The Kentucky Colonels were the 11th and final team to join the ABA in 1967. They, along the Indiana Pacers, were the only team to play in the same city with the same name for all nine ABA seasons.
The Spirits of St. Louis originated as the Houston Mavericks, a charter member of the ABA in 1967. In 1969, they became the Carolina Cougars. In 1974 they moved to St. Louis. They folded when four fellow ABA members were accepted into the NBA in the summer of 1976.
The Tams were the middle entry of three Memphis entries in the American Basketball Associations during the early 1970’s, taking the floor at the Mid-South Coliseum from 1972 through 1974. The team’s odd name was an acronym for Tennessee-Arkansas-Mississippi and the club used a tam o’ shanter cap as its logo. Charles O. Finley, the outspoken owner of the Oakland A’s of Major League Baseball and the NHL’s California Golden Seals, owned the club but seemingly took little interest in it. Like the A’s and the Golden Seals, the Tams wore Finley’s preferred colors of green, gold and white.
American Basketball Association (1969-1970) Born: August 20, 1969 – The Oakland Oaks relocate to Washington, DC Moved: July 30, 1970 (Virginia Squires) First Game: October 18, 1969
American Basketball Association (1967-1974) Born: 1967 – ABA founding franchise Re-Branded: 1974 (Denver Nuggets) First Game: October 15, 1967 (W 110-105 vs. Anaheim Amigos) Last
*Like our new look? Next up: site speed. You can help with a tip for our Speed Fund today. Thank you!
