New Orleans Buccaneers
| New Orleans Buccaneers | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conference | None |
| Division | Western Division |
| Founded | 1967 |
| History |
New Orleans Buccaneers 1967–1970 Memphis Pros 1970–1972 Memphis Tams 1972–1974 Memphis Sounds 1974–1975 Baltimore Claws 1975–76 (did not play) |
| Arena |
Loyola Field House (1967–1969) Tulane Gym (1969–1970) / Municipal Auditorium (1969–1970) |
| Location | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Team colors | Red, white and blue |
| Head coach | Babe McCarthy 1967–1970 |
| Ownership |
Morton Downey Jr. L. Torrey Comila Ronnie Cole James A. Ware Lionel J. Cunningham Charles G. Smither Maurice M. Stern |
| Championships | 0 |
| Conference titles | no conference play in ABA |
| Division titles | 1 (1968) |
The New Orleans Buccaneers were a charter member of the American Basketball Association. After three seasons in New Orleans, Louisiana the franchise moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where it became the Pros, Tams and Sounds for four years before an abortive move to Baltimore in 1975.
With the founding of the ABA on February 2, 1967 a charter franchise was awarded to a group of seven investors, including Morton Downey, Jr. The group obtained their franchise for $1,000 as opposed to the $30,000 fronted by most other original teams. Charles G. Smither, one of the seven owners, served as team president; another of the investors, Maurice M. Stern, was operations manager. The team was named the New Orleans Buccaneers and former Mississippi State University head coach Babe McCarthy was signed as its first coach. Among the team's first players were Doug Moe, Larry Brown, Gerald Govan, Jimmy Jones and Red Robbins.
The Buccaneers played their home games at the Loyola University Fieldhouse during their first season and averaged 2,337 fans per game there. Doug Moe, Red Robbins, Larry Brown and Jimmy Jones played in the ABA All Star game and Babe McCarthy coaches the West team in the game. Larry Brown was the Most Valuable Player of the inaugural ABA All Star game and led the ABA in assists that season en route to being named Second Team All ABA. Doug Moe was named First Team All ABA and Jimmy Jones made the ABA All Rookie Team. The Buccaneers recruited Jackie Moreland, originally from Minden, Louisiana, who had played for the Detroit Pistons from 1960–1965.
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