Baltimore Claws

The Sounds began the 1974–75 season with a win followed by several losses; fan interest waned but the team rallied to finish in fourth place in the ABA's Eastern Division.Of the Sounds' draft picks that season, two of them (Lonnie Shelton and Terry Furlow) remained in college, while the third (Rich Kelley) signed with the NBA's New Orleans Jazz instead.In August 1975, new ABA Commissioner Dave DeBusschere suddenly awarded the franchise to another group in Memphis due to apparent financial problems involving the Baltimore owners.The Claws entered the preseason under head coach Joe Mullaney with a roster that included Mel Daniels and Stew Johnson as key players.The Claws also suited up guard Skip Wise, who in the previous year was the first freshman to make the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Conference First Team after the NCAA changed its rules to allow for freshmen players to play college basketball.The Claws threatened to seek an injunction delaying the start of the season until Baltimore were reinstated, citing a provision in the rules requiring a ten days notice before any team could be shuttered.George Carter also ended up with the Stars despite not being picked in the dispersal draft; Utah would become the ABA's third casualty of the season, suspending operations in early December.In Terry Pluto's book on the ABA, "Loose Balls", Daniels recalled that the Claws' players were allowed to take equipment and furniture from the team's office in lieu of payment.The league's assertion that they had "nine solid teams" quickly proved to be incorrect, as both the San Diego Sails and the Utah Stars ceased operations early in the season.
basketball1975–76 seasonAmerican Basketball AssociationNew Orleans BuccaneersMemphis ProsMemphis TamsMemphis SoundsKentucky ColonelsLonnie SheltonTerry FurlowRich KelleyNew Orleans JazzMid-South ColiseumMarylandBaltimoreDave DeBusschereDan IsselABA championTom OwensJohn Y. Brown, Jr.Denver NuggetsDave RobischRick MountUtah StarsJoe MullaneyMel DanielsStew JohnsonSkip WiseAtlantic Coast ConferenceClemsonSalisbury, MarylandVirginia SquiresPhiladelphia 76ersCherry Hill, New JerseyKnott ArenaMount St. Mary's CollegeEmmitsburg, Marylandline of creditBaltimore Civic CenterBaltimore BannersWorld Team TennisBaltimore BladesWorld Hockey AssociationNorth American Soccer LeagueBaltimore CometsPaul RuffnerSpirits of St. LouisSan Diego SailsSan Antonio SpursClaude TerryChuck WilliamsScott EnglishIndiana PacersJoe HamiltonGeorge CarterNew York NetsTerry PlutoLoose Balls1976 ABA Playoffsmerge with the NBAAnaheim Amigos/Los Angeles StarsCarolina CougarsDallas Chaparrals/Texas ChaparralsDenver Rockets/Denver NuggetsHouston MavericksMemphis Pros/Memphis Tams/Memphis SoundsMiami Floridians/The FloridiansMinnesota MuskiesMinnesota PipersNew Jersey Americans/New York NetsOakland OaksPittsburgh Pipers/CondorsSan Diego Conquistadors/SailsWashington CapsABA All-Time Team