Los Angeles Jets

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Los Angeles Jets
LeaguesAmerican Basketball League (1961–62)
Founded1961
Folded1963
ArenaLos Angeles Memorial Sports Arena
Olympic Auditorium
Team colorsGreen and White
   

The Los Angeles Jets were an American basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, founded by Jack Blanck and Len Corbosiero, that was a member of the American Basketball League in the league's 1961–62 season.

History[edit]

The American Basketball League played one full season, 19611962, and part of the next season until the league folded on December 31, 1962. The ABL was the first basketball league to have a three point shot for baskets scored far away from the goal. Other rules that set the league apart were a 30-second shooting clock and a wider free throw lane, 18 feet instead of the standard 12.

The American Basketball League was formed when Abe Saperstein did not get the Los Angeles National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise he sought. His Harlem Globetrotters had strong NBA ties. When Minneapolis Lakers owner Bob Short was permitted to move the Lakers to Los Angeles, Saperstein reacted by convincing National Alliance of Basketball Leagues (NABL) team owner Paul Cohen (Tuck Tapers) and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Champion Cleveland Pipers owner George Steinbrenner to take the top NABL and AAU teams and players and form a rival league.[1]

League franchises were: the Chicago Majors (1961-1963); Cleveland Pipers (1961-1962); Kansas City Steers (1961–63); Long Beach Chiefs (1961-1963), as Hawaii Chiefs in 1961-62; Los Angeles Jets (1961–62, disbanded during season); Oakland Oaks (1961-1963, as San Francisco Saints in 1961-1962; Philadelphia Tapers 1961-1963, as Washington Tapers in 1961-62; moved to New York during 1961-62 season; as New York Tapers in 1961-62 and the Pittsburgh Rens (1961-1963).[1]

The team's only coach was Bill Sharman. The assistant coach was Edwin A. "Scotty" McDonald, a former Loyola (of Los Angeles) coach, and coach of many AAU teams, NBA scout, and advisor.

The team was competing for ticket buyers in a market that included the recently relocated Lakers, as well as the college teams of USC and UCLA. Partway through their first and only season, with a respectable record of 24–15, the Jets franchise found itself unable to draw enough spectators to continue. The team disbanded during its only season on January 18, 1962.

The Jets played at both the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena and Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles.[2]

Year-by-year[edit]

Year League Reg. Season Playoffs
1961/62 ABL 4th, Western N/A

Game log[edit]

October[edit]

Record: 1-1 ; Home: 1-0 ; Road: 0-1

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site
1 October 27 A San Francisco Saints L 96-99 0-1 5,137 Cow Palace
2 October 30 H Chicago Majors W 119-116 1-1 8,384 Los Angeles Sports Arena

November[edit]

Record: 7-7 ; Home: 3-3; Road: 2-3; Neutral: 2-1

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site
3 November 6 H San Francisco Saints L 113-116 1-2 1,364 Olympic Auditorium
4 November 7 H San Francisco Saints W 110-98 2-2 1,788 Olympic Auditorium
5 November 10 N vs. Chicago Majors W 121-106 3-2 2,016 Municipal Auditorium
6 November 12 A Kansas City Steers L 109-113 3-3 1,869 Municipal Auditorium
7 November 13 H Cleveland Pipers W 108-99 4-3 3,176 Olympic Auditorium
8 November 14 H Cleveland Pipers W 106-90 5-3 2,630 Olympic Auditorium
9 November 17 H Kansas City Steers L 109-115 5-4 2,016 Olympic Auditorium
10 November 19 H Kansas City Steers L 85-100 5-5 3,227 Olympic Auditorium
11 November 21 A Chicago Majors W 142-119 6-5 3,000 (EST) Chicago Stadium
12 November 22 A vs. Chicago Majors L 90-118 6-6 2,895 Milwaukee Arena
13 November 24 A Kansas City Steers L 108-121 6-7 3,347 Municipal Auditorium
14 November 26 A Kansas City Steers W 81-72 7-7 2,225 Municipal Auditorium
15 November 27 N vs. San Francisco Saints W 97-76 8-7 3,596 Civic Arena
16 November 29 N vs. Washington Tapers L 100-103 8-8 3,872 Civic Arena

December[edit]

Record: 12-5 ; Home: 5-2 ; Road: 5-3 ; Neutral: 2-0

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site
17 December 1 A vs. Cleveland Pipers L 92-113 8-9 755 Columbus Fairgrounds Coliseum
18 December 2 A Cleveland Pipers W 116-109 9-9 3,254 Public Hall
19 December 3 A Pittsburgh Rens W 88-76 10-9 2,733 Civic Arena
20 December 6 N vs. Pittsburgh Rens W 104-93 11-9 Chicago Stadium
21 December 7 A Pittsburgh Rens L 93-107 11-10 2,342 Civic Arena
22 December 9 H Pittsburgh Rens W 115-99 12-10 938 Olympic Auditorium
23 December 10 H Pittsburgh Rens L 100-101 12-11 1,773 Olympic Auditorium
24 December 12 H Chicago Majors W 96-89 13-11 1,562 Olympic Auditorium
25 December 13 N vs. Hawaii Chiefs W 90-89 14-11 Cow Palace
26 December 16 H San Francisco Saints W 111-88 15-11 522 Olympic Auditorium
27 December 17 H San Francisco Saints W 115-103 16-11 256 Olympic Auditorium
28 December 19 A Washington Tapers W 108-90 17-11 Washington Coliseum
29 December 20 A vs. Washington Tapers W 93-89 18-11 at Norfolk, VA
30 December 21 A Washington Tapers W 102-96 19-11 Washington Coliseum
31 December 27 H San Francisco Saints L 110-114 19-12 Olympic Auditorium
32 December 28 A San Francisco Saints L 103-104 19-13 4,084 San Francisco Civic Auditorium
33 December 31 H Pittsburgh Rens W 119-108 20-13 1,798 Olympic Auditorium

January[edit]

Record: 4-2 ; Home: 3-0 ; Road: 0-1 ; Neutral: 1-1

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site
34 January 2 H Washington Tapers W 112-104 21-13 583 Olympic Auditorium
35 January 4 H Washington Tapers W 107-104 22-13 1,165 Olympic Auditorium
36 January 5 N vs. Chicago Majors L 103-106 (OT) 22-14 5,500 (EST) Wichita, Kansas
37 January 6 A Chicago Majors L 89-105 22-15 2,352 Chicago Stadium
38 January 9 H Hawaii Chiefs W 140-103 23-15 2,791 Olympic Auditorium
39 January 10 N vs. Hawaii Chiefs W 123-122 24-15 2,684 Cow Palace

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "History of the American Basketball League". www.apbr.org.
  2. ^ "History of the American Basketball League". www.apbr.org.