Cleveland Pipers
Cleveland Pipers logo
LeaguesNIBL 19591961
ABL 19611962
Founded1950s
Folded1962
ArenaCleveland Arena
Team colorsRed, White & Blue
     

The Cleveland Pipers were an American industrial basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio in the 1950s and early 1960s. The Pipers are mostly known for having played in the short-lived American Basketball League from 1961–62. They were also a power in the day's Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) basketball and the National Industrial Basketball League (NIBL) which peaked in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

History

The team was first owned and run by Ed Sweeny, a shareholder in a company which handled plumbing, heating and air conditioning services for a number of companies and buildings in the city of Cleveland. Sweeny handled sponsorship for a number of Cleveland recreational sports teams and leagues, including his basketball entry which later became the Cleveland Pipers. Sweeny's winning industrial team was later purchased by the ambitious young George Steinbrenner, then a 30 year-old son of a Cleveland trading company owner. General Manager Mike Cleary later hired John McLendon, the first African American head coach in professional basketball, to lead the squad. Playing under coach John McLendon, and later coach Bill Sharman, the team won the league's 1961-62 championship, the only full-season title in the league's short history.

Steinbrenner got his start in professional sports ownership with the Pipers, which he entered into the new ABL. The team's precarious financial situation was such that its home games took place in eight different arenas and gyms. These ranged from the team's primary homes at either Cleveland Public Hall or the Cleveland Arena to local colleges such as Baldwin-Wallace College, to high school facilities in Ashtabula, Lorain and Sandusky, and as far south as Columbus.

Upon his hiring, McClendon was able to convince a former college player he had coached, Dick Barnett, to jump from the NBA's Syracuse Nationals to the Pipers. Then, after the team's first season, Steinbrenner signed Ohio State University All-American Jerry Lucas. In the latter case, the signing enraged the rival National Basketball Association (NBA), which attempted to lure Steinbrenner and the Pipers into jumping leagues. The mounting debts and costs of that move proved too much for the then-young Steinbrenner, who folded the team just months later.

Even early on, Steinbrenner was meddlesome and irrepressible. Basketball lore indicates that at halftime of the November 22, 1961 game against the Hawaii Chiefs, he sold player Grady McCollum to the Chiefs at halftime.[1]

Industrial league

The team sponsored by Ed Sweeny Co started in the Industrial A League. Opponents included Cleveland Twist Drill, East Ohio Gas and White Motors in this small eight-team division.

AAU and industrial basketball were popular in Cleveland then, as the city was not a college basketball hotbed, and pro basketball, such as the then-struggling NBA, was not yet strong in the city. The city's various sponsored industrial teams and local high school action therefore dominated then.

In 1958, the Sweeny Pipers won their league and they were then invited to join the nine-team Greater Cleveland Muny League, the top league in the city, for the 1958–59 season. Opponents included Bruscino Construction, Carney Auditors, Blepp-Coombs, and Cotton Club Beverage. The Sweeny team went 28–0 to win the league in 1959.

The team had strong local connections, with Cleary, coach Tom Nolan a former John Carroll University star, and guard John Hollis. Their first big star was 6'6" Cornelius 'Corney' Freeman, a former top scorer on Xavier's 1957 NIT team.

Sweeny also hosted several national industrial powers during the 58–59 season including Wichita Vickers, Akron Goodyear and the Seattle Buchan Bakers. His Pipers lost them all, a briefly discouraging fact. That Spring, with the college basketball season concluding, a number of college players were immediately available to be signed by industrial teams, which was common then. Sweeny signed several including future New York Knick Johnny Green and Kansas State All-American Bob Boozer. He also signed Tennessee State small college champion coach McLendon to lead the Pipers and his star Dick Barnett. On April 5, 1959, this revamped Pipers team hosted the Denver-Chicago Truckers at Cleveland Arena and won the game. The Truckers, like the above mentioned industrial teams, were part of the NIBL, and the Pipers were soon asked to join that circuit as their eighth team for the 1959–60 season.

NIBL/AAU

The Ed Sweeny Cleveland Pipers went 16–16 in the 1959–60 NIBL campaign, which was won again by the league's long-running power, the Phillips 66ers of Bartlesville, OK. They also hosted and played in a number of exhibitions including a visiting Soviet Union team, The U.S. Pan American Games team, and the Saint Bonaventure University college team. New stars included Kentucky's Johnny Cox, 6'9" Gene Tormohlen, and Tennessee Staters John Barnhill and Ben Warley. All later played in the NBA. They were edged 84–82 by eventual AAU champion Peoria, and their signee Boozer, and finished the season in a sea of debt. Sweeny allowed Steinbrenner to take over the team in April, 1960. Steinbrenner had been a longtime AAU backer.

For the NIBL 1960–61 campaign, Steinbrenner's first big signing was Dan Swartz, the NIBL's leading scorer from Wichita. The Pipers went 24-10 in the now six-team league to win the NIBL title, the league's last. They then also won the 1961 AAU national tournament in Denver.

ABL

The American Basketball League played one full season, 19611962, and part of the next season until the league folded on December 31, 1962. The ABL was the first basketball league to have a three point shot for baskets scored far away from the goal. Other rules that set the league apart were a 30-second shooting clock and a wider free throw lane, 18 feet instead of the standard 12.

The American Basketball League was formed when Abe Saperstein did not get the Los Angeles National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise he sought. His Harlem Globetrotters had strong NBA ties. When Minneapolis Lakers owner Bob Short was permitted to move the Lakers to Los Angeles, Saperstein reacted by convincing National Alliance of Basketball Leagues (NABL) team owner Paul Cohen (Tuck Tapers) and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) National Champion Cleveland Pipers owner George Steinbrenner to take the top NABL and AAU teams and players and form a rival league.[2]

League franchises were: the Chicago Majors (1961–1963); Cleveland Pipers (1961–1962); Kansas City Steers (1961–63); Long Beach Chiefs (1961–1963), as Hawaii Chiefs in 1961–62; Los Angeles Jets (1961–62, disbanded during season); Oakland Oaks (1961–1963, as San Francisco Saints in 1961–1962; Philadelphia Tapers 1961–1963, as Washington Tapers in 1961–62; moved to New York during 1961–62 season; as New York Tapers in 1961–62 and the Pittsburgh Rens (1961–1963).[2]

On March 27, 1961, the Pipers announced that they would be joining the American Basketball League that would begin play that fall, with former Ohio State basketball star Jimmy Hull, a friend of Steinbrenner's joining the team two days later as a major stockholder in the franchise.

The Pipers had played their previous two years at the Cleveland Arena, but sought a new home to reduce the $750 per game cost to rent the facility. They signed an agreement with the city of Cleveland to play 27 games at Public Hall at $400 per game or 15 percent of the gross receipts. However, in early August 1961, Cleveland mayor Anthony Celebrezze asked to renegotiate the deal, asking for the same $750 per game that the Pipers had paid at the Arena. Steinbrenner refused and threatened to move the team to Columbus.

On September 14, Ben Fleiger of the Cleveland Press was named the team's new general manager. He replaced Cleary, who had left the position with the rival Kansas City Steers.

The Barnett Affair

Prior to the start of the facility controversy continued, McClendon signed his former Tennessee State star, Dick Barnett, on August 16 to a one-year contract for $13,000. Barnett had completed his second year with the NBA's Syracuse Nationals and had been offered a new contract worth $11,500 for the season, but his signing led to another legal dispute. On September 25, the same day that the Pipers began their preseason training camp, the Nationals announced plans to file a temporary restraining order to prevent Barnett from playing for the Pipers.

Syracuse cited the fact that the contract gave the team the legal option to maintain Barnett's rights, while Cleveland's legal team focused on the case of another ABL player, Kenny Sears. He had played for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA, but then signed a deal to play for the ABL's San Francisco Saints. The Nationals obtained that temporary restraining order on October 23, less than two weeks before the start of the regular season.

The situation remained unresolved for the next two months, with Barnett unable to either play or practice with the Pipers. Eventually, the Nationals won a permanent injunction, but agreed to release Barnett from their deal after a handshake agreement between Steinbrenner and Syracuse general manager Dick Biasone.

Jerry Lucas

After a strong recruiting pitch that lasted for more than a month, Steinbrenner officially signed Ohio State University All-American Jerry Lucas to a player-management contract on May 16, 1962. Lucas announced the signing in a bylined article in Sports Illustrated. His two-year deal was to pay him a yearly salary of $10,000 with another $40,000 part of an investment portfolio.[3]

At the time of the signing, Lucas indicated that while the Pipers' offer amounted to less than the three-year deal worth $100,000 that was offered by the NBA's Cincinnati Royals, it addressed his interest in finishing work on his degree at Ohio State and his intent to attend graduate school. In addition, a portion of the investments had indicated that they would be willing to hire him once his basketball career had ended.

According to Bill Madden's Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball, Steinbrenner made plans in 1963 to acquire the Kansas City Steers, from the recently failed ABL, as part of an application to bring the Cleveland Pipers into the NBA, and a schedule had, supposedly, been printed for the 1963-64 NBA season with the Pipers playing the New York Knicks in the first game.[3] Steinbrenner and partner George McKean fell behind in payments to the NBA and the deal was cancelled.

NBA petition

After Steinbrenner unsuccessfully petitioned to get the National Basketball Association to accept his team the following year, the Pipers disbanded. After the ABL folded, Steinbrenner had $125,000 in debts and personal losses of $2 million.[4]

Players

Lucas did not play in any ABL games. Pipers players include the following:

Year-by-year

Year League Reg. Season Playoffs
1961/62 ABL 1st, Eastern Champion

Game log

FIRST HALF

November

Record: 10-5 ; Home: 5-1 ; Road: 4-4; Neutral: 1-1

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site
1November 5APittsburgh RensL82-870-16,236Civic Arena
2November 6AKansas City SteersW110-1061-13,107Municipal Auditorium
3November 8AKansas City SteersL100-1011-21,035Municipal Auditorium
4November 9ASan Francisco SaintsW103-1002-26,744Cow Palace
5November 10ASan Francisco SaintsW97-883-27,192Cow Palace
6November 13ALos Angeles JetsL99-1083-33,176Olympic Auditorium
7November 14ALos Angeles JetsL90-1063-42,630Olympic Auditorium
8November 17APittsburgh RensW111-944-43,437Civic Arena
9November 18Nvs. Pittsburgh RensW88-875-41,775Washington Coliseum
10November 21HHawaii ChiefsW91-746-43,318Public Hall
11November 22HHawaii ChiefsW97-967-43,569Public Hall
12November 25HPittsburgh RensL91-977-52,843Public Hall
13November 26HPittsburgh RensW137-948-57,000 (EST)Cleveland Arena
14November 28HKansas City SteersW99-979-52,215Public Hall
15November 30HKansas City SteersW109-10210-51,200 (EST)Public Hall

December

Record: 9-12 ; Home: 5-4 ; Road: 3-5 ; Neutral: 1-3

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site
16December 1Hvs. Los Angeles JetsW113-9211-52,201Columbus Fairgrounds Coliseum
17December 2HLos Angeles JetsL109-11611-63,254Public Hall
18December 5Nvs. Chicago MajorsL97-11011-72,300 (EST)Milwaukee Arena
19December 6AChicago MajorsL93-10111-82.678Cleveland Arena
20December 7Nvs. Chicago MajorsW107-8812-82,432Civic Arena
21December 9HPittsburgh RensL113-13412-9300 (EST)Baldwin Wallace College
22December 10APittsburgh RensW107-10213-96,213Civic Auditorium
23December 13HChicago MajorsW117-9514-92,500 (EST)Cleveland Arena
24December 14Nvs. Kansas City SteersL104-11214-103,692Civic Arena
25December 15AWashington TapersL100-10814-11Washington Coliseum
26December 16AWashington TapersW99-8415-115,745Washington Coliseum
27December 17Nvs. Washington TapersL88-9015-126,293Civic Arena
28December 19AChicago MajorsW99-9416-12900 (EST)at Rockford, IL (Boyland Central Catholic High School)
29December 20AChicago MajorsL94-9816-131,872Chicago Stadium
30December 21HChicago MajorsL112-11316-143,453Cleveland Arena
31December 23HPittsburgh RensW132-11717-143,218Public Hall
32December 25HPittsburgh RensL106-10817-152,315Cleveland Arena
33December 26AWashington TapersL108-10917-161,110Washington Coliseum
34December 28AWashington TapersL106-12317-171,197Washington Coliseum
35December 29HWashington TapersW124-9818-173,518Public Hall
36December 30HWashington TapersW118-10419-177,218Public Hall

January

Record: 7-8 ; Home: 4-2 ; Road: 2-5 ; Neutral: 1-1

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site
37January 1NChicago MajorsW117-9920-171,600 (EST)University of Akron Memorial Hall
38January 3HChicago MajorsW114-10421-172,338Public Hall
39January 6HSan Francisco SaintsL93-10321-184,220Public Hall
40January 7HSan Francisco SaintsW140-10722-18Columbus Fairgrounds Coliseum
41January 9HNew York TapersW141-12423-182,114Admiral King High School
42January 10Nvs. Kansas City SteersW115-110 (OT)24-182,223Chicago Stadium

ABL FIRST HALF PLAYOFFS

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Attendance Site
January 12AKansas City SteersL93-1065,286Municipal Auditorium
January 13HKansas City SteersW98-874,276Public Hall
January 14AKansas City SteersL120-1042,313Municipal Auditorium

SECOND HALF

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site
43January 15APittsburgh RensW110-1081-03,482Civic Arena
44January 16Nvs. Kansas City SteersL110-1181-11,600 (EST)Long Island Arena
45January 17HPittsburgh RensL97-1071-22,143Cleveland Arena
46January 20AKansas City SteersL114-1151-33,018Municipal Auditorium
47January 21AKansas City SteersL120-1321-42,296Municipal Auditorium
48January 23AHawaii ChiefsL100-1061-52,819Civic Auditorium
49January 25AHawaii ChiefsW114-1132-51,940Bloch Arena
50January 26AHawaii ChiefsL114-1212-63,339Civic Auditorium
51January 27AHawaii ChiefsL94-1062-73,531Civic Auditorium

February

Record: 9-6 ; Home: 5-3 ; Road: 1-3 ; Neutral: 3-0

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site
52February 3HChicago MajorsW120-1143-72,338Public Hall
53February 4HNew York TapersL109-1123-81,523Public Hall
54February 6HSan Francisco SaintsL123-1263-91,750Sandusky High School
55February 7HSan Francisco SaintsW144-1154-91,738Public Hall
56February 8Nvs. San Francisco SaintsW129-1185-93,917Civic Arena
57February 10HPittsburgh RensW125-1146-91,911Public Hall
58February 11APittsburgh RensW105-1037-93,875Civic Arena
59February 12HHawaii ChiefsL136-137 (2 OT)7-106,090Cleveland Arena
60February 14Nvs. Hawaii ChiefsW115-1038-101,240New Castle High School
61February 15Nvs. Hawaii ChiefsW112-1089-103,784Civic Arena
62February 17AChicago MajorsL106-1159-113,115Chicago Stadium
63February 23HNew York TapersW138-12110-113,417Cleveland Arena
64February 25HKansas City SteersW111-10911-112,048Cleveland Arena
65February 27ANew York TapersL90-10111-122,369Long Island Arena
66February 28ANew York TapersL86-10211-131,353Long Island Arena

March

Record: 10-5 ; Home: 8-0 ; Road: 1-4 ; Neutral: 1-1

# Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site
67March 3AChicago MajorsL111-11511-14Chicago Stadium
68March 5HKansas City SteersW104-9212-141,396Canton Memorial Civic Center
69March 7ASan Francisco SaintsL101-10312-151,142Civic Auditorium
70March 8ASan Francisco SaintsW100-9813-15853Civic Auditorium
71March 9ASan Francisco SaintsL104-106 (OT)13-161,140Civic Auditorium
72March 13HChicago MajorsW110-10114-161,300 (EST)Ashtabula High School
73March 14HChicago MajorsW124-12215-162,310Public Hall
74March 15HKansas City SteersW116-10116-161,519Public Hall
75March 17HHawaii ChiefsW107-10017-16Public Hall
76March 18HChicago MajorsW111-10218-163,215Public Hall
77March 21HPittsburgh RensW124-10219-162,338Cleveland Arena
78March 22Nvs. New York TapersL98-10019-173,943Civic Arena
79March 23APittsburgh RensL124-13519-185,153Civic Arena
80March 24HPittsburgh RensW136-12620-18975 (EST)Cleveland Arena
81March 25Nvs. Pittsburgh RensW114-10621-183,441War Memorial

ABL QUARTERFINALS

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Attendance Site
March 30HSan Francisco SaintsW124-1021,500 (EST)Cleveland Arena
March 31Nvs. New York TapersW98-100300Municipal Auditorium

ABL FINALS

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Attendance Site
April 1AKansas City SteersL101-1263,246Municipal Auditorium
April 3AKansas City SteersL118-824,101Municipal Auditorium
April 4HKansas City SteersW130-1147,624Cleveland Arena
April 7HKansas City SteersW100-984,115Cleveland Arena
April 9AKansas City SteersW106-1023,000 (EST)Rockhurst College

References

  1. Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball, p.39, Bill Madden, Harper Collins Publishing, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-06-169031-0
  2. 1 2 "History of the American Basketball League". www.apbr.org.
  3. 1 2 Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball, p.42, Bill Madden, Harper Collins Publishing, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-06-169031-0
  4. Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball, p.43, Bill Madden, Harper Collins Publishing, New York, 2010, ISBN 978-0-06-169031-0
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