1970–71 Pittsburgh Condors season
The 1970–71 Pittsburgh Condors season was the 1st season of the Pittsburgh Condors, and third overall season of Pittsburgh's tenure in American Basketball Association. Haven Industries (makers of the Jack Frost sugar brand) had bought the team after the previous season and they decided to rename the team. With the prize being $500, the winning selection was "Pioneers". However, Point Park College, a NAIA college near the team offices threatened legal action due to them already using the nickname for their team. The pro team hastily came up with a replacement name in the form of "Condors", with the first game of the season being on October 15, 1970 versus the New York Nets, which they won 105–102. However, only 3,616 attended the game, a harbinger of things to come. For the November 17th game vs the Floridians, GM Marty Blake tried to spur interest by giving away all available tickets for free. Of the 13,000 seats offered, 8,074 fans showed up. Later in the year, he was fired when the team was 10 games below .500, alongside management being tired of promotional gimmicks.
| 1970–71 Pittsburgh Condors season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Jack McMahon |
| Arena | Pittsburgh Civic Arena |
| Results | |
| Record | 36–48 (.429) |
| Place | Division: 5th (Eastern) |
On March 6, 1971, Stew Johnson scored 62 games versus the Floridians, going 25 of 44 with one three-pointer made and 11 free throws. While the team's biggest losing streak (done twice) was only 4 games, the team simply could not keep a winning streak longer than three games, with the team being reassured of a below .500 finish after losing on March 13, just nine games before the end of the season. However, the team was in contention for the final spot in the playoffs, with a game versus the Floridians (36–46) in the penultimate game for both teams (played on March 28) that could seal the spot up, as the Condors had a 35–47 record. However, they lost 130–117 to the Floridians, sealing their fate. Two days later, their season ended, with Pittsburgh having missed a playoff berth for another consecutive year. They finished 5th in points scored, with a 119.1 points per game average. Conversely, they finished 8th in points allowed at 121.8 points per game.[1]
Roster
- 22 Walker Banks - Center
- 23/40 John Brisker - Small forward
- 21 Charles Hentz - Point forward
- 15 Rich Johnson - Center
- 13 Stew Johnson - Point forward
- 22 Arvesta Kelly - Guard
- 12 Joe Kennedy - Small forward
- 33 Dave Lattin - Point forward
- -- Harry Laurie - Guard
- 24 Mike Lewis - Center
- 15 Ken Spain - Center
- 23 Skeeter Swift - Shooting guard
- 25 George Thompson - Shooting guard
- 32 Samuel Watts - Shooting guard
- 14 Hubie White - Shooting guard
- 10/44 Charles Williams - Point guard
- -- Chuck Williams - Point guard
- 14 Jim Wilson - Guard
Final standings
Eastern Division
| Eastern Division | W | L | PCT | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Squires * | 55 | 29 | .655 | - |
| Kentucky Colonels * | 44 | 40 | .524 | 11.0 |
| New York Nets * | 40 | 44 | .476 | 15.0 |
| The Floridians * | 37 | 47 | .440 | 18.0 |
| Pittsburgh Condors | 36 | 48 | .429 | 19.0 |
| Carolina Cougars | 34 | 50 | .405 | 21.0 |
Awards and honors
1971 ABA All-Star Game selections (game played on January 23, 1971)