Pride
Pacers
ABA Years
PAssion
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I n d i a n a Pac e r s
230
A B A Y EARS
History of the Franchise
On Feb. 2, 1967, a franchise in the American Basketball Association was offered to a group of Indiana sportsmen and
businessmen. That group was comprised of John DeVoe, a successful insurance man; Richard P. Tinkham, an attorney; Charles
M. Barnes, Jr., President of Sports Headliners; Bob Collins, Sports Editor of the Indianapolis Star; L. Charles DeVoe, L. M. DeVoe
Co.; Ron Woodward, Circle Securities; E.J. Bannon, a Lafayette banker; and George Lyn Treece, Burger Chef Systems.
The results of two feasibility studies conducted by the city indicated that the Indianapolis area could support professional
basketball. Armed with this information, the group accepted the offer and professional basketball was “back home again in
Indiana.”
The corporation, Indiana Professional Sports, Inc., was formed to own and operate the new franchise and the corporation
went into business with E.J. Bannon as its first President and John DeVoe as the Executive Vice President. Other members
of the first board were: Robert Bowes II; L. Charles DeVoe; Richard Ebershoff; Norb Schaeffer; Richard Tinkham; George Lyn
Treece; and J. Frederic Wiese.
On June 16, 1967 at a press conference, the Indiana franchise announced it would be known as the “Pacers” because the
organization intended to set the “pace” in professional basketball.
Mike Storen was appointed General Manager; Bernie Lareau was named Trainer and Business Manager, while Larry
Staverman, an assistant at the University of Notre Dame, was chosen as the Pacers’ first coach.
The first player ever drafted by the Pacers was Jimmy Walker, a 6-3 guard from Providence, who was also the first player
chosen in the NBA Draft that year. The first player signed by the Pacers was Roger Brown, a 6-5 forward, who was playing AAU
ball in the Dayton, Ohio area.
Assisted by Bobby “Slick” Leonard and Clyde Lovellette, Coach Staverman held summer tryouts the week of June 19, 1967.
During the week, the Pacers looked at nearly 50 players and attracted over 15,000 fans to the evening scrimmages that were
opened to the public.
When the Pacers opened the 1967-68 season against the Kentucky Colonels on Oct. 14, 1967, an overflow crowd filled the
Fairgrounds Coliseum. The Pacers, who won the game 117-95, had to turn fans away because of the overcrowding conditions.
The Pacers finished their initial season with a 38-40 record. They were eliminated from the playoffs in three straight games by
the Pittsburgh Pipers, the eventual league champion.
Despite a record below .500, the Pacers still led the ABA in attendance drawing 192,130 fans, for an average of almost 5,000
per night.
The 1968-69 season marked the beginning of Phase II for Indiana. After only nine games into the season, Leonard was named
to replace Staverman as coach of the Pacers, and Indiana was on its way to the top.
That season, Indiana won the Eastern Division and made it to the ABA Championship Finals before losing to the Oakland
Oaks, 4-1.
The next season, 1969-70, Indiana ran away from the ABA by posting a 59-25 record, won the Eastern Division crown again,
and won their first ABA Championship by beating the Los Angeles Stars, 4-2.
In the 1970-71 season, Indiana moved to the Western Division, which they also won, marking the third straight year Leonard
had led the Pacers to a division title. However, they were eliminated from the playoffs by the eventual champions, the Utah Stars,
in a seven-game series. The final game of the series was played at the Coliseum in front of an overflow unannounced crowd.
In both 1972 and 1973, Indiana finished second in the Western Division, but were able to regroup to win the championship. In
1972, they overcame some internal problems and ousted the Utah Stars in a fantastic seven-game series, upsetting the Stars
in the seventh game in Utah. Indiana captured its second ABA crown by beating the New York Nets, 4-2. In 1973, the Pacers
breezed past the Denver Rockets and Utah into the Championships vs. the Kentucky Colonels. Indiana beat the Colonels for the
title by winning the seventh game in Louisville in a series that saw the home team win only two of the seven games.
That was the Pacers’ third championship in four years and it was the fourth time during the five seasons that Leonard coached
the Pacers that they had made it to the finals.
During the 1973-74 season, the veteran Pacers struggled through the regular season, putting on a strong rush to grab second
place from the San Antonio Spurs. In the playoffs, they defeated the Spurs in seven games, eventually losing to Utah. In the
offseason, the Pacers traded 30 years of playing experience and began a rebuilding program for the future.
The 1974-75 season marked the beginning of another era for the Pacers. First, they moved into the beautiful Market Square
Arena with its 17,000 seats. Also, in midseason, the Pacers encountered severe financial difficulties and went up for sale. A 10man group, headed by W.D. Eason and Thomas Binford, formed Arena Sports, Inc., which purchased the club. The new group
of owners was very concerned with keeping the Pacers in Indiana, continuing the winning tradition and had a long range goal of
seeing the Pacers play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). They succeeded on all accounts.
The young, rebuilt team was the talk of the
basketball world as they upset both San Antonio and
Denver, the winningest team in pro ball, in the playoffs
to advance to the ‘75 ABA Finals. But, the magic finally
ran out, as they lost to Kentucky, 4-1.
In 1975-76, the Pacers ninth and final ABA
campaign, the club finished 39-45, the first sub-.500
season since their inaugural season in 1967-68.
However, the Pacers did make the playoffs for the
ninth straight season, eventually losing to defending
champion, Kentucky, 1-2, in the final seconds.
Following the 1975-76 season, Indiana became a
member of the NBA.
Ab a y e a r s
3-PT FG PERCENTAGE
TOTAL REBOUNDS
Season: ............................................ 84
Roger Brown......................... 1969-70
Darnell Hillman...................... 1972-73
Don Buse............................... 1975-76
Career: ........................................... 559
Roger Brown......................... 1967-75
Game: . ........................................ 1.000
F our players tied (4-4)
Season: ......................................... .382
Billy Keller (50-131)................ 1973-74
Career: .......................................... .341
Jim Rayl (91-267).................. 1967-69
Game: . ..............................................37
G
eorge McGinnis vs. Carolina..... 1/12/74
Season: ........................................1,475
Mel Daniels............................. 1970-71
Career: .........................................7,643
Mel Daniels............................. 1968-74
FREE THROWS MADE
ASSISTS
Game: . ..............................................17
Roger Brown vs. Los Angeles...2/1/69
Season: .......................................... 545
George McGinnis.................... 1974-75
Career: ........................................ 2,449
Freddie Lewis..........................1967-74
Game: . ............................................. 20
Don Buse vs. Denver...............3/26/76
Season: .......................................... 689
Don Buse................................ 1975-76
Career: ........................................ 2,223
Freddie Lewis..........................1967-74
FIELD GOALS MADE
Game: . ............................................. 25
Mel Daniels vs. New York.......3/18/69
Season: .......................................... 873
George McGinnis.................. 1974-75
Career: ........................................ 3,700
Mel Daniels........................... 1968-74
FIELD GOALS ATTEMPTED
Game: . ............................................. 38
Mel Daniels vs. New York........3/18/69
Season: ....................................... 1,934
George McGinnis.................... 1974-75
Career: .........................................7,852
Roger Brown.......................... 1967-75
FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE
Game: . ........................................ 1.000
Roger Brown vs. Den. (14-14).....1/25/69
Season: ......................................... .534
Billy Knight (580-1,087)......... 1974-75
Career: ............................................510
Billy Knight (1,354-2,654)...... 1974-76
3-PT FIELD GOALS MADE
Game: . ................................................6
John Barnhill, twice
Billy Keller, twice
Season: ...........................................123
Billy Keller.............................. 1975-76
Career: ........................................... 506
Billy Keller.............................. 1969-76
3-PT FG ATTEMPTED
Game: . ..............................................12
John Barnhill vs. Kentucky.... 12/11/69
Billy Keller vs. Utah...................4/2/75
Season: .......................................... 349
Billy Keller.............................. 1975-76
Career: .........................................1,495
Billy Keller.............................. 1969-76
FREE THROWS ATTEMPTED
STEALS
Game: . ............................................. 22
George McGinnis vs. Pitt........ 11/9/71
Season: .......................................... 778
George McGinnis.................... 1972-73
Career: ........................................ 3,006
Roger Brown.......................... 1967-75
Game: . ................................................9
Don Buse vs. St. Louis............ 2/17/75
Season: .......................................... 346
Don Buse................................ 1975-76
Career: ...............not kept every season
FREE THROW PERCENTAGE
Game: . ..............................................13
George McGinnis at NY, OT.....3/25/73
Season: .......................................... 422
George McGinnis.................... 1974-75
Career: ........................................ 1,538
Mel Daniels............................. 1968-74
Game: . ........................................ 1.000
Roger Brown vs. Mia. (13-13).....2/19/70
Season: ......................................... .896
Billy Keller (164-183).............. 1975-76
Career: .......................................... .872
Billy Keller (1,202-1,378)........ 1969-76
OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS
Game: . ..............................................16
George McGinnis vs. Carolina.1/12/74
Season: .......................................... 434
George McGinnis.................... 1973-74
Career: .........................................2,182
Mel Daniels............................. 1968-74
DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS
Game: . ............................................. 26
Mel Daniels vs. Florida..........12/29/71
Season: ........................................1,081
Mel Daniels............................. 1970-71
Career: ........................................ 5,461
Mel Daniels............................. 1968-74
TURNOVERS
BLOCKED SHOTS
Game: . ..............................................10
Darnell Hillman vs. Florida.......3/12/72
Season: ...........................................178
Len Elmore............................. 1975-76
Career: ...............not kept every season
POINTS
Game: . ............................................. 58
George McGinnis at Dal., OT.....11/28/72
Season: ....................................... 2,353
George McGinnis.................... 1974-75
Career: ...................................... 10,058
Roger Brown.......................... 1967-75
2009-10 Media Guide
MINUTES PLAYED
Season: ....................................... 3,495
Roger Brown......................... 1969-70
Career: .......................................20,315
Roger Brown......................... 1967-75
I n d i a n a Pac e r s
INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
GAMES
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232
A B A Y EARS
TEAM RECORDS
FIELD GOALS MADE
FREE THROWS ATTEMPTED
PERSONAL FOULS
Game: . ............................................. 64
vs. Pittsburgh..........................4/12/70
vs. Pittsburgh........................ 11/10/71
Season: ........................ 3,667, 1974-75
Game: . ..............................................72
a t Carolina, 2OT.................... 12/11/70
Season: ........................3,180, 1968-69
Game: . ..............................................41
a t Miami, 2OT........................ 11/25/68
Season: ........................ 2,126, 1969-70
HIGHEST FT PERCENTAGE
DISQUALIFICATIONS
FIELD GOALS ATTEMPTED
Game: . ........................................ 1.000
vs. Carolina (35-35)..............10/21/70
Season: ....772 (1,740-2,253), 1975-76
Game: . ................................................4
a t Miami, 2OT........................ 11/25/68
Season: .............................48, 1968-69
Game: . ............................................130
vs. Pittsburgh..........................4/12/70
Season: ........................ 7,754, 1976-76
HIGHEST FG PERCENTAGE
Game: . .......................................... .656
vs. New York (40-61)................4/5/70
Season: ... .487 (3,490-7,168), 1970-71
LOWEST FG PERCENTAGE
Game: . .......................................... .310
vs. San Antonio (27-87)........10/20/73
Season: ... .429 (3,174-7,397), 1967-68
3-PT FIELD GOALS MADE
Game: . ................................................9
four times
Season: ...........................306, 1970-71
3-PT FG ATTEMPTED
Game: . ............................................. 30
vs. Virginia............................12/23/70
Season: ........................ 1,024, 1970-71
3-PT FG PERCENTAGE
MINIMUM 3 3-PT FGA
Game: . .......................................... .833
vs. San Diego (5-6)............... 11/12/72
Season: ..........324 (250-771), 1975-76
FREE THROWS MADE
Game: . ............................................. 60
vs. Los Angeles.........................2/1/69
Season: ....................... 2,273, 1968-69
LOWEST FT PERCENTAGE
STEALS
Game: . .......................................... .429
vs. Denver (6-14)..................... 2/16/74
Season: ... .708 (2,102-2,971), 1967-68
Game: . ............................................. 26
vs. St. Louis..............................3/2/75
Season: ........................... 941, 1975-76
OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS
TURNOVERS
Game: . ............................................. 35
vs. Denver...............................3/10/76
Season: .........................1,674, 1974-75
Game: . ..............................................32
vs. Pittsburgh.......................... 1/31/68
vs. Memphis............................ 11/4/71
Season: ........................ 1,609, 1972-73
DEFENSIVE REBOUNDS
Game: . ..............................................51
vs. Houston........................... 11/20/68
Season: ........................ 3,004, 1971-72
TOTAL REBOUNDS
Game: . ..............................................73
vs. Pittsburgh..........................4/12/70
Season: ........................ 4,578, 1971-72
ASSISTS
Game: . ............................................. 48
vs. Denver...............................3/28/71
Season: ........................ 2,087, 1975-76
BLOCKED SHOTS
Game: . ..............................................17
vs. Denver............................. 12/11/74
Season: ........................... 459, 1973-74
1975-76
MOST POINTS
Game: . ............................................177
vs. Pittsburgh..........................4/12/70
Season: ......................10,002, 1970-71
FEWEST POINTS
Game: . ............................................. 66
vs. San Antonio.....................10/20/73
Season: ........................8,546, 1967-68
Ab a y e a r s
1.Charles Beasley, Southern
Methodist
2. Jim Dawson, Illinois
3. Craig Dill, Michigan
4. Bob Netolicky, Drake
5. Jim Walker, Providence
6. Frank Gaidjunes, Villanova
7. Jerry Jones, Iowa
8. Ron Kozlicki, Northwestern
9. Hubie Marshall, LaSalle
10. Ed McKee, Rockhurst
11. Bill Russell, Indiana
12.Gene Washington, Michigan
State
1968 ABA COLLEGE DRAFT
1. Don Dee, St. Marys of the Plains
2. Mike Lewis, Duke
3. Don May, Dayton
4. Bob Quick, Xavier
5. Phil Wagner, Georgia Tech
6.Dave Benedict, Central
Washington
7. Rudy Bogad, St. John’s
8. Jerry Newsom, Indiana State
9. Rich Niemann, St. Louis
10. Jack Thompson, South Carolina
11. Greg Cisson, Rider
12. Bob Hooper, Dayton
13. Harry Joyner, Indiana
14. Tom Niemier, Evansville
1969 ABA COLLEGE DRAFT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Bob Arnzen, Notre Dame
Dick Grubar, North Carolina
Tony Masiello, Canisius
Willie McCarter, Drake
Bill Deher, Indiana
Dave Golden, Duke
Bill Keller, Purdue
Gerald McKee, Ohio
Ron Peret, Texas A&M
John Jamerson, Fairmont St. (WV)
Jim Stephenson, Maine
1970 ABA COLLEGE DRAFT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
Dennis Awtrey, Santa Clara
Vince Fritz, Oregon State
Rick Mount, Purdue
Surry Oliver, Stephen F. Austin
Don Curnutt, Miami
Rick Erickson, Washington State
Billy Jones, Louisiana College
Jerry Kroll, Davidson
Bob Reily, Mt. St. Mary’s
Heyward Dotson, Columbia
Mickey Foster, Arizona
Seaburn Hill, Arizona State
Ted Hillery, St. Joseph’s (Ind.)
Jeff Sewell, Marquette
1. Darnell Hillman, San Jose State
2. John Mengelt, Auburn
3. Jim Cleamons, Ohio State
4.Clarence Glover, Western
Kentucky
5. Jeff Halliburton, Drake
6. Dean Meminger, Marquette
7. Ken Booker, UCLA
8. Tom Crosswhite, Dayton
9. Larry Weatherford, Purdue
10. James England, Tennessee
11. Jeff Smith, New Mexico State
12. Rick Katherman, Duke
13. Clarence Smith, Villanova
14. Rich Walker, Bowling Green
15. Tom Bush, Drake
16. Jim Irving, St. Louis
17. Bob Bissant, Loyola (La.)
18. Rudy Benjamin, Michigan State
19.Slick Pinkham, DePauw
(Redshirt)
1972 ABA COLLEGE DRAFT
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Ed Ratleff, Long Beach State
Nate Stephens, Long Beach State
Oscar Evans, Butler
George Adams, Gardner-Webb
Rich Garner, Manhattan
Cavin Anderson, Valley City
Wardell Dyson, Shaw
Jolly Spight, Santa Clara
Bill Burton, Eastern Kentucky
Wally Rice, Penn Military
Lee Sims, Morehead State
Nate Williams, Utah State
1972 ABA DISPERSAL
DRAFT
1.
2.
3.
4.
Dwight Davis, Houston
Dwight Jones, Houston
Tracy Tripucka, Lafayette
Bryan Adrian, Davidson
1973 ABA SPECIAL
CIRCUMSTANCES DRAFT
1. Mike Green, Louisiana Tech
2. Louis Dunbar, Houston
1973 ABA COLLEGE
UNDERGRADUATE DRAFT
1. Len Elmore, Maryland
2. Rudy Jackson, Hutchinson JC
1973 ABA COLLEGE SENIOR
DRAFT
1. Steve Downing, Indiana
2. Jim O’Brien, Maryland
3. Jim Retseck, Auburn
4. John Ritter, Indiana
5. Alan Hornyak, Ohio State
6. Joe Wallace, Denver
7. Jim Andrews, Kentucky
8. Mike Edwards, Tennessee
9.Robert Wilson, Wichita St.
(Redshirt)
10. Byron Jones, San Francisco
1974 ABA COLLEGE DRAFT
1. Billy Knight, Pittsburgh
2. Bruce King, Pan American
3. Roland Grant, New Mexico State
4. No Pick
5. Eddie Woods, Oral Roberts
6. Ron DeVries, Illinois State
7. Alex English, South Carolina
8.Bobby Florence, NevadaLas Vegas
9. Kevin Fitzgerald, Oklahoma State
10. Mark Browne, Missouri Western
1974 ABA DRAFT OF NBA
PLAYERS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Clifford Ray, Chicago
Bill Bradley, New York
Mel Counts, Los Angeles
Pat Riley, Los Angeles
Jim Davis, Detroit
1975 ABA COLLEGE DRAFT
1.
2.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Dan Roundfield, Central Michigan
Charles Jordan, Canisius
Jim Lee, Syracuse
Ken Tyler, Gonzaga
Brian Hammel, Bentley
John Ramsey, Seton Hall
Mike Flynn, Kentucky
Cliff Pratt, Shaw
Bill Andreas, Ohio State
2009-10 Media Guide
1971 ABA COLLEGE DRAFT
I n d i a n a Pac e r s
DRAFT PICKS
1967 ABA COLLEGE DRAFT
233