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New Orleans BuccaneersYears of existence: 1967-68 through 1969-70
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The New Orleans Buccaneers were a major force in the early years of the ABA. The franchise stayed in the Crescent City only three years: from 1967-68 through 1969-70. But while the team was in New Orleans, it was always fun to watch.
The fun started with the Bucs' first and only coach, Babe McCarthy. McCarthy was affectionately known as 'Ol Magnolia Mouth because of his so-called "honey-dew Mississippi drawl." In fact, Babe could always be counted on to come up with appropriate "Babe-isms" during games to motivate his players. "Babe-isms" were short funny phrases that earned McCarthy his nickname. A few of the more famous (and often used) Babe-isms were:
"Boy, I gotta tell you, you gotta come out at 'em like a bitin' sow,"
"My old pappy used to tell me the sun don't shine on the same dog's butt every day,"
"Why panic at five in the mornin' because it's still dark out?" and
"Now, let's cloud up and rain all over 'em."
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Moe's close friend from North Carolina, Larry Brown, also signed on with the Buccaneers in that first year. Brown had been spurned by the NBA because he was only 5'9". But in the ABA, he flourished. The Buccaneers' publicist "Steamboat" Fulton promoted Brown as the smallest player in professional basketball, and he was a favorite with the fans. Brown also made the First ABA All-Star team, but in a unique way. He was a last minute replacement for Dallas' Bob Verga, who was called away on military duty. Brown made the most of All-Star appearance, sparking the West team in the fourth quarter of the All-Star game with numerous assists. He won the MVP award and a brand new red convertible. At the end of the year, he ended up leading the league in assists, averaging 6.5 per game.
Two other players sparked the first year Bucs. Austin "Red" Robbins was a rookie out of Tennessee. Many regarded him as the top center in the Western Division in the ABA's first year. Finally, Jimmy Jones joined New Orleans after being drafted by the NBA's Baltimore Bullets. Jones became a perennial ABA All-Star.
The Bucs advanced through the playoffs to the ABA Finals, surviving first and second round series with Denver and Dallas. In the ABA Championship, the Bucs had a chance to wrap up the title in Game 6 at home, but Connie Hawkins and the Pittsburgh Pipers rallied to send the series back to Pittsburgh for a deciding Game 7. In Game 7, the Pipers cruised to the title.
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| The 1967-68 Buccaneers were a powerful team with superstars like Doug Moe and Larry Brown. But they also had many role players.
Forward Gerald Govan (left, #25), a rookie from St. Mary's of the Plains, began a career that spanned all nine ABA seasons and four ABA teams (New Orleans, Memphis, Utah, and Virginia). Known for his thick black glasses, Govan was a rebounding specialist. His rookie year, he averaged "only" 7.6 boards per game, but during his third year with New Orleans (1969-70), he pulled down 14.5 rebounds per contest. Guard Jimmy Jones (#15, center) was also a rookie with that first Bucs team. Arriving from nearby Grambling State, Jones gave Bucs fans a clear glimpse of his high-scoring future by averaging 18.8 points per game in 1967-68. Jackie Moreland (#32, right) was hardly a rookie with the 1967-68 Bucs. From 1960 through 1965, he had played with the NBA's Detroit Pistons. Coach McCarthy convinced him to try out for the Bucs when he was already 29 years old. Alongside the many rookies on the New Orleans squad, Moreland was a calming, veteran influence. He averaged 14.6 points for the Bucs that first year, and played two more seasons for Coach McCarthy. (Photos copyright Robert Hurt and used with permission) |
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In their second year, the Bucs traded All-Stars Doug Moe and Larry Brown to the Oakland Oaks for Steve Jones and Ron Franz. That gave New Orleans the tallest and most deadly backcourt in the ABA, with Steve and Jimmy Jones. They were known as the "Jones Boys." Jimmy Jones averaged 27 points per game and, according to Coach McCarthy, was the best clutch player on the team. Steve Jones averaged 20 points and also thrived. The Bucs won 46 games and attendance increased 60%, for an average of 3,000 fans per game. The team really came together late in the regular season, winning its last 14 games, and 27 out of its last 35. In the playoffs, however, the Bucs collapsed. They barely beat Dallas in the first round, and then easily succumbed to the powerful Oakland Oaks in the Western Division Finals.
There was at least some cause for optimism in the third season, 1969-70. New Orleans signed Harley "Skeeter" Swift, a deadeye shooter out of East Tennessee State. Swift had been coveted by the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, but chose to sign with New Orleans. The Bucs started the season the same way they finished their 68-69 campaign. They won 13 out of their first 14 home games, and at one point, they won 20 out of 24 games. When Gerald Govan broke into the starting lineup after Ron Franz departed for Army Reserve duty, he doubled his scoring average and became a major impact player.
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The Bucs had prolific scorer Jimmy Jones (left) from the very start. But when Steve "Snapper" Jones (right, hands raised) arrived for New Orleans' second season, the "Jones Boys" terrorized the league with their quickness and scoring. In 1968-69, Jimmy averaged a career high 26.6 points per game, while Steve averaged 19.9. During New Orleans third year, both Jimmy and Steve scored about 20 points per contest. Both players remained with the team after it moved to Memphis, but only for one year. During that year (1970-71), Jimmy and Steve were joined by Wil Jones, increasing the number of Jones' on the team to three. (Photos copyright Robert Hurt and used with permission) |
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However, a few factors worked against the team in its third year. First, New Orleans moved its home games into the Tulane Gymnasium, a small, dark structure with a seating capacity of only 4,500. Second, Skeeter Swift tore ligaments in his knee in December and was lost for the season. Third, interest in the team lagged once it came back to earth in January and February. The franchise had never been strong financially, and it especially suffered once fans stopped coming to the games. The Bucs ended up at only .500, and failed to qualify for the playoffs.
The Bucs' owners considered "regionalizing" the franchise for the 70-71 season; the team would have played in New Orleans, Lafayette, Monroe, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport. Other alternatives were to move the franchise to Kansas City, Salt Lake City, or Memphis. Memphis turned out to be the most attractive choice for the Bucs' owners, since the team had played several regular season games there, and had always drawn well. The team left New Orleans and became the Memphis Pros.
MEMORIES OF BRYAN MELAN: "During the 1968-69 season, I attended many Bucs games at the Loyola Field House, which has long since been torn down. It was pretty easy for me, a 13 year old at the time, to get to the games. My father would drive a friend and I to the Field House, about 20 minutes from my home, and we could get 'student' admission for a whole $1.00 a game! The Loyola Field House was a pretty cozy place with seats paralleling the court on either side - no end zone seating. The most striking feature about the arena was its raised court. If you were in the first row, the game was played at eye level. The seats then angled away up to the roof of the building so that in the last row head room was a premium.... When we went to games, it always seemed that the Bucs were playing Houston, or Dallas. I seem to recall that Pittsburgh, Indiana and Oakland tickets were hard to get. The Bucs had a group of characters playing that year - Jackie Moreland, Ron Franz, Austin "Red" Robbins and Gerald "Go-Go" Govan always put on a show. I still remember Steve "Snapper" Jones raining those three pointers with that red, white, and blue ball -- it just fixed your eyes on its rotation towards the basket. That's what the ABA was for me - inexpensive, competitive, pro basketball. The league provided a young kid with many evenings of entertainment whether I was at the game or listening to a game on the radio (WDSU Radio, 1280 - the Home of the Bucs)"
MEMORIES OF VINCE CARONNA: "I grew up in the New Orleans area. I graduated form East Jefferson High School in Metairie in 1969. My ABA memories are of the Bucs playing at the old Tulane Gym and the Loyola Fieldhouse. I remember short little Larry Brown always hustling to make his teammates look better. He was one of the most scrappiest guards I have ever seen. It always seemed like Brown was diving on the floor, going after loose balls or saving errant passes from going out of bounds. Red Robbins, Doug Moe, Jimmy and Steve Jones. Man these were great players for their time. I'll never forget one night at the Loyola Fieldhouse. The Bucs were playing the Oakland Oaks with their all-time whiner, Rick Barry. Their team was pretty good, but Barry was unbelievable. I knew when I first saw Barry that he was bound for greatness. But unless you have ever attended a sporting event in the New Orleans area, you have never lived. Every time Barry touched the ball, he was booed unmercifully."
MEMORIES OF JOHN BUDKE: "Red Robbins was a very good player who played center in the early years for the Bucs. I saw him play several times. He was 6-8, 200 lbs. He had a great outside shot to draw the opposing center away from the basket. He was also a fierce competitor. He was never afraid to go after a rebound even at his relatively small size for a center. He was one steady player, nothing fancy but got the job done."
MEMORIES OF DAVIS DeMONTLUZIN: "Forget the flamboyant dunks, outrageous uniforms and hair styles. I will always remember a fast break I saw in a New Orleans Bucs game. A guard threw a pass too low for 6-8 Red Robbins. Robbins got down on both knees to retrieve the ball and -- while still on his knees -- banked in a shot. The Bucs had quite a guard combo....Larry Brown & Doug Moe....then the Jones Boys....Steve & Jimmy. It was a great time....I was sorry it didn't last."
MEMORIES OF BILL MYERS: "I was a teenager growing up in New Orleans when I saw my first professional basketball game...the New Orleans Buccaneers against the Pittsburgh Pipers. The Bucs featured Larry Brown, Doug Moe, Red Robbins, James Jones, and Jackie Moreland. Babe McCarthy was the coach. The game was at the old Loyola University Field House. What I remember the most is that Connie Hawkins played for the Pipers. He had been blackballed by the NBA. He played above the rim like all of the players today -- with dunks that were unheard of back then. At Bucs games you basically sat where you wanted, although they drew fairly well at the end of the 1967-68 season and in the 1968 Playoffs. Of course they didn't draw anything like the Jazz (later on), but they were fun to watch and the Babe was very colorful. Also, the team had some talent."
 Bucs 1967-70 Home Uniform |
 Bucs 1967-69 Road Uniform |
1967-68 Season
Record: 48-30, First Place in Western Division
1968 Playoff Results:Western Division Semifinals vs. Denver Rockets (45-33)
Buccaneers won series, 3-2Western Division Finals vs. Dallas Chaparrals (46-32)
Buccaneers won series, 4-1ABA Championship vs. Pittsburgh Pipers (54-24)
Pipers won Championship, 4-3
Record: 46-32, Second Place in Western Division
1969 Playoff Results:Western Division Semifinals vs. Dallas Chaparrals (41-37)
Buccaneers won series, 4-3Western Division Finals vs. Oakland Oaks (60-18)
Oaks won series, 4-0
Record: 42-42, Fifth Place in Western Division
Missed Playoffs
1967-68 through 1968-69: Loyola Field House (6,500)
