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Washington CapsYear of existence: 1969-70
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When Earl Foreman bought the financially troubled Oakland Oaks franchise in 1969 and moved it to Washington D.C., the team seemed to lose its soul. Coach Alex Hannum refused to follow the team to Washington and quit. Superstar Rick Barry almost quit, and only reluctantly stayed with the team. Playmaker Larry Brown followed the team to Washington, but his close friend Doug Moe did not. Moe played for the Carolina Cougars during the 1969-70 season. Washington's logo became a red, white and blue rendition of the U.S. Capitol building (above), but the team's uniforms stayed kelly green and gold.
Foreman hired Al Bianchi as the team's new coach. The year before, Bianchi had coached an NBA expansion team, the Seattle Supersonics, to a 30-52 record. Bianchi's job with the Caps was a frustrating one. For unknown reasons, the ABA kept the team in the Western Division. Their "Western Division" status proved to be the Caps' downfall. Faced with frequent and long plane flights between Washington D.C. and western cities like Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, and Fresno, the Caps decided to schedule ten of their home games in neutral western cities, like Wichita, Kansas and even Mexico City, Mexico. Without the home court advantage for those games the Caps lost many of them.
During the previous season the Oaks had signed a binding contract with the Los Angeles Stars to host six doubleheaders during the 1969-70 season. The Stars had anticipated making six road trips to Oakland, only a 600 mile distance from Los Angeles. After the Oaks' move to Washington, the trip distance increased to 3,000 miles. The ABA moved two of the ill-advised doubleheaders to Fresno, but kept the other four in Washington, D.C.
The Caps were a good team when they played on their real home court, the Washington Coliseum. Washington fans certainly had something to watch, as Barry, Larry Brown and Warren Armstrong had extraordinary seasons. Brown led the ABA in assists, with 7.1 per game. Armstrong continued to improve, and averaged a strong 22.8 points per game. Barry was generally healthy and played in 52 games for the Caps, averaging 27.7 points per contest (second in the ABA, behind Denver's Spencer Haywood). However, Caps fans were reluctant to attend games because the Washington Coliseum was located in a rough neighborhood. Attendance was always poor, and the team struggled. The Caps hovered near the .500 mark the entire 1969-70 season.
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When prolific scorer Rick Barry (left and middle) was healthy and enforcer Warren Armstrong (right) ruled the boards, the Caps could beat anyone in the ABA. (Photos © John Oznick and used with permission) |
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At the end of the season, Washington had reason to look forward to the 1970 Playoffs because Barry was finally healthy. But the Caps had to play first place Denver in the opening round, and lost in a tough seven game series. Game 7 of the series was in Denver and became a fight-filled Denver blowout. During the last few minutes of the contest, a frustrated Barry scuffled with several Rockets players and was thrown out of the game.
During the course of the 1969-70 season, merger talks with the NBA were harmed by the presence of the Caps in Washington. Baltimore Bullets owner Abe Pollin intended to move the Bullets to Washington, and didn't want the Caps there when the move occurred. Encouraged by other ABA owners, Earl Foreman announced that the Washington ABA franchise was moving to Virginia for the 1970-71 season. The Virginia Squires were born, and the Washington Caps became a footnote in ABA history.
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| Even when Rick Barry was hurt the Caps were dangerous -- mostly because of their excellent guard corps. Larry Brown (left) had a career year in Washington and dazzled Caps fans with his frequent assists (7.1 per game).
Mike Barrett (middle) was a rookie with Washington (after playing a year of AAU ball with the Navy), yet played in all of the team's 84 games, averaging 15 points per contest. He earned ABA all-rookie honors after the 1969-70 season. Fatty Taylor (right) was another excellent Caps rookie. He began his lengthy ABA career by averaging 8.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Observers around the league noted his pesky defense and numerous steals. (Photos © John Oznick and used with permission) |
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MEMORIES OF REGINALD MARSHALL: "The 1969-70 season, when I was 20 years old, was the year I got hooked on pro basketball. I lived in Washington, where the Caps played, and took a special bus from downtown DC to Baltimore to watch the Bullets. That year there were 25 pro teams in the two leagues, and I saw them all, in person. While I was a big Bullets fan, on the whole I preferred the more wide-open ABA style of play. My favorite players were Gus Johnson (later a member of the Pacers' '73 championship team) and Earl Monroe of the Bullets, and Warren Armstrong of the Caps.
I have an indelible memory of literally the first minute I ever saw Armstrong play. The Denver Rockets (with rookie Spencer Haywood) controlled the opening tap in one of the first games of the season, and their point guard Lonnie Wright (who was also a defensive back for the Denver Broncos) was guarded by Warren. Wright attempted what he thought would be an uncontested pass into the high post, but cat-quick Warren got a hand on it and the ball shot a good twenty feet straight up in the air. Lonnie was directly under it but Warren got behind him, jumped, reached back and snatched the ball with one hand, then glided downcourt and threw down one of the wickedest slam dunks I'd ever seen (left-handed, of course--even though he was right-handed he always dunked left-handed). Twenty seconds later, with the teams back down at the other end, I looked back and the backboard was still quivering. I was awestruck.
Warren went on to have a great game and for the next couple of months every game I saw him play was more impressive than the previous one. When healthy he truly was one of the great all-around players of all time -- a great shooter, great passer, great rebounder (that year he was a unanimous selection to the all-star team as a 6'2" forward!), great defender -- with a style that was a perfect blend of grace and power. Alas, he hurt his knee and a week after he scored a career high 46 points he went under the knife and his season was over. Of course the Caps moved the next season, and I moved to a non-ABA city, and I thought I might never see him play again, although I followed his career closely in the newspapers, through several teams and a name change."
MEMORIES OF DON BAKER: "My greatest memory of the ABA was my first time seeing a game -- in 1969. Originally, this particular game was scheduled to be played in Mexico City. But somehow it got canceled and was rescheduled in my hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. At the time, I was a freshman in high school, and could listen to ABA radio broadcasts on KRLD Dallas (the Chaps ) and KOA Denver (the Rockets). My father was aware of my interest in the red, white and blue league, and he got me a floor level seat under the basket so I could get an eye-full. The teams were the Washington Caps and the Denver Rockets. I'll never forget my astonishment at looking up at such players as Rick Barry, Spencer Haywood, George Carter, Larry Jones, Larry Brown, and Ira Harge... After getting over the shock of seeing the odd ABA basketball, I remember being amazed at watching such things as Rick Barry's granny-style free throw shot; the way Spencer Haywood palmed the basketball; the jumping ability and over-the-rim play of a player named Frank Card; how fast the ball was thrown around the court by the players (I was trying to follow the game with a super eight movie camera); what a good ball-handler a guy named Henry Logan was, how skinny a player Mike Barrett was, how tall two players -- Jim Eakins and Julius Keye -- looked.... I remember the game was a close one won by the Caps. Rick Barry scored over 30 points that night. The game was really entertaining and I remember the fans (some 5,600 strong) leaving with smiles on their faces. But most of all, I remember my thoughts that night. The game really overwhelmed me and I knew that I had to find out more about this pro basketball league. I continued to watch the network TV broadcasts of NBA games. But I found myself listening more and more to ABA radio broadcasts throughout the years."
MEMORIES OF DAVE RICKARD: "Here is the only in-person memory I have of the ABA, since I didn't live in an ABA city and had little chance to watch a game. But one year, probably 1969 or 1970, the league put on a doubleheader in Fresno, CA. My memories of both games are hazy at best, but one of them featured the Washington Caps with Rick Barry. The other team, I think, was the Dallas Chaparrals. Everybody knows that Barry had a talent for getting under people's skin, and on that night he evidently was doing just that. At one point in the second half, the Caps brought the ball downcourt and put up a shot, which missed. Dallas got the rebound. The action was under the basket. But, for whatever reason, I turned to look at Barry and a Dallas player. Both players were backpedaling, side by side, up the court. I didn't see anything, but apparently Barry said something the other player took offense to. Right past midcourt, the guy turned and absolutely clocked Barry - one punch and down he went. Something makes me think the other guy was Cincy Powell, but that may be just because he was legendary for fighting. I don't recall if either or both were ejected, but I'll never forget the image of the two backpedaling in unison, then the other player just turning and decking Barry in one motion."
 Caps 1969-70 Home Uniform |
 Caps 1969-70 Road Uniform |
 Caps 1969-70 Home Warmup |
1969-70 Season
Record: 44-40 Third Place in Western Division
1970 Playoff Results:Western Division Semifinals vs. Denver Rockets (51-33)
Rockets won series, 4-3
