decided to make the Caps a regional franchise, the Virginia Squires. The team would be based in Norfolk
, and also played home games in Hampton
, Richmond
and Roanoke
. However, Roanoke was dropped from the list of "home" cities after only one season. The Squires' colors were red, white, and blue.
Rick Barry
, who originally played with the inaugural Oaks, appeared on the August 24, 1970 front cover of Sports Illustrated in a Squires uniform; in the accompanying article inside the magazine, Barry made several negative remarks about the Commonwealth of Virginia
. (He angered Southerners by remarking that he didn't want his children to grow up saying, "Hi, y'all, Dad.") On September 1, 1970, the Squires traded Barry to the New York Nets
for a draft pick and $200,000. The negative comments weren't the primary reason; rather, Foreman was still bogged down by financial troubles and sold Barry to help meet his expenses.
The Squires played most of their games at Old Dominion University
's fieldhouse in their first season as a "regional" franchise, with other matches at the Richmond Arena
, Hampton Coliseum
and Roanoke Civic Center. In spite of the initial controversy surrounding former player Barry, the Squires finished their inaugural season in Virginia by winning the Eastern Division by 11 games. They defeated the New York Nets in the first round of the ABA playoffs but went on to be upset by the Kentucky Colonels
. In 1971, the Squires make their biggest draft pick ever by drafting Julius Erving
from the University of Massachusetts
. During the 1971-72 season, Erving became an instant sensation with his scoring prowess and dazzling on-court acrobatics; the Squires defeated The Floridians in the first round of the playoffs but lost to the New York Nets in the second round.
The 1972-73 season marked the beginning of the Virginia Squires downturn. Although blessed with a combination of Julius Erving ("Dr. J") and a young George Gervin
, the duo only played together late in the season. The Squires lost to their division rival Kentucky in the first round of the playoffs. During the summer of 1973, Dr. J was sold to the New York Nets for cash.
During the 1974 ABA All-Star Weekend, rumors abounded that Gervin was about to be sold to the San Antonio Spurs
. These rumors became fact on January 30. ABA commissioner Mike Storen
tried to block the sale on the grounds that selling the team's last true star was not in the best interest of the league. However, the sale was eventually upheld.
This angered many Squire fans, and attendance soon plummeted. The Squires' final two seasons in the ABA were forgettable as the losses mounted and popular coach Al Bianchi
was fired. The 1974-75 and 1975-76 teams went 15-69 -the worst winning percentages in ABA history. The team was coming unraveled off the court as well. In 1974, Barry Parkhill
sued the team after his paychecks bounced. The Squires nearly shut down for good in February 1976, but only managed to stay afloat by a sale of advertising banners and a $250,000 loan from a local bank. Even if the Squires had been on stronger financial ground, they stood no chance of being included in any ABA-NBA merger
. "Regional" franchises were not considered viable, and none of the Squires' home cities were nearly big enough to support an NBA team.
On May 11, 1976--only a month after the end of the season--the ABA canceled the franchise after it missed a $75,000 assessment. This cost the Squires a chance to be compensated as part of the merger, which closed only a month later.
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:...
from 1970 until just before 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.
In Oakland
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:...
basketball team played in the American Basketball League in 1962.
The Oaks were owned in part by pop singer Pat Boone
Pat Boone
Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
. They were probably noted more for a major contract dispute with the cross-bay San Francisco Warriors of the established 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...
over the rights to star player Rick Barry
Rick Barry
Richard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
than for any on-court accomplishments. Barry, a former NBA Rookie of the Year who led the Warriors to the NBA finals in 1966-67, was so angered by management's failure to pay him certain incentive awards he felt he was due that he sat out the 1967-68 season. He joined the Oaks in the following year, leading the franchise to its one and only ABA championship in 1968-69.
However, even with Barry the team proved to be a very poor investment for Boone and his co-owners. Despite winning the ABA championship, the Oaks were an abysmal failure at the box office, due in large part to the proximity of the NBA Warriors. At one point they only drew 2,500 fans per game.
In Washington
Facing foreclosure on a loan from Bank of AmericaBank of America
Bank of America Corporation, an American multinational banking and financial services corporation, is the second largest bank holding company in the United States by assets, and the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by market capitalization. The bank is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina...
, Boone sold the team to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
lawyer Earl Foreman
Earl Foreman
Earl Foreman was an American lawyer and sports executive.Foreman practiced law in the District of Columbia. He was a minority owner of the Baltimore Bullets franchise in the National Basketball Association and also at one time owned an interest in the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football...
, who moved the team to Washington for the 1969-70 season as the Washington Caps. The team colors of green and gold were retained, but the logo was a red, white and blue rendition of the United States Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
. They played at the Washington Coliseum
Washington Coliseum
The Washington Coliseum is an indoor arena in Washington, D.C. located at 1132, 1140, and 1146 3rd Street, Northeast, Washington, D.C. It is directly adjacent to the railroad tracks, just north of Union Station, and bounded by L and M Streets. It held 7,000 to 9,000 people for events...
. However, for reasons that remain unknown to this day, they remained in the Western Division—forcing them on the longest road trips in the league. Attendance was no better in Washington than it was in Oakland because the Coliseum was located in the Near Northeast neighborhood, an area that had gone to seed. Miraculously, they managed to finish four games above .500, but lost in the first round to the powerful Denver Rockets
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...
.
In Virginia
Merger talks with the NBA were already underway, but a major stumbling block was the presence of the Caps in Washington. Baltimore BulletsWashington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
owner Abe Pollin
Abe Pollin
Abe Pollin was the owner of a number of professional sports teams including the Washington Capitals in the National Hockey League , the Washington Mystics in the Women's National Basketball Association , and the Washington Wizards in the National Basketball Association...
wanted to move his team to Washington, but didn't want the Caps there. The other ABA owners persuaded Foreman to move the Caps for the second time in as many seasons. Foreman decided to make the Caps a regional franchise, the Virginia Squires. The team would be based in Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, and also played home games in Hampton
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
, Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
and Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
. However, Roanoke was dropped from the list of "home" cities after only one season. The Squires' colors were red, white, and blue.
Rick Barry
Rick Barry
Richard Francis Dennis Barry III , better known as Rick Barry, is a retired American professional basketball player. He is considered by many veteran basketball observers to be one of the greatest pure small forwards of all time as a result of his very precise outside shot, uncanny court vision,...
, who originally played with the inaugural Oaks, appeared on the August 24, 1970 front cover of Sports Illustrated in a Squires uniform; in the accompanying article inside the magazine, Barry made several negative remarks about the Commonwealth of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. (He angered Southerners by remarking that he didn't want his children to grow up saying, "Hi, y'all, Dad.") On September 1, 1970, the Squires traded Barry to the New York Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
for a draft pick and $200,000. The negative comments weren't the primary reason; rather, Foreman was still bogged down by financial troubles and sold Barry to help meet his expenses.
The Squires played most of their games at Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
's fieldhouse in their first season as a "regional" franchise, with other matches at the Richmond Arena
Richmond Arena
The Richmond Arena was a multipurpose indoor sports facility located in and owned by the city of Richmond, Virginia. It served as the site of basketball games for the Virginia Squires of the American Basketball Association and the University of Richmond. It also served as the site of the Southern...
, Hampton Coliseum
Hampton Coliseum
The Hampton Coliseum is a multi-use cultural, entertainment and sports arena in Hampton, Virginia. Construction on the arena began on May 24, 1968 and the venue opened in 1970 as the first large multi-purpose arena in the Hampton Roads region and the state of Virginia, opening a year prior to...
and Roanoke Civic Center. In spite of the initial controversy surrounding former player Barry, the Squires finished their inaugural season in Virginia by winning the Eastern Division by 11 games. They defeated the New York Nets in the first round of the ABA playoffs but went on to be upset by 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...
. In 1971, the Squires make their biggest draft pick ever by drafting Julius Erving
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
from the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
. During the 1971-72 season, Erving became an instant sensation with his scoring prowess and dazzling on-court acrobatics; the Squires defeated The Floridians in the first round of the playoffs but lost to the New York Nets in the second round.
The 1972-73 season marked the beginning of the Virginia Squires downturn. Although blessed with a combination of Julius Erving ("Dr. J") and a young George Gervin
George Gervin
George "The Iceman" Gervin is a retired American professional basketball player who played in both the American Basketball Association and National Basketball Association for the Virginia Squires, San Antonio Spurs, and Chicago Bulls...
, the duo only played together late in the season. The Squires lost to their division rival Kentucky in the first round of the playoffs. During the summer of 1973, Dr. J was sold to the New York Nets for cash.
During the 1974 ABA All-Star Weekend, rumors abounded that Gervin was about to be sold to the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. These rumors became fact on January 30. ABA commissioner Mike Storen
Mike Storen
Mike Storen is an American sports executive, perhaps best known for his tenure as commissioner of the American Basketball Association.Storen started in professional sports management in 1963, after serving in the United States Marine Corps, as promotions director for the Baltimore Bullets of the...
tried to block the sale on the grounds that selling the team's last true star was not in the best interest of the league. However, the sale was eventually upheld.
This angered many Squire fans, and attendance soon plummeted. The Squires' final two seasons in the ABA were forgettable as the losses mounted and popular coach Al Bianchi
Al Bianchi
Alfred A. “Al” Bianchi was born on March 26, 1932 in Long Island City, New York. He was an NBA professional basketball player, coach and general manager as well as consultant and NBA scout....
was fired. The 1974-75 and 1975-76 teams went 15-69 -the worst winning percentages in ABA history. The team was coming unraveled off the court as well. In 1974, Barry Parkhill
Barry Parkhill
Barry Parkhill is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1st round of the 1973 NBA Draft but elected to play in the American Basketball Association instead...
sued the team after his paychecks bounced. The Squires nearly shut down for good in February 1976, but only managed to stay afloat by a sale of advertising banners and a $250,000 loan from a local bank. Even if the Squires had been on stronger financial ground, they stood no chance of being included in any 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 :...
. "Regional" franchises were not considered viable, and none of the Squires' home cities were nearly big enough to support an NBA team.
On May 11, 1976--only a month after the end of the season--the ABA canceled the franchise after it missed a $75,000 assessment. This cost the Squires a chance to be compensated as part of the merger, which closed only a month later.
Former home arenas of the Virginia Squires
| Arena | Seating | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Old Dominion University Fieldhouse Old Dominion University Fieldhouse Old Dominion University Fieldhouse was a 5,200 seat multi-purpose arena in Norfolk, Virginia. It opened in 1970. It was home to the Old Dominion University Monarchs and Lady Monarchs basketball teams. The venue also played host to the American Basketball Association's Virginia Squires for a... | 5,200 | Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach.... | Hampton Coliseum Hampton Coliseum The Hampton Coliseum is a multi-use cultural, entertainment and sports arena in Hampton, Virginia. Construction on the arena began on May 24, 1968 and the venue opened in 1970 as the first large multi-purpose arena in the Hampton Roads region and the state of Virginia, opening a year prior to... | 9,777 | Hampton, Virginia Hampton, Virginia Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts... |
| Roanoke Civic Center | 9,828 | Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke, Virginia Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010... | Norfolk Scope Norfolk Scope Norfolk Scope is a multipurpose culture, entertainment, convention and sports arena at the northern perimeter of downtown Norfolk, Virginia, designed by Italian architect/engineer Pier Luigi Nervi in conjunction with the local firm of Williams and Tazewell... | 10,253 | Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach.... |
| Richmond Coliseum Richmond Coliseum Richmond Coliseum is an arena in Richmond, Virginia, where the SPHL Richmond Renegades played until the 2008-2009 season and the SIFL Richmond Raiders will play starting with the 2010 season. It is also the venue for various large concerts. The arena opened in 1971 and holds 13,500 people. A... | 12,500 | Richmond, Virginia Richmond, Virginia Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area... |
External links
External references
- Pluto, Terry, Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association (Simon & Schuster, 1990), ISBN 978-1-4165-4061-8
- Pattison, Dan, Count Dracula Has Struck, Basketball Weekly, January 1976
- Remember the ABA: Virginia Squires
- Virginia Squires Franchise Index at BasketballReference.com
- Unofficial Virginia Squires homepage