Washington Caps
Encyclopedia
The Washington Caps were an American Basketball Association
team from 1969 through 1970. The franchise had previously been the Oakland Oaks
. From 1970 through 1976 the team played as the Virginia Squires
.
for $30,000 with singer Pat Boone
as primary owner. The team was originally the Oakland Americans but the name was eventually changed to the Oakland Oaks
. NBA star Rick Barry
signed with the Oaks, as did Steve Jones
and Levern Tart
. Barry, however, was prevented from playing in the ABA due to a lawsuit brought by his former NBA team (regarding enforcement of the reserve clause
in his contract), so he spent the season as the Oaks' radio announcer instead of as a player. The Oaks won the very first ABA game in 1967 (a 132-129 victory against the Anaheim Amigos
on October 3, 1967) and the Oaks breezed through the 1969 ABA Playoffs
and won the 1969 ABA Championship over the Indiana Pacers
. However, the Bank of America was threatening to foreclose on a $1.2 million loan to the team and in August 1969 a group of Washington, DC investors led by Earl Foreman
bought the team and moved it to Washington for the upcoming season.
was the team's coach. A federal appeals court ruled in favor of the Caps regarding Rick Barry's contract. Barry and Warren Armstrong both played in the ABA All Star game but injuries limited their playing time for the season.
In March 1970 the ABA-NBA merger
appeared close at hand under conditions that would have required the Washington Caps to relocate, but a subsequent lawsuit derailed the merger until June 1976.
The Caps were kept in the Western Division despite their move to the eastern seaboard. This kept them constantly on the road at far away venues and the travel and time differential took its toll on their play. At home their average attendance was 2,992 fans per game. Due to the long travel distances involved in divisional play, the Caps played some home games in places like Wichita, Kansas
and even Mexico City
, Mexico
but did not fare well in those supposed home games. They had good results in their real home games, played at the Washington Coliseum
.
The Caps finished the season with 44 wins and 40 losses. The Caps' record put them in third place in the Western Division, 7 games behind the Denver Rockets and 1 game behind the Dallas Chaparrals
. In the 1970 ABA Playoffs
The Caps faced the Denver Rockets in the Western Division semifinals and took the series to seven games before losing 143-119 in the finale in Denver.
. The Squires would continue to play in every ABA season through 1976. At the conclusion of the 1975-1976 season the Squires, having fallen on hard times, were unable to make a league-mandated financial assessment. The Squires were disbanded after the season but just prior to the ABA-NBA merger
in June 1976.
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:...
team from 1969 through 1970. The franchise had previously been the Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks (ABA)
The Oakland Oaks were a charter member of the original American Basketball Association. Formed in February 1967 as the Oakland Americans, the team changed its name to the Oaks prior to play that fall. Playing in the ABA during the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons, the team colors were green and gold.The...
. From 1970 through 1976 the team played as 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 :...
.
Origins
With the formation of the ABA in February 1967 a team was awarded to Oakland, CaliforniaOakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
for $30,000 with 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...
as primary owner. The team was originally the Oakland Americans but the name was eventually changed to the Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks (ABA)
The Oakland Oaks were a charter member of the original American Basketball Association. Formed in February 1967 as the Oakland Americans, the team changed its name to the Oaks prior to play that fall. Playing in the ABA during the 1967-68 and 1968-69 seasons, the team colors were green and gold.The...
. NBA star 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,...
signed with the Oaks, as did Steve Jones
Steve Jones (basketball)
Stephen Howard "Snapper" Jones is one of the most esteemed and watched National Basketball Association television analysts.-Basketball career:...
and Levern Tart
Levern Tart
Levern Tart was an American basketball player.-College career:The 6'2" , 195 pound guard Tart played college basketball at Bradley University...
. Barry, however, was prevented from playing in the ABA due to a lawsuit brought by his former NBA team (regarding enforcement of the reserve clause
Reserve clause
The reserve clause is a term formerly employed in North American professional sports contracts. The reserve clause, contained in all standard player contracts, stated that, upon the contract's expiration the rights to the player were to be retained by the team to which he had been signed...
in his contract), so he spent the season as the Oaks' radio announcer instead of as a player. The Oaks won the very first ABA game in 1967 (a 132-129 victory against the Anaheim Amigos
Anaheim Amigos
The Anaheim Amigos/Los Angeles Stars were an American Basketball Association team based in Southern California. They were the Amigos during their first season in Anaheim and later moved to Los Angeles to become the Stars...
on October 3, 1967) and the Oaks breezed through the 1969 ABA Playoffs
1969 ABA Playoffs
The 1969 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1968-1969 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Oakland Oaks defeating the Eastern Division champion Indiana Pacers, four games to one in the ABA Finals.-Notable events:The...
and won the 1969 ABA Championship over 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...
. However, the Bank of America was threatening to foreclose on a $1.2 million loan to the team and in August 1969 a group of Washington, DC investors led by 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...
bought the team and moved it to Washington for the upcoming season.
1969-1970 season
With the move came a new identity for the team as the green and gold clad Washington Caps. Al BianchiAl 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 the team's coach. A federal appeals court ruled in favor of the Caps regarding Rick Barry's contract. Barry and Warren Armstrong both played in the ABA All Star game but injuries limited their playing time for the season.
In March 1970 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 :...
appeared close at hand under conditions that would have required the Washington Caps to relocate, but a subsequent lawsuit derailed the merger until June 1976.
The Caps were kept in the Western Division despite their move to the eastern seaboard. This kept them constantly on the road at far away venues and the travel and time differential took its toll on their play. At home their average attendance was 2,992 fans per game. Due to the long travel distances involved in divisional play, the Caps played some home games in places like Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
and even Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
but did not fare well in those supposed home games. They had good results in their real home games, 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...
.
The Caps finished the season with 44 wins and 40 losses. The Caps' record put them in third place in the Western Division, 7 games behind the Denver Rockets and 1 game behind the Dallas Chaparrals
Dallas Chaparrals
The Dallas Chaparrals were a charter member of the American Basketball Association, later becoming the San Antonio Spurs and joining the NBA.The team suffered from poor attendance and general disinterest in Dallas...
. In the 1970 ABA Playoffs
1970 ABA Playoffs
The 1970 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1969-1970 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Indiana Pacers defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Stars, four games to two in the ABA Finals.The Indiana Pacers...
The Caps faced the Denver Rockets in the Western Division semifinals and took the series to seven games before losing 143-119 in the finale in Denver.
Virginia Squires
After the conclusion of the 1969-1970 season the Caps moved south and became the Virginia SquiresVirginia 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 :...
. The Squires would continue to play in every ABA season through 1976. At the conclusion of the 1975-1976 season the Squires, having fallen on hard times, were unable to make a league-mandated financial assessment. The Squires were disbanded after the season but just prior to 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 June 1976.