Minnesota Muskies
Minnesota Muskies | |
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Division | Eastern Division |
Founded | 1967 |
History |
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Arena | Met Center |
Location | Bloomington, Minnesota |
Team colors | Blue and Gold |
Team manager | Dennis Murphy |
Head coach | Jim Pollard |
Ownership |
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The Minnesota Muskies were a member of the
History
The ABA first located its league office in
Early in the league's first season the Muskies and the
In the Eastern Division playoff semifinals, the Muskies split the first four of five games with the Kentucky Colonels and then won the decisive Game Five, 114–108, at home. The Muskies then met the Pipers for the Eastern Division Championship and lost 4 games to 1 to the eventual champion.
1967–68 ABA Eastern Division
Team | W | L | PCT. | GB |
---|---|---|---|---|
Pittsburgh Pipers |
54 | 24 | .692 | – |
Minnesota Muskies | 50 | 28 | .641 | 4 |
Indiana Pacers | 38 | 40 | .487 | 16 |
Kentucky Colonels | 36 | 42 | .462 | 18 |
New Jersey Americans |
36 | 42 | .462 | 18 |
For their success on the court, the Muskies were a complete bust off the court. They lost an estimated $400,000 in their first and only season. They only averaged 2,800 people per game, but it might have been far less, given that they only sold 100 season tickets.[4] The Muskies' management sought to make changes for the upcoming 1968–69 season with the team planning to play nine of their home games at other locations in Minnesota and signed a favorable television contract. In spite of this, the owners decided to relocate the franchise to Miami on May 24, 1968, for the 1968–69 ABA season. Prior to the start of that season, the team was forced to sell Daniels to the Indiana Pacers for cash to pay off accumulated debts.
However, Minnesota was not left without an ABA team as league champion Pipers ironically relocated to Minneapolis to play as the
The Minnesota Timberwolves wore Muskies uniforms for 6 games during the 2011–12 NBA season as part of the NBA's "Hardwood Classics".[6]
Basketball Hall of Famers
Minnesota Muskies Hall of Famers | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Players | ||||
No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
34 | Mel Daniels | C | 1967–1968 | 2012 |
Coaches | ||||
Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | |
Jim Pollard 1 | Head Coach | 1967–1968 | 1978 |
Notes:
- 1 Inducted as a player.