So long three-point field goal. Wilson. This classic basketball celebrates the history and legacy of the original rebel league. The only reason these products are not in greater abundance is because they are not needed: research has shown that the number of people who buy red, white, and blue baseballs is too small to make ball manufacturers want to produce them. The ball is accompanied by its original plastic bag and Rawlings retail box (9.5 x 9.5 x 9.5 inches; Vg). When the NBA absorbed the ABA, they started to imitate that fun & sensationalism, and viewership soared because of it (stars like Dr. J coming over from the ABA didn't hurt either). The ABA was a seat-of-the-pants operation throughout the course of its nine season history, and the visuals accurately reflect that core dynamic. If you are having any issues accessing information on this website, please contact . The Spirits of St Louis began play in 1974 attired in burnt orange, black, and silver uniforms that featured a polished, classy logo that perfectly captured the charm of the leaguebrash, confident, oozing charisma. About this product. The original ball, designed by James Naismith in 1892, was white with red stripes. Sport/Activity. Is the WNBA ball smaller than the NBA ball? More than four decades have lapsed since the ABA passed into oblivion, but its logos and uniforms never really went away. He arrived 10 minutes before the game wearing a wide-brimmed hat and a floor-length mink coat with his uniform underneath. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & resort (KS). Two other clubs, the Kentucky Colonels and the Spirits of St. Louis, were disbanded upon the merger, with each getting a buyout: the Colonels received a one-time buyout that owner John Y. The red, white and blue ball. Finally, let's recall the ABA's most visible and enduringly memorable symbol, its signature red, white, and blue basketball. Brown, Jr. used to purchase the NBA's Buffalo Braves, while the Spirits owners negotiated a cut of the other ABA teams' television revenues in perpetuity. The Miami Heat, born in 1988, have dressed up as the hot orange and magenta Floridians, an ABA team that lasted but four seasons. Only four ABA franchises survived, but the league afforded an opportunity for pro basketball to take root in non-traditional markets like Memphis, Utah, and New Orleans. Thus, Early became the first and only woman ever to play in a mens major league sports game. The Authentic ABA Basketball is supported and approved by legendary Hall of Famers Rick Barry, Larry Brown, Louie Dampier, Julius Erving, George Ice Gervin, Spencer Haywood, Bobby Jones, Bobby Slick Leonard, George McGinnis, and Charlie Scott. The ball is the latest fundraising effort and its endorsed by original ABA Hall of Famers, including Rick Barry (HOF 87), Larry Brown (HOF 02), Louie Dampier (HOF 15), Bobby Jones (HOF 19), Bobby Slick Leonard (HOF 14) and George McGinnis (HOF 17). Signature red, white, and blue basketball. These balls are also used by some professional athletes. The Los Angeles Clippers have worn Los Angeles Stars throwbacks, and the Memphis Grizzlies regularly channel their inner Memphis Sounds, replete with hot buttered soul wordmark and uniform numbers. Basketballs may be shipped to you or you may pick it up at any RDC Vulcans basketball game for Team autographs at game closing. The ABA had more of an urban audience due to its sponsorship by black-owned businesses such as Black Enterprises. Shop Authentic NBA basketballs to the famous Evolution & Evo NXT NCAA basketball. This makes them very durable and does not stretch too far out of shape. We cannot stress how rare an artifact such as this ball actually is. Right: Artis Gilmore #53 of the Kentucky Colonels passes to a teammate around a player from the Indiana Pacers. Do you remember a particular ABA team or player? . Or the time Marvin Barnes missed a series of flights and wound up chartering a plane from LaGuardia. They are more durable than orange balls but do not last as long for use in actual games. It was the . Muskegon Map. Software Copyright 2004-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) | SimpleAuctionSite | All rights reserved. Color. Maybe get two, one for playing and one for displaying, because how can you resist not finding a hoop and shooting that ball and watching the colors spin into a blur? If you would like to help in any way, please, Remember the ABA Site Reviews, Awards & Credits, Links to other Defunct Sports League Web Sites, All pages at RememberTheABA.com were created, coded, and written [unless otherwise noted] and are copyright , The All-Time Best ABA Players: A Pictorial Tribute, 1967-1976 ABA Yearly Standings, Game-by-Game Logs & Playoff Results, 1971-1975 ABA vs. NBA Exhibition Game Results. Thanks to Lana Sports, the ABA ball is back and available for purchase. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Spalding Official ABA Red, White, and Blue Composite Leather Mens ABA Basketball Official Size 29.5 BALL IS BRAND NEW AND IN ORIGINAL BOX The Spalding ABA Official I/O Game Basketball is the offi.from 1001768243 As former Kentucky Colonels coach Hubie Brown put it, We were ahead of the NBA in so many ways. Professional Basketball League with over 70 teams. Lana Sports and former ABA and NBA legends have teamed up to bring back the legendary red, white, and blue ABA basketball. Best Seller in Cheerleading Poms . For drawing audience away from the Knicks, the Nets were forced to pay $4.3M to the Knicks organization. The ABA and their upstart brethren, the World Hockey Association and the World Football League, looked fresh because they were fresh. He also invented the cork ball, which was originally black with small holes cut out to allow air to flow through it and keep it light and dry. We have partnered with Stripe, a leading payment gateway, to accept credit cards safely and securely for our customers. Pro. The red, white, and blue ball was symbolic of the league and Im proud to be a part of the Lana Sports effort to bring it back in support of former ABA players. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Which is the most durable NBA basketball? Little custom basketballs are ideal for younger players who need a ball that is not oversize. One of the most recognizable signs of the ABA was a red, white, and blue basketball as opposed to the orange basketball used in the NBA. Drossos suggested a delayed-delivery deal. Cash up front for Gervins services after the All-Star game. [10][14] The ABA and NBA had begun to discuss a possible merger,[15] and the ABA owners wanted to establish the viability and success of their league. Description. Basketball. - NOT FOR SALE. Copyright Albersheim's LLC 2002-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()). ABA players were given more time to shoot with a thirty-second shot clock, unlike the NBAs 24-seconds. A portion of the proceeds go to help former ABA players in need of medical or financial assistance. In 1975, the ABA was on the verge of folding and needed to bring in a Household name much like the owners did during the first year in the ABA by naming George Mikan commissioner. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The item will be delivered from 5-8 business days in the US and 10-15 business days for EU customers. But the ABA had one thing going for it. Official ABA Red, White and Blue Basketball. [14] The game was held in Denver, and the owners of the ABA teams wanted to ensure that the event would be entertaining for the sellout crowd of 15,021 people. Gambling Problem? Dave DeBusschere, one of the stars of the New York Knicks championship teams, moved from his job as Vice President and GM of the ABA's New York Nets in 1975 to become the last commissioner of the ABA and facilitate the ABANBA merger in 1976. Its a legendary basketball that symbolizes a legendary league. If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. Also, multicolor and spot coloring are options as well. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The only teams that remained true to their cities during the entire run of the ABA were The Kentucky Colonels, The Dallas Chaparrals, and The Indiana Pacers. The NBA was focused on the urban areas of the Northeast, Midwest and West Coast. While we can only hypothesize what might have been, we can still celebrate the fallen leagues fun and funky visual legacy, a lasting tribute to big thinkers with small budgets. DENVER, Aug. 19 (AP)-- The American Basketball Association commissioner, George Mikan, unveiled the league's official ball today-- . After nine years of players, coaches, and even refs jumping leagues, lawsuits and countersuits, the NBA finally absorbed four teams: Indiana, Denver, San Antonio, and New Jersey into the league in 1976. Even by ABA standards where teams were constantly in danger of going under, the Squires were notoriously short on cash. Use of this website constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement. One of the things I love most about the red, white and blue ball is how great it is for teaching youngsters about shooting and ball handling. The red, white and blue ABA ball became a symbol of the freedom of expression, flair, and style you really only saw in street ball. (Accounts varied on how much it actually cost.). After proclaiming, Game Time is on time, he went out and scored 43 points. We can not stress how rare an artifact such as this ball actually is. 16 seed to beat a No. Because the fact that this was a fledgling league that tried vehemently to compete with the NBA the distribution and budget was far inferior to that of the NBA which means that very few of these original specimens exist today. Show More Show Less. The new league uses a similar red, white and blue basketball as the old ABA, but unlike the original ABA, it does not feature players of similar caliber to the NBA, nor does it play games in major arenas or on television as the original ABA did. There would be Woj Bombs left and right, NBA Twitter would implode, a hundred think pieces would angle for clicks. It's tempting to imagine a world where the league secured the rights to its trademark roundball and successfully licensed it, a move that could have helped stabilize their perpetually barren coffers. This ball is endorsed by legendary ABA Hall of Famers Julius Erving, Rick Barry, George Ice Gervin, Spencer Haywood, George McGinnis, Louie Dampier, Bobby Jones, Larry Brown, Charlie Scott, and Bobby Leonard. Alfonso Maddox is an avid sports person. . Left: the red, white and blue ABA basketball. Iconic red, white and blue alternating panels For indoor play 1-year warranty Model# 74-248E Composite leather basketball is reminiscent of the original ABA of the 1970s Makes a good gift for basketball fans Ideal for fun and serious competitive play alike We aim to show you accurate product information. Report incorrect product info. NBA great George Mikan was the first commissioner of the ABA, where he introduced both the 3-point line and the league's trademark red, white and blue basketball. The majority of basketballs are burnt orange, although others are black, blue, yellow, or multi-colored. This deal netted the ownership group of the Spirits over $300M through nearly four decades due to a large increase in television revenues. Why did the NBA change the color of the ball. Sadly, they didn't adopt the ball except as the money ball in the 3-point contest. The original 70s style red, white, and blue basketball the official ball of the one and only American Basketball Association (ABA) is back. Add to Cart. Basketball was seen as particularly vulnerable to a challenge; its major league, the National Basketball Association, was the youngest of the Big Four major leagues, having only played 21 seasons to that point, and was still fending off contemporary challenging leagues (it had been less than five years since the American Basketball League (ABL) shut down). Its really great seeing Lana Sports bring the original ball back in honor of the league and to help former players.. A sideshow atmosphere was par for the course with the ABA, and one of the most momorable moments was when the Kentucky Colonels signed the young Penny Anne Early to play for one minute in a game against The Los Angeles Stars. Re: ABA Red White & Blue basketball in 2k. basketball displays the classic red, white, and blue ABA colors, which helped to set this flashier league apart from its older and more established counterpart, the NBA, which used orange balls. ABA League Facts. At one point the sheriffs department was coming to repossess the teams uniforms before a game because they owed $2,000 to the manufacturer. Today, the one-and-done rule in the NBA can be traced back to the ABA's decision to allow players to leave college early and pursue a professional career before they had completed their collegiate careers.[11]. The city is located at the southwest corner of Muskegon Township, but is administratively autonomous. Get it Fri, Sep 16 - Wed, Sep 21. The four most successful ABA teams joined the bigger league -- the New Jersey Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Indiana Pacers, and Denver Nuggets. Wilson is committed to achieving Level AA conformance for this website under the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, and other applicable accessibility standards. The ABA had more of an urban audience due to its sponsorship by black-owned businesses such as Black Enterprises. The ball measures 29.5 inches in diameter, which is the same as the official NBA ball. The league sued, but it went to Federal Court in San Antonio where a judge who happened to be a season-ticket holder ruled in favor of Drossos and the Spurs. I am proud to have been a pioneer of the league and excited to join other former ABA players in being a part of bringing the history of the league and its innovative ball back to life.. Instituted 3-point shot and slam dunk . The ABA was also different from its more established counterpart through a few of their own rules. These balls are built to a standard size but can have up to two inches cut off each end for easy grip. Big things are in store for the ABA, and the red, white and blue ball is set to be around for a long time to come. White. That manifested itself in players like Julius Erving, George Gervin, and Mel Daniels who went on to become Hall of Famers, along with scores of players like Mack Calvin, Billy Keller, and Steve Jones who thrived in its open-ended game. However, the Denver Larks/Rockets/Nuggets, a team that had been planned for Kansas City, Missouri, moved to Denver without playing a game in Kansas City due to the lack of a suitable arena. According to one of the owners of the Indiana Pacers, its goal was to force a merger with the more established league. As former Kentucky Colonels coach Hubie Brown put it, "We were ahead of the NBA in so many ways. Eventually the press caught on and Foreman had second thoughts. This league also utilized an element that would change major league basketball forever -- the three-point line. bo_jax2000 and RedmanR like this. Goodbye red, white and blue ball. Software Copyright 2004-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) | SimpleAuctionSite | All rights reserved. We cannot stress how rare an artifact such as this ball actually is. The ABA could never secure a national television contract and found it difficult to sell enough tickets to survive as the NBA was drawing better players, more sponsors, and more money. For those of us who recall the old ABAthe American Basketball Associationwe remember the flashy style of play, the three-point line, the advent of the slam dunk contest at its All-Star Game in 1976 and Julius Erving winning it. In 1979, the ABA changed its logo and color scheme to match those of the NBA. You can shop at www.lanasports.com with confidence. Although this color combination is still used today, many other colors are available. This is truly a museum piece. In fact, some sports historians claim that this was the strategy all along -- that ABA franchise owners didn't want to go on endlessly as an upstart league but were actually trying get just popular enough to be absorbed by the more-profitable NBA. The ABA was the "outlaw" league with the psychedelic red, white and blue basketball, outlandish promotions, and huge afros. DeBusschere was such a fantastic athlete that he played both in the NBA and Major League baseball. J." Drossos sent the league a telegram that read, Fuck you. Thanks Lana Sports for bringing a legendary basketball back for a great cause. The ABA also had several "regional" franchises, such as the Virginia Squires and Carolina Cougars, that played "home" games in several cities.[3]. A standard orange ball is required by the majority of leagues and teams. Are there any basketballs that are the same color? [2] Also, the ABA used a colorful red, white and blue ball, instead of the NBA's traditional orange ball. 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