Friday Flashback: Carolina Cougars

Before the Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats/Hornets existed in the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Carolina Cougars became the first professional basketball team in the Carolinas.  The Cougars played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1969-1974.  The franchise was originally the Houston Mavericks but after poor support in Houston for two seasons, the team moved to the Carolinas.  Jim Gardner, who would later because Lieutenant Governor in North Carolina, bought the Mavericks and moved them to become a regional team playing home games in Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh.

The Cougars played most of their games in Greensboro at the Greensboro Coliseum which was the largest arena at the time.  

Carolina was never able to win the championship but won a division title in 1973 and made the playoffs in three of their five seasons.  

The coaches for the Carolina Cougars were:

• Bones McKinney (1969-1971)
• Tom Meschery (1971-1972)
• Larry Brown (1972-1974)

Top players for the Carolina Cougars were:

• Billy Cunnigham
• Mack Calvin
• Joe Caldwell
• Bob Verga
• Doug Moe

Billy Cunningham played for the Cougars from 1972-1974 and was named the ABA's MVP in 1973.  Cunningham would go on to play and coach the Philadelphia 76ers.  Larry Brown was also awarded Coach of the Year in 1973.  

The Cougars were somewhat successful in the ABA but when there were rumors of a merger with the NBA, some felt that at the time the regional franchise concept would not work and be too expensive to maintain.  The team was sold and moved to St. Louis after the 1974 season.

Other facts:

• Cougar fans were upset when owners decided to hold game 7 of the division finals in Charlotte instead of Greensboro.  
• The first Cougars' coach was Bones McKinney. McKinney initially refused the job twice before Cougars President Jim Gardner finally convinced him to give it a try. According to the 1969-70 Carolina program, McKinney entertained ABA fans by "squirming in agony, leaping in ecstasy, gulping soft drinks by the case, yanking up his trademark red sox, yelling at somebody, and helping officials as best he could." He was a gate attraction all by himself.
• The Cougars played their first game on October 8, 1969, in Greensboro against the Dallas Chapparals.  The Cougars won 108-97.
• The last game was played on April 8, 1974, when the Cougars lost to the Kentucky Colonels 128-119 in the division semifinals.
• Home games were played in Greensboro, Charlotte, Raleigh and Winston-Salem.
• Bob Lamey was the voice of the Carolina Cougars.  He went on to call games for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League.

For more details about the Carolina Cougars, visit:  http://www.remembertheaba.com/carolina-cougars.html