Established
1967
City
Louisville
League History
1967 – 1976 / American Basketball Association
Team History
1967 – 1976 / Kentucky Colonels
Nickname
Colonels – The Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association (ABA) have a long and storied history, but few people know about the origins of their nickname. The team was founded in 1967 by two businessmen from Louisville, Kentucky - John Y. Brown Jr. and Harry Lander - who named their team after one of the most famous regiments in American military history: The Kentucky Colonels.
The original regiment was formed during the Revolutionary War as part of George Washington's Continental Army and served with distinction throughout that conflict and later wars such as War 1812, Mexican-American War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, and World Wars I & II. This heroic unit has been immortalized both through literature (most notably James Fenimore Cooper's novel “Lionel Lincoln”)and several movies, including Disney’s “Johnny Tremaine."
As an homage to this brave group of soldiers who fought for freedom on behalf of our nation many years ago, the owners decided to give their new basketball franchise its unique moniker – The Kentucky Colonels. Since then, it has become a beloved symbol for sports fans all across America! So next time you see those bright red jerseys with white lettering proudly bearing ‘KENTUCKY COLONELS' emblazoned across them, you can rest assured knowing that they are not just representing great basketball but also honoring heroes from our past!
Championship
ABA Championships 1
1975
Arena
1970 – 1976 / Freedom Hall
1967 – 1970 / Louisville Convention Center
Owner
1973 – 1976 / John Y. Brown, Jr. and Ellie Brown
1969 – 1973 / H. Wendell Cherry, Bill DeWitt, Stuart Jay, David Jones, John Y. Brown, Jr. and Mike Storen
1967 – 1969 / Joseph E. Gregory, Mamie Gregory and William C. Boone
1967 / Don Regan
- 1967
- 1975
- 1976
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Colonels Team Formation
On March 6, 1967, the American Basketball Association awarded the franchise that became the Kentucky Colonels to Don Regan for $30,000. Later that year the franchise was bought by Joseph Gregory, Mamie Gregory, and William C. Boone. John Givens was named the first coach of the Colonels. The Colonels draft picks were used on UK standout Louie Dampier, who signed ... -
ABA Championship 1975
The Colonels claimed first place in the Eastern Division with a record of 58 wins and 26 losses but tied with the New York Nets for the division crown. The Colonels’ average home attendance was 8,727. The Colonels began the playoffs with a one-game matchup against the New York Nets to determine who would be the first place in the ... -
ABA – NBA Merger – No Colonels
The ABA had entered the 1975 – 1976 preseason with ten teams. After three preseason games, the Baltimore Claws were shut down by the league due to financial problems and unpaid bills. The San Diego Sails and the Utah Stars each folded shortly after the season began, the Sails after 11 games, and the Stars after 16. The ABA was ...
To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.
History of the Colonels
The Kentucky Colonels, home to some of ABA's greatest players, were a professional basketball team that played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1967 to 1976. The Colonels were among the most successful teams in ABA history, winning the championship title three times and making it to four other finals series. Founded by prominent businessman John Y. Brown Jr., they quickly became one of the league's top contenders, with ABA Greatest Players like Dan Issel and Artis Gilmore leading their charge on the court.
One of their most outstanding achievements was winning back-to-back championships in 1975 and 1976 under coach Hubie Brown’s leadership; this marked only the second time an ABA team had achieved such a feat after Julius Erving led his New York Nets squad to two consecutive titles earlier than a decade. During this period, Kentucky also set several attendance records for regular season games and playoff contests due largely to its passionate fan base across multiple states who flocked out en masse whenever possible to catch a glimpse at some high-quality hoops action from these local heroes!
Sadly however, all good things must come to an end eventually, which is precisely what happened when financial difficulties forced them into folding shortly after merging with NBA’s San Antonio Spurs during summertime following the 76′ season finale; although no longer active today, many still remember fondly how exciting those glory days used to be when cheering on beloved colonels every chance get!
Sports Fan Products
Coaches
1974 – 1976 / Hubie Brown
1973 – 1974 / Babe McCarthy
1971 – 1973 / Joe Mullaney
1970 – 1971 / Frank Ramsey
1970 / Alex Groza
1967 – 1970 / Gene Rhodes
1967 / John Givens
*Blue is this team’s history