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The 1972–73 Memphis Tams season was the 1st season of the Tams and 3rd overall season of American Basketball Association basketball in Memphis. After two seasons as the Memphis Pros with middling profits, Charles O. Finley bought the team on June 13, 1972. He proceeded to rebrand the team like his other teams that he had owned (the Oakland Athletics and the Oakland Seals), changing the colors of the team to Kelly Green, California Gold, and Polar Bear White. The team's name was picked from an array of 20,000 postcards sent by fans, with the winner being given a $2,500 prize, which turned out to be Tams. Tams was meant to stand for the fans that resided in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi, with a tam-o-shanter hat being the main logo. In fact during the first ever game on October 12, 1972, the entire team came out wearing the hats. Finley also had a hand in the combinations of uniform colors worn, in part due to there every top and trunk being either green, gold, or white, with one notable combo being yellow tops with white trunks. For all of the flair the team had with uniforms, it did not translate into success on the court nor for attendance. By December, Finley tried to have negotiations to move the team to St. Paul, Minnesota, and Ron Franz was cut before Christmas. The Tams were 6th in points scored at 111.5 per game but were dead last in points allowed at 118.1 per game. They had two instances of 10 game losing streaks, with the Tams going a month between wins, losing 15 straight games from February 25 to March 24. By the time the streak ended, they had been eliminated from making the playoffs. They were the first team to lose 60 games since the Miami Floridians in 1969.[1]
| 1972–73 Memphis Tams season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Bob Bass |
| Arena | Mid-South Coliseum |
| Results | |
| Record | 24–60 (.286) |
| Place | Division: 5th (ABA) |
Roster
edit- -- Darel Carrier - Shooting guard
- 40 Sam Cash - Power forward
- -- Bill Chamberlain - Small forward
- 34 Lee Davis - Power forward
- 20 Mike Davis - Shooting guard
- 35 Warren Davis - Small forward
- 32 Randy Denton - Center
- 30 Bob Ford - Small forward
- 15 Ronald Franz - Small forward
- 30 Les Hunter - Power forward
- 24 Mervin Jackson - Point guard
- 11 Wil Jones - Power forward
- 20 Loyd King - Shooting guard
- 33 Wendell Ladner - Small forward
- 22 Dave Lattin - Power forward
- -- George Lehmann - Point guard
- 14 Johnny Neumann - Shooting guard
- 12 Luther Rackley - Center
- 23 George Thompson - Point guard
- 10 Charles Williams - Point guard
- 10 Isaiah Wilson - Shooting guard
Final standings
editEastern Division
edit| Team | W | L | % | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Cougars | 57 | 27 | .679 | - |
| Kentucky Colonels | 56 | 28 | .667 | 1 |
| Virginia Squires | 42 | 42 | .500 | 15 |
| New York Nets | 30 | 54 | .357 | 27 |
| Memphis Tams | 24 | 60 | .286 | 33 |
Awards and honors
edit1973 ABA All-Star Game selection (game played on February 6, 1973)