My piece in The Indypendent showcasing a few early chapters in Knick history on the heels of the team's first title in 53 years. Although Madison Square Garden is entrenched in the public mind as the one and only home of the New York Knickerbockers, a closer look at the franchise’s genesis may well surprise a few readers. On November 11, 1946, the team indeed played its very first home contest at “the world’s most famous arena” (the third, Madison-and-50th iteration). Howeve

Much to the chagrin of local fans, the Pittsburgh Pipers relocated to Minnesota in the immediate aftermath of the ABA's inaugural season (1967-68). "We packed in the fans," recalls Sweet Charlie Williams, the team’s sharp shooting, "and the town started to talk about the Pipers and Connie Hawkins” – the league’s MVP and top scorer. “You would think that would be something to build on – we were the DEFENDING CHAMPS [author's emphasis], and Connie lived in Pittsburgh year-round

On November 13, 1967, about a month into the inaugural season of the American Basketball Association, Indiana Pacers guard Jerry Harkness nailed an 88-foot shot at the buzzer to wrench a 119-118 road victory away from the Dallas Chaparrals. “Dallas’s Charles Beasley,” Harkness recalls, “hit a jumper to put them ahead by two points with two seconds left. We got the ball out under our basket and Oliver Darden threw it to me. I was not quite all the way in the corner, but I was