Remembering James Silas--Captain Late aka the Snake

[wildbill2u]

The Express is running a series on memorable Spurs moments and today they recalled when Jimmy Si became the first Spur to have his jersey hung in the rafteres. Read about him here:

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/10/07/spurs-memory-26-captain-lates-jersey-retired/

Lots of new fans don't know much about Silas, but he was a true superstar for the Spurs along with teammate Gervin.

The 1-4 play where one player was isolated at the top of the key and all the rest of the team spread out along the baseline was designed for Silas so he could take the last shot in close games. He delivered the winning shot so often he gave rise to 'the legend of Captain Late.' Gervin later took that play as his own, but it was Sila's play as long as he was healthy.

His career was cut short by injuries, but at his prime he was as good as any guard playing the game.

[Giuseppe]

Wildbill with the goods.

Matzel, Matzel, Bill.

[baseline bum]

Too bad he hurt his knee right before the merger, as there is very little ABA game tape in comparison to the level of NBA tape from the era. He still seemed pretty badass in some of the tape I have of the 79 series with Washington though.

[Juggity]

"Best Guard from the ABA" (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1094584/index.htm)



February 05, 1979
He Surely Is The Spur Of The Moment

The difference was Silas. For those who never followed the ABA (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/American_Basketball_Association/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm), James Silas ( Stephen F. Austin (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Stephen_F_Austin_State_University/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm) '72) was once simply the best guard there was. "In those days," says Bob Bass (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Bob_Bass/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm), who coached the Spurs in 1974-76, the last two years of the ABA (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/American_Basketball_Association/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm), and now serves as Moe (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Doug_Moe/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm)'s assistant, "he could accelerate, he could explode, he could shoot and he could jump over people." This isn't hyperbole. In 1975-76 the 6'3" Silas averaged 23.8 points on 52% shooting, 5.4 assists and four rebounds per game.

"He really was the best," says Louie Dampier (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Louie_Dampier/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm), the sole surviving ABA (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/American_Basketball_Association/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm) original, once an opponent, now a teammate of Silas'. "I can say that because I was the guy on our team who had to try to guard him." Atlanta (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Atlanta/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm)'s Hubie Brown (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Hubie_Brown/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm), who coached the Kentucky Colonels (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Kentucky_Colonels/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm) in the ABA (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/American_Basketball_Association/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm), says, "He was not only the best in our league, he was one of the two or three best in either league."

"He was such a good player when the clock was running out that he defied description," says Bass. Why then do people speak of him as if he had risen from the dead, and why is James Silas now making his NBA (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/National_Basketball_Association/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm) "debut" as he nears his 30th birthday?

Silas' misery began in the first game of the 1976 ABA (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/American_Basketball_Association/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm) playoff series against the New York Nets (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/New_Jersey_Nets/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm), when he fell on Brian Taylor (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Brian_Taylor/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm) and broke his right ankle. That summer, while Silas was wearing a cast, the leagues merged. But by the first exhibition game against Kansas City (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Kansas_City/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm), Silas was ready to take his rightful place among the NBA (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/National_Basketball_Association/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm) elite. In the second quarter of that game, the Kings' 230-pound forward, Bill Robinzine, fell heavily across Silas' left knee. Silas kept on playing, but the next day he couldn't run. The pain dogged him through the preseason, but when the Spurs opened their first NBA (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/National_Basketball_Association/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm) campaign by beating the 76ers (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Philadelphia_76ers/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm), Silas scored 18 points. From there it was all downhill for the next two years.

He appeared in only three of the next six games. "I would play a game, then rest, then play," he says. "But the knee felt like something was holding it, like it was locked." In November a surgeon removed damaged cartilage from the knee, and Silas was out for six weeks. He spent his down time lifting weights and doing leg raises and stretching exercises. By January, he says, "I felt I was ready." He came back on Jan. 5, 1977 and scored 28 points in 28 minutes. But the game was against Denver (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/Denver/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm). The NBA (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/topic/article/National_Basketball_Association/1900-01-01/2100-12-31/mdd/index.htm) still hadn't seen the real James Silas.

[Libri]

Spur with the best afro?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8BVcGoREYwc/TRGCuQMt8yI/AAAAAAAAHRg/1JdGjj0Dt0Q/s400/1975%2BJames%2BSilas.JPG

[DMC]

http://www.nba.com/spurs/ranch_silas_111003.html

[baseline bum]

Spur with the best afro?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8BVcGoREYwc/TRGCuQMt8yI/AAAAAAAAHRg/1JdGjj0Dt0Q/s400/1975%2BJames%2BSilas.JPG

I gotta go with Mike Gale there

http://www.remembertheaba.com/onlyintheabamaterial/KenonGaleAfros.JPG

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/mayo_mr/Other%20Spurs/Gale05-06ToppsFanFavoritesauto.jpg