Early Spurs Memories

[Ocotillo]

I don't recall the year but it was at Hemisfair Arena, the Spurs were playing the Bulls and Jordan got a steal and was going to other end for a jam and David Robinson chased him down and blocked him.

[wildbill2u]

For people really old school, when did George Valle start waving that Texas flag at the games? I have a bunch of old Spurs games but the oldest one I could spot him on camera was I think 79. That dude could make a of brisket, even the players would show up when he was doing a BBQ for the Bums. RIP Big George. He also used to be a poster here years ago.

One of my favorite memories of Big George was the game between the Nets and the Spurs in 1976 (?) which turned into an epic series of fist fights and shoving matches all over the floor. Some of the Baseline Bums came down out of their seats onto the floor level and I guess they were razzing the Nets players. I don't know what Big George did or said, but all of a sudden he was being chased up the steps of the Hemisfair Arena by Rich Jones, a former Spurs Bruise Brother traded to the Nets. Now Rich Jones was a true bruiser back in the day when tough players played tough. I couldn't believe my eyes when a terrified Valle (at least 300 pounds) started running up those steps ahead of Jones. Valle made the second tier of seating, still running ahead of Jones and maybe even pulling away a little when Jones waved his fist in defeat and quit chasing him. GO ABA SPURS!

[baseline bum]

One of my favorite memories of Big George was the game between the Nets and the Spurs in 1976 (?) which turned into an epic series of fist fights and shoving matches all over the floor. Some of the Baseline Bums came down out of their seats onto the floor level and I guess they were razzing the Nets players. I don't know what Big George did or said, but all of a sudden he was being chased up the steps of the Hemisfair Arena by Rich Jones, a former Spurs Bruise Brother traded to the Nets. Now Rich Jones was a true bruiser back in the day when tough players played tough. I couldn't believe my eyes when a terrified Valle (at least 300 pounds) started running up those steps ahead of Jones. Valle made the second tier of seating, still running ahead of Jones and maybe even pulling away a little when Jones waved his fist in defeat and quit chasing him. GO ABA SPURS!

Didn't you say George's pants were falling down too as he was running up those steps?

[wildbill2u]

Didn't you say George's pants were falling down too as he was running up those steps?

My God, that was so long ago. Nearly 50 years. I wouldn't be surprised if I mentioned something about a plumbers crack in view in a previous post. I don't know if the rules of this thread allow for a lot of straight Baseline Bums posts, but there were so many funny things back in the day that included the Bums. I was dating one of the Bums and went to all their events outside of the arena and trips to Houston. Paricipating in the volleyball games with some of the Bums and Spurs players mixed in was fun but intimidating. I remember being lined up across the net from Aris Gilmore once and that was a Kodak moment for me.

I don't know how many of the original Bums are still around but somebody ought to put together a notebook of stories about the Bums, especially the original bunch that defined the term "fanatical fans of the NBA" back in the day. I know theSpurs management eventually toned them down with threats of losing their stadium seats perks, but they are as much a part of the history of the Spurs as anyone from the FO.

[John B]

I remember seeing Spurs players hanging out outside St Mary’s gym where they use to practice. This was before DRob and barely could win games. I doubt anybody would know an autograph from Cadillac, cool name but I doubt anybody of my friends would know. On second thought, I don’t remember anybody asking for autographs, and they’re just there by the door every time, nobody bothered

[wildbill2u]

I played a little basketball for Columbia in NYC in the 50s, just after Chet Forte made All-American and went on to fame and fortune as a sports TV producer for ABC. We used to get some free tickets to Knicks games in the old Madison Square Garden and needless to say I was blown away by the athletic prowess of those early Pro players. So when the Dallas team started playing some games in San Antonio I was ready for some pro ball again. Finally, the deal was made for some San Antonio investors to move the team to San Antonio and I wanted to be a season ticket holder---but the problem was I couldn't find any of my friends who were interested. In fact, my best friend was a guy from rural Ohio who is still short and then hid previous exposure to atheletics was playing trumpet in his high school band. He hated sports in general--but he loved beer. I made a deal with him to go to a game with me if I bought his ticket and paid for the beer. We sat behind the newly named Spurs bench about 9 rows up and had a blast. The speed and grace of those players won him over. At half-time we bought 4 season tickets that we kept for over 20 years. $5.00 per ticket was the price at the time. Keep that in mind as I might post some more memories later.

[GAustex]

Flipped over to NBATV for 1999 Spurs v Knicks
Young Tim was of another world

[KingKev]

Flipped over to NBATV for 1999 Spurs v Knicks
Young Tim was of another world

Spree was pretty damn good too… Pop always had a boner for him. One of those guys who he coulda reigned in

[rascal]

The Spurs style of play was run and gun. The late 70's teams were the most exciting teams the Spurs ever had.

Although they never won a le those were the most exciting times for the Spurs as they were an up and coming team and trying to prove they belonged on a national level. The fans were the loudest during those times.
The Hemisfair Arena was the loudest arena in the league.

[slick'81]

The Spurs style of play was run and gun. The late 70's teams were the most exciting teams the Spurs ever had.

Although they never won a le those were the most exciting times for the Spurs as they were an up and coming team and trying to prove they belonged on a national level. The fans were the loudest during those times.
The Hemisfair Arena was the loudest arena in the league.

opposing teams hated playing im hemisphere. Fans literally packed in on top of you

[baseline bum]

Spree was pretty damn good too… Pop always had a boner for him. One of those guys who he coulda reigned in

And would have been a Spur if not for choking PJ. Though honestly I'm happier to have seen the Spurs win that le with Sean instead, who would have been part of the trade for Sprewell. Not sure Spree gets the Spurs past the 01 Lakers anyways and maybe having him causes the team to pre-emptively salary dump Manu just like they did with Scola.

[rascal]

I remember Terry Stembridge was the radio broadcaster and I used to listen all the time to his broadcasts as the games were not televised too often in the early days.

[barakz21]

Became a spur fan back in 01. Caught a game between them and the jailblazers, and because pippen was on that team, I figured I’d watch. Little did I know it would be the big fun who’d steal the show and made me actually love basketball. I suck playing it but, still love it regardless. Kinda funny how being a bandwagon fan led me to the team I’m I’ve been rooting for going on 21 years now.

[KingKev]

And would have been a Spur if not for choking PJ. Though honestly I'm happier to have seen the Spurs win that le with Sean instead, who would have been part of the trade for Sprewell. Not sure Spree gets the Spurs past the 01 Lakers anyways and maybe having him causes the team to pre-emptively salary dump Manu just like they did with Scola.

Man, don’t get me started on the Spree hypotheticals. That was always a possible match made in heaven that could have been fairytale like or ended in somebody taking half your .

Memorial day miracle aside, Spree was exactly what this team needed from 00-02.

I don’t know how the math could have worked but if you could still have kept Manu/TPs rights and had Spree in those years, TD’s early prime would have been different.

[wildbill2u]

My buddy and I found the Spurs corral at half-time on that first game we went to in season one. That probably had something to do with buying season tickets . But the early Spurs Corral should have a place in any posts of Spurs memories IMHO> First of all, in those early days at Hemisfair Arena you didn't have to have a paid membership to drink there. A rowdier crowd hung out there in the early days. I dated one of the waitresses for a while--until she realized I was married. The manager/bartender was a retired Air Force guy named Ralph Reid. His son, Robert, played for St. Marys and went on to a 14 year career in the NBA, mostly with Houston. Anyway, after a few games where we came into the Corral we were talking about how we were going to come in for a drink and to check the stat sheets (delivered by a Spurs intern) after every game. Ralph made us a deal that if we came in after every game, he'd pay for our drinks at the last game. We won--but crafty Ralph was the big winner. In those early days when we were paying $5 per game for our seats, we spent more at the Corral than the price of the seats. Go figure.

The cops that worked the games at the Arena used to change into gym clothes and play basketball after all the fans (well everyone but the bar flys in the Corral) went home. Now, Ralph was a big, tall guy himself and had played some ball somewhere in his past--and teaching son Robert I suppose as he grew up. At some point in time a challenge was laid down that Ralph would recruit a team from the patrons of the Corral to play the cops. Those games were a hoot. Ralph would play as Captain and furnish a pitcher or two of margaritas or beer to the team for instant energy on the sideline. I was 35 at the time and in pretty good shape from playing tennis and church league, but drinking on the floor was something new. After the first game we all decided that full court was a little hard on us and the cops so we played half court on the Spurs floor. What a blast that was.

I hated it when the Corral was closed to the public in favor of the wealthy elite after the change to the Alamo Dome. Bummer. I wouldn't join because it just wasn't the same bar anymore.

[baseline bum]

I dated one of the waitresses for a while--until she realized I was married.

Damn you really were a Baseline Bum

[baseline bum]

The cops that worked the games at the Arena used to change into gym clothes and play basketball after all the fans (well everyone but the bar flys in the Corral) went home. Now, Ralph was a big, tall guy himself and had played some ball somewhere in his past--and teaching son Robert I suppose as he grew up. At some point in time a challenge was laid down that Ralph would recruit a team from the patrons of the Corral to play the cops. Those games were a hoot. Ralph would play as Captain and furnish a pitcher or two of margaritas or beer to the team for instant energy on the sideline. I was 35 at the time and in pretty good shape from playing tennis and church league, but drinking on the floor was something new. After the first game we all decided that full court was a little hard on us and the cops so we played half court on the Spurs floor. What a blast that was.

That's hilarious. I got to shoot around a few times on the court in Hemisfair and I never could get used to it, completely screwed my depth perception. Can't imagine being able to hit a jumper there after a few beers.

[wildbill2u]

That's hilarious. I got to shoot around a few times on the court in Hemisfair and I never could get used to it, completely screwed my depth perception. Can't imagine being able to hit a jumper there after a few beers.

Dude, I didn't say we were making baskets, just that we were playing.

[lefty]

Margarita and beer for instant energy.

That's what my pre-workout stack has been missing

[baseline bum]

Dude, I didn't say we were making baskets, just that we were playing.

LOL. Imagine how bad your shooting would have been in the Dome.

[wildbill2u]

Over a period of 20+ years as season ticket holders, we became friendly with most of the folks in our ground level section behind the Spurs bench--watched their children grow up, celebrated retirements and promotions and grieved for them when family members passed. Kind of a Spurs family of season ticket holders. Those floor level stands in the old Hemisfair Arena were made of metal tiers and the noise everyone on the floor level tiers made by stomping on the floors during the playing of the Orange Blossom Special or the "Defense" cheer was deafening. I don't know why they don't play that tune much anymore since the fans really responded to it.

Speaking of children at the Spurs games, I bought a couple of tickets for my kids and part of their raising was the weekly trips to the Arena to cheer on the Spurs. They became faithful fans. Jason posts info about the Spurs regularly on his Facebook page and even goes into Wikipedia to post Spurs highlights and info from time to time. One of the highlights of my Spurs memories is that my son, now living in Las Vegas, flew in and got us tickets to the Championship home game in 2014. What a rush to have him pay it forward like that. Proud of you Jason.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

1. Sitting in the cheap seats in the Hemisfair Arena. I think my dad would pick 'em up for about $3 each.

2. Listening to road games on AM radio while living in other cities, hoping the ionosphere would allow the WOAI broadcast to not be overtaken by the station featuring mariachi music.

3. Getting George Karl's autograph when he showed up at my school in his Spurs uni to mingle with the kids and sign stuff. I asked him where the Iceman was.