History Cincinnati Slammers

1 history

1.1 lima (1982–84)
1.2 cincinnati (1984–87)
1.3 hiatus , re-location cedar rapids (1987–88)

history
lima (1982–84)

the continental basketball association (cba) admitted expansion franchise lima, ohio on may 28, 1982, before cba franchise fee increased $100,000 $125,000. designated central division of cba. branded ohio mixers.

the mixers played first game on december 3, 1982. ohio s center rich kelley first player in franchise history signed national basketball association (nba) contract when signed 10-day deal on december 28, 1982 denver nuggets. kelly went on play rest of season in nba, joining utah jazz after denver traded him danny schayes , cash considerations. on december 31, 1982 mixers guard dwight anderson signed 10-day contract denver, deal not extended returned lima on january 9, 1983.

phil jackson, later inducted naismith memorial basketball hall of fame head coach, made professional head coaching debut against mixers on january 30, 1983 after albany patroons fired dean meminger , jackson hired take place.

on february 9, 1983 ohio gurard kevin figaro named 83 cba all-star first team. ohio finished 1982–83 cba season win-loss record of 17–27.

during off-season in 1983 mixers traded power forward dewayne scales detroit spirits in exchange center cyrus mann. reported in lexington herald-leader mixers had cooperative working agreement develop players atlanta hawks , san antonio spurs of nba, acting farm team.

the 1983–84 mixers featured nba players wes matthews , billy ray bates. matthews called nba twice season, first atlanta hawks , philadelphia 76ers. bates attempting nba comeback, on top of joining mixers included playing crispa redmanizers of philippine basketball association. although bates never made on nba roster, did play professional basketball until 1988. @ end of season, record 23–21, wasn t enough make cba post-season.

during 2 seasons in lima, mixers played home games @ lima senior high school, had capacity 3,800 persons.

cincinnati (1984–87)

the cincinnati gardens (pictured) home venue of slammers 1984–87.

during off-season before 1984–85 season, cba approved re-location of mixers lima, ohio cincinnati. sawyer family of lima, owned ohio mixers, had re-location costs underwritten jerry robinson, president of cincinnati gardens newly branded cincinnati slammers play. first professional basketball team in city since cincinnati royals re-located kansas city, missouri.

the first player cincinnati signed former dayton university swingman roosevelt chapman when inked contact on october 16, 1984. when asked united press international how felt close alma mater, chapman responded, feels [...] ll close home , there lot of [nba] scouts here watching us.

the slammers recorded first win of season against louisville catbirds, score of 111–90. cincinnati center dewayne scales scored game-high 29 points , 13 rebounds, followed slammers player darrell gadsden scored 26 points. head coach tom sawyer resigned position in january 1985. tom thacker, had been cincinnati s assistant coach, given head coaching position following sawyers resignation.

cincinnati s finished first season worst record in league (17–31), although based off league s point system second last (135 points).

in june 1985 slammers hired linda reed general manager. marked first time woman had been hired general manager professional basketball team. reed offered herb brown slammers head coaching position 1985–86 season. season before brown had coached puerto rico coquis received $500 fine altercation cba referee. tom thacker, had been team s head coach since tom sawyer resigned in january 1985, stayed cincinnati assistant coach brown.

slammers head coach herb brown named cba coach of month january 1986. cincinnati player victor fleming selected 1986 cba all-star team. slammers finished 1985–86 season best record in western division (33–15). finished first in division in points, cba uses determine postseason seeding.

during first round of 1986 cba playoffs slammers faced kansas city sizzlers. cincinnati swept kansas city 4 games none. slammers went on 1986 cba western division semifinals played evansville thunder. thunder managed win 1 game in series, slammers victorious in 4 games advancing them 1986 western division finals. la crosse catbirds advanced 1986 cba finals on cincinnati after winning 4 games of series slammers 2 games.

in spite of success during 1985–86 season, slammers part-owner jerry robinson announced selling interest in cincinnati cba franchise. according robinson, slammers had lost $500,000 during 2 seasons in cincinnati. stated average attendance home games 940 spectators. during playoffs, slammers muster 1,500 persons on average. small crowds did not deter team signing contact home venue, cincinnati gardens, 1986–87 season.

during game on february 13, 1987 cincinnati player bill martin knocked charleston gunners center peter verhoeven unconscious during fight in third quarter. martin suspended 3 games.

hiatus , re-location cedar rapids (1987–88)

team owner jerry gordon, purchased jerry robinson s interest in slammers, denied reports franchise looking relocate fort wayne, indiana following 1986–87 season. gordon did there still possibility slammers re-located, not fort wayne. several days later, gordon backtracked on previous statement admitting slammers looking relocate fort wayne. cincinnati had second lowest attendance in during 1986–87 season, averaging 705 spectators per game.

going 1987–88 season cba shifted focus away big markets (like cincinnati) smaller ones. slammers owner jerry gordon given year find small market buyer re-locate before 1988–89 season. gordon looked @ canton, ohio possible new home slammers, found little interest potential buyers , city officials.

krause gentle, owner of convenience store chain kum & go, approached slammers owner jerry gordon buying franchise , re-locating cedar rapids, iowa. deal approved cba , team re-branded cedar rapids silver bullets before 1988–89 season.