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I am your author and host, Rick Loayza. This is the blog and podcast where we bring to life some of the forgotten stories from basketball history. I love basketball. I love watching it. I love reading about it. I love learning about its history. I am, for all intents and purposes, a basketball junkie. I’ve coached all three of my kids in youth basketball. In fact, I still coach my youngest each winter. Something just happened to me when I was 11 where I was bitten by the basketball bug. And ...
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Spencer Haywood was the first player to try to enter the NBA early. There was a rule at the time that a player could not enter the NBA until he was four years removed from high school, but Haywood was already playing in the ABA and wanted to jump to the NBA. In the end the U.S. Supreme Court had to decide the matter. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head resea…
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The Oakland Oaks were able to make a huge splash by signing Rick Barry away from the San Francisco Warriors. The reason they were able to do this was because the guy that ran the Oaks was Barry’s father-in-law. The team would later become the Washington Capitols and then the Virginia Squires where they brought in Dr J. and George Gervin. It was a w…
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Michael Jordan once lost a game of 1-on-1 to a 45-year-old business man. And this was in 2003 just after Jordan played his final NBA All-Star Game. It was an incredible game that will live forever. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC "Rap Beat" by MaverickMyers Radio "Horizons"…
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The NBA would be what it is if the early professional leagues had not proved that basketball was entertaining enough to sell tickets. These early leagues were the toddler phase of pro basketball development. Most of these leagues were each based in one city and the play style was closer to pro wrestling. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer…
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Lew Alcindor was one of the most hyped high school players of all time. He was nationally famous at the age of 15. If social media and ESPN existed back in his day he would have his highlights all over the place. Even Wilt Chamberlain predicted greatness for Alcindor. Of course, Alcindor is known today at Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the greatest pl…
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Today, we share the story of the New Orleans Buccaneers, who later moved to Memphis, and then Baltimore. In all they had six different names in just eight seasons of play. But they also had some great players come through the organization like Doug Moe, Larry Brown, and Steve “Snapper” Jones. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice …
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The Buffalo Germans were the original powerhouse team in basketball history. They started out as 12- and 13-year-old German immigrants from a YMCA in Buffalo, New York. They later won the Olympic Tournament in 1904 as grown men. They were miles ahead of other teams. But things changed as the original players started to retire and were replaced by y…
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Just about every basketball fan knows about the University of Michigan Fab Five. But nearly 50 years earlier, the University of Utah had their own Fab Five that won the 1944 NCAA Tournament. And Utah was last minute replacement when another school dropped out. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, a…
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Dave Stallworth of the New York Knicks suffered a heart attack during a game against the Warriors in 1967. His doctors forced him to retire immediately. However, after two years of working out and increasing his activity, his cardiologist cleared him to return to the Knicks in 1969. He was the first NBA player to return to his sport after a heart a…
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Today we share the story of the Pittsburgh Pipers who later became the Pittsburgh Condors. The team only lasted five seasons before going out of business, but they relocated twice, went through 8 head coaches, and 3 name changes. But they will always be the original ABA champions when they featured Connie Hawkins as their leading scorer. CREDITS Ri…
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Bobby Plump went on to have a full life after winning the 1954 Indiana State Championship. He played in the NIBL, then started a successful company, opened a restaurant, and won a seat to the Indiana State House of Representatives. He came to represent hope for the underdog. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Edit…
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Bobby Plump is the real life player that was the basis for the character of Jimmy Chitwood in the movie “Hoosiers.” But his life far more than a single game winning shot. In part one of Plump’s story, we will go through the end of high school and the Milan Miracle. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, produc…
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When basketball was first invented, nobody thought about height being an advantage. Most coaches looked for players who were fast and athletic. It wasn’t until the 1930s that some coaches started looking for height. Today, the NBA has 70 players that are 7-feet tall or taller. We go through the history of how we got from pro players who averaged 5-…
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The Minnesota Muskies could not catch a break. After one year they relocated to Florida and became the Miami Floridians. No matter how hard they tried, they could not get people to come watch the games. In the end they only lasted five seasons before closing down. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, produce…
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The 1960 Olympic Basketball Team was selected using a tournament format where four NCAA teams, three adult amateur teams, and a military team competed in hopes of getting their players on the Olympic roster. The AAU was in charge of the selection process, but they saw their power diminish when the college players dominated the AAU players. CREDITS …
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Larry Costello was the last NBA player to employ the two-handed set shot. The one-handed jump shot had taken over basketball in the 1940s, but Costello was still using the old-fashioned shot even in the 1960s. Later during his tenure as the Bucks' coach in the 1970s, he invented the idea of watching game film to study an upcoming opponent, an inval…
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Pete Newell was one of the greatest coaches of all time. In the summer of 1976, he took time to help Kermit Washington improve his low post skills. That became the start of his Big Man Camp that he ran for nearly 30 years. Every summer some of the greatest players in the NBA took time to learn from Pete Newell; players like Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem…
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The ABA started in 1967, and one of the original teams was the Anaheim Amigos. They later changed their name to the Los Angeles Stars and then moved to become the Utah Stars. Unfortunately, they did not make it to the merger with the NBA, but we tell their story anyway... CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor,…
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In Indiana, high school basketball is the most popular sport -- and for good reason. In many rural towns, it is what brings a community together. Fans still talk about the Milan Miracle in 1954 when a rural team upset a big city school for the state championship. So when the state legislature decided to split the state up into four divisions, it wa…
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In order to compete with the dominant NBA, the old ABA had to get creative with their contracts in order to attract players. To do this, the ABA promised their players massive amounts of money, more than even the NBA could offer. What most players did not understand is that they would not get most of that money until 20 years in the future... CREDI…
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When Football Is Football is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear. HIGHLIGHTED SHOW: THIS DAY IN SPORTS HISTORY Relive the greatest moments in sports every day of the year. From the triumphs to the tragedies, the first to do it to the last time it happened, the unbelievable to the strange, This Day in Sports H…
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NBA refereeing was wild in the early days of the league. Each ref would develop his own styles and tendencies. Some were known to allow fighting, and others were friendly to the away team. There was a lot more flair to the job. Sometimes after games, the referees would even grab a drink with the players and coaches from both teams. CREDITS Rick Loa…
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Today, we complete our series on the Lost Teams of the NBA. On this episode we cover the Sheboygan Redskins, the Waterloo Hawks, and the original Denver Nuggets. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC "1940's Slow Dance" by Doug "Horizons" by Roa SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK sportshisto…
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For our 200th regular episode, we are sharing the story of Kobe’s 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors. He was on fire that night, and for some weird reason the Raptors never double-teamed Kobe... CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC "Flashing Lights" by MokkaMusic "Horizon…
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Bill Garrett is the only person to win an Indiana State High School basketball championship as both a player and a coach. He was also the first black player at Indiana University and the Big 10 Conference. He broke barriers for future players and was one of the best people around. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza…
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The old NBL paved the way for the NBA in American professional basketball. The efforts of the older league should never be forgotten. The NBL started in 1937, while the NBA did not start until 1946. Today we take a look back at the history of the NBL. Four of their teams are still alive today on the NBA. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer…
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In the mid 1940s, college basketball was dominated by George Mikan and Bob Kurland. They played at the same time at DePaul University and Oklahoma A&M University, respectively. During their three years they combined for three championships and three national player of the year awards. But once they left college, their careers went in different bask…
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In today's edition of The Lost Teams, we cover the Baltimore Bullets -- who were the 1951 NBA champions -- along with the Indianapolis Olympians and the Anderson Packers. These teams all came to the NBA different ways and all left in different ways. However, all three were able to give the league steady footing that later led to success as a league…
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From the start of the NBA until the mid-1990s, there existed a role in professional basketball known as an enforcer. Before technical fouls and flagrant fouls, some teams would try to intentionally injure the opponent's star player since it only counted as a normal foul, so enforcers arose to protect those stars and punish anyone who tried to injur…
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Dennis Johnson was one of the most underrated players in the NBA. The man was a 9-time All-Defensive Player, a 5-time All-Star, and a starter on 3 NBA championship teams. What's unique is that he was neither a starter in high school nor recruited to any colleges. He was a classic late bloomer who grew six inches in height after he graduated high sc…
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James Naismith invented the game in 1891. In doing so, he followed 5 basic principles for developing his idea. We go through those five principles today and show that they are still being used today in modern form. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC "The Stars and Stripes Fore…
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Elgin Baylor retired in 1971 due to his diminishing skills. However, the timing could not be worse for Baylor. The day that he retired, the Lakers started their famous 33-game winning streak and went on to win the championship... CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC "Disco Funk"…
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In today’s episode we cover the Detroit Falcons, Pittsburgh Ironmen, and the Indianapolis Jets. All three teams only lasted a single season in the NBA. They were all dysfunctional and struggled for wins and fans, leading to their eventual demises... CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publishe…
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Today, we conclude our story on Red Auerbach and his 16 champions, which is more than anyone else in NBA history. From his 8-year championship run on the 1960s to his rebuilding of championship teams in the 1970s and 1980s, we cover the conclusion of his time with the Celtics. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Ed…
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In Part 2 of our story, we share how Auerbach became the coach of the Boston Celtics. The Celtics had never had a winning season in their history before hiring Auerbach. That changed quickly. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC "1940's Slow Dance" by Doug Maxwell "Horizons" by …
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Red Auerbach is arguably the most influential coach in NBA history. He grew up in Brooklyn as the son of Jewish immigrants, and he was obsessed with basketball. It was the only thing that mattered to him. Join as we follow his story from his upbringing to his first job in the NBA with the Washington Capitols. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, w…
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Dean Tolson, former Seattle SuperSonic, has an incredibly powerful story of being illiterate through his professional playing days before going back to earn his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees as an adult. He now speaks to thousands of kids on the value of an education. Click here to purchase Tolson's book, Power Forward: My Journey from Illiterate…
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LeBron James just reached 40,000 regular-season career points. In order to commemorate this living moment in basketball history, Rick discusses the guys that first reached 10k, 20k, and 30k points, as well as what would be required in order for LeBron's record to ever be broken... CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza…
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In the early 1900s, basketball was at risk of branching off and developing into very different versions of the game all over the world. If it had not been for the early rules committee, who oversaw the game's development and ensured its safety, the game could have developed into different sports in different parts of the world. Because of their eff…
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Danny Ainge was an incredible all-around athlete. He was only a 1x All-Star with the Celtics, but in high school he had scholarship offers for basketball, football, and baseball. He was the first high school player to be named an All-American in three different sports. He also played as a 2nd baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays. CREDITS Rick Loayza: …
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In today’s episode we cover the Chicago Stags, the St. Louis Bombers, and the Cleveland Rebels. All three teams were original NBA teams that went out of business within the first four years of the league. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC "1940's Slow Dance" by Doug Maxwell "…
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Jerry West won the very first NBA Finals MVP award in 1969 despite having played for the losing team. Even today, over 50 years later, that is the only time that has ever happened... CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC "Funky Retro Funk [Funk Music]" by MokkaMusic "Horizons" by…
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Today, we conclude our profile on Pete Newell, The man won an NCAA championship and the Olympics, and then later moved into the NBA. He was everywhere in coaching, and truly one of the geniuses of the game. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC "60s and 70s Rock" by Hyde "Horizon…
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Hall of Fame coach Pete Newell refined and popularized the full court press and weak side defensive help styles of defense in basketball. His ideas are still being used today at all levels of the game. He was one of those basketball geniuses who advanced the game by leaps and bounds. This is his story. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, …
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In the history of the NBA, there have been 15 teams who went out of business and had to fold their operations. In this episode, we cover three of those teams and what happened to them: the Washington Capitols, the Providence Steamrollers, and the Toronto Huskies. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer…
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The 33-Game winning streak by the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers is the longest winning streak in North American team sports history, not just the NBA. This story involved a decades-old rivalry and the mid-season retirement of a legend, but it produced an unbroken record that has stood the test of time. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and vo…
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Back in 1967, the San Francisco Warriors sued Rick Barry because he tried to jump to the Oakland Oaks of the ABA. This sent shockwaves through both leagues. What was Barry going to do... stay with the Warriors, or go with the Oaks? Vote for BBH.101 in the Sports Podcast Awards here! CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loay…
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Today we go back a revisit our very first episode on the invention of the game and the first game ever played. After trying several ideas, James Naismith haD an epiphany that would make his game exciting and a huge hit. In this episode, we go back to December of 1891 for the second time on this show... CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, …
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It was 1959 and the Minneapolis Lakers were in Charleston, West Virginia to play against the Cincinnati Royals. As the Lakers were checking into their hotel, Elgin Baylor, Boo Ellis, and Ed Fleming were denied rooms because of the color of their skin. Baylor took it personally and chose to sit out the game. CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, wri…
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Merry Christmas! In today's bonus episode, Rick shares the short story of when Wayne Embry showed up for his very first NBA game without his uniform... CREDITS Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher MUSIC "Christmas Village" by Aaron Kenny "Horizons" by Roa SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK sportshistoryn…
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