Boston Lobsters (1974–1978)
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| Sport | Team tennis |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1973 |
| Folded | October 27, 1978 |
| League | World TeamTennis |
| Division | Eastern |
| Team history |
Philadelphia Freedoms 1974 Boston Lobsters 1975–1978 |
| Based in | Boston |
| Stadium | Walter Brown Arena |
| Colors | Orange-red, white |
| Owner(s) |
Robert K. Kraft Paul Slater Bob Mades Herbert S. Hoffman Harold Bayne |
| President | Robert K. Kraft |
| Head coach | Roy Emerson |
| General manager | J. W. Wilson |
| Championships | None |
| Division titles |
1974 (as Philadelphia Freedoms) 1978 (as Boston Lobsters) |
| Playoff berths |
1974 (as Philadelphia Freedoms) 1975, 1977, 1978 (as Boston Lobsters) |
The Boston Lobsters were a charter franchise of World Team Tennis (WTT) founded by Dick and Ken Butera as the Philadelphia Freedoms. The Freedoms played only one season in Philadelphia before being sold on March 27, 1975, moving to Boston and changing their name to the Lobsters. Following the 1978 season, Lobsters owner Robert Kraft announced that the franchise would fold.
The Philadelphia Freedoms were founded by Dick and Ken Butera as a charter member of WTT in 1973. The team began play in WTT's inaugural 1974 season. The Freedoms played their home matches at the Spectrum. The centerpiece of the team was tennis legend Billie Jean King who served as its player-coach. King became the first woman to coach a professional sports team that included male players.
Once King was signed on with the Freedoms, her good friend Elton John decided to write and record the song "Philadelphia Freedom" to wish her luck on her new venture with WTT and for the team to use as an anthem. John was such a big fan of the Freedoms that he attended home matches wearing the team's uniform and sat on the bench with the players. Although recorded in the summer of 1974, the song was not released until February 24, 1975, after the Freedoms had already played their final match in Philadelphia.
King heavily recruited then 17-year-old amateur Betsy Nagelsen to sign with the Freedoms. Although Nagelsen has often been listed as a member of the team, including by its 21st century namesake, this is untrue. Nagelsen was not listed on the roster in the game program for the Freedoms' match against the Baltimore Banners on May 17, 1974. After working under King's tutelage for three weeks during the summer of 1974, Nagelsen lost to her in straight sets in the third round of the 1974 US Open. After the match, Nagelsen said she hoped to play with King on the Freedoms in 1975. On the same date the Freedoms were playing in the Match 2 of the WTT Finals, Nagelsen was playing in the final of the Virginia Slims of Newport in what was her first professional tournament.
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