Anaheim Amigos
The Anaheim Amigos were an American basketball franchise based in Anaheim , California and a founding member of the American Basketball Association that played in the league during the inaugural 1967-68 season. After that season, the team moved to Los Angeles , California and became the Los Angeles Stars for two seasons before relocating to Salt Lake City , Utah and serving as the Utah Stars from 1970 until the breakup early in the 1975/76 season last played the league before uniting with the NBA in June 1976.
Origins
When ABA was founded on February 2, 1967, an Anaheim franchise was given to Art Kim and James Ackerman for $ 30,000. A naming competition was held, which led to the name "Amigos". The team played most of their home games at the Anaheim Convention Center. Five home games were scheduled elsewhere in California and three home games were held in Honolulu , Hawaii . Al Brightman became the first head coach.
1967-1968
The Amigos roster was led by Guards Les Selvage, Jeff Congdon and Steve Chubin, former NBA player Ben Warley and 2.13 m center Larry Bunce. Other Amigos were Bob Bedell, John Fairchild, Warren Davis, Steve Cramer, Bill Garner, Randy Stoll and H. Turner. Chubin was the team's best points supplier and a fan favorite. Selvage led the league in three attempts. Warley was the team's best rebounder and an effective outside shooter. Congdon played well but was given over to the Denver Rockets for Willis Thomas mid-season . Bunce did not live up to the expectations that resulted from his size, but played just like Warley in the ABA All Star Game.
The Amigos were not successful on the field. They lost their first five games, including their first ever game in the ABA, a 129-134 defeat at Oakland Oaks . After losing two-thirds of the first 36 players, Brightman was fired and replaced by Harry Dinnel. During the season, the Amigos lost eight games in a row and had two more series with six defeats each. The team ended the season with 25 wins and 53 losses, which meant fifth place in the Western Division as well as missing the playoffs.
Billing
The Amigos were also unsuccessful off the field. The home games attracted an average of 1,293 viewers and their games were broadcast on the radio and sometimes on television. They lost approximately $ 500,000 that season and were sold for $ 450,000 to James J. Kirst, who relocated the team to Los Angeles, where they became the Los Angeles Stars. After two seasons in Los Angeles, the team moved again and became the Utah Stars until they broke up in the middle of the last season of the ABA.