Established
1967
City
Oakland – Washington D.C. – Norfolk
League History
1967 – 1976 / American Basketball Association
Team History
1970 – 1976 / Virginia Squires
1969 – 1970 / Washington Caps
1967 – 1969 / Oakland Oaks
Nickname
Oaks – The Oakland Oaks are among the oldest American Basketball Association (ABA) basketball teams. Founded in 1968, they have been a part of professional basketball for over 50 years. The team has had many nicknames throughout history, but their most popular moniker is “Oaks.” But where did this nickname come from?
The answer lies in two major factors: geography and tradition. Geographically speaking, Oakland is known as “the City of Oaks” because it contains an abundance of oak trees that line its streets and parks. This connection between nature and the city was strong enough to inspire local business owners to name their new ABA franchise after these iconic trees - thus giving birth to the "Oakland Oaks."
In addition to geography, this nickname has some historical significance! When professional sports first gained popularity in America during the early 20th century, baseball teams often adopted names that reflected regional pride or local culture – such as "New York Yankees" or "Boston Red Sox." Similarly inspired by his surroundings at home in California's Bay Area region, founder Art Kimball decided to name his new team after another symbol from nature- Oak Trees!
In conclusion, the Oakland Oaks' name can be traced back geographically and historically. It serves not only as a reminder about how necessary natural resources are for our environment but also honors those who came before us by embracing traditional values associated with sports franchises across America.
Championship
ABA Championships 1
1969
Arena
*Virginia*
1971 – 1976 / Norfolk Scope
1970 – 1976 / Hampton Coliseum
1970 – 1976 / Richmond Coliseum
1971 – 1976 / Roanoke Civic Center
*Washington D.C.*
1969 – 1970 / Washington Coliseum
*Oakland*
1967 – 1969 / Oakland Arena
Owner
1970 – 1976 / Earl Foreman
1967 – 1969 / Pat Boone
- 1967
- 1969
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Oaks Team Formation
On February 2, 1967, pop singer Pat Boone, S. Kenneth Davidson, and Dennis A. Murphy (who would later co-found the World Hockey Association) were awarded a team in exchange for $30,000. An earlier Oakland Oaks basketball team played in the American Basketball League in 1962, along with a baseball team that had played for nearly a half-century in Oakland, with ... -
ABA Championship 1969 – Oakland Oaks
The road to the championship was led by pioneering owner, S. Kenneth Davidson, who aggressively pursued top NBA talent Rick Barry and head coach Alex Hannum, signing them for an unprecedented $85,000 per year. His efforts drove a historic turnaround, from the last place to first in one year. Unfortunately for Barry, he tore ligaments in his knee after colliding ...
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 Oaks
The Oakland Oaks, now known as Virginia Squires, were a professional basketball team that played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1967-1969. During their short time in the ABA, they had tremendous success, winning two championships and making three consecutive finals appearances. The Oakland Oaks were led by some of the greatest players and coaches in ABA history, including Rick Barry, Larry Brown, and Al Attles.
The first championship for the Oakland Oaks came during their inaugural season when they defeated New Orleans Buccaneers 4 games to 1 in 1968. This was followed up with an even more impressive performance as they swept past Indiana Pacers 4-0 to win back-to-back titles during the 1969 playoffs; this feat was only achieved twice before by any other franchise since the inception of the ABA league! Furthermore, these achievements are remarkable because both wins occurred under different head coaches – Bill Sharman won the first title while Al Attles led them into the second one!
In addition to being successful on the court, off-court activities also contributed significantly towards establishing a solid fan base for Oaklands’ team, which eventually made them very popular among sports fans throughout the nation; various promotional campaigns such as the ‘Oakland Oakers’ mascot helped generate support from the local population who would come out watch games every night at Coliseum Arena where home matches took place till the end of its lifetime tenure within league system due financial difficulties faced after 1969 season ended abruptly without playoffs or trophy presentation ceremony held due to lack funds available at the time - thus ending an era which saw many memorable moments created over course two years spent playing competitively against rival franchises across the country competing glory be crowned champion each year.
Sports Fan Products
Coaches
1975 – 1976 / Bill Musselman
1970 – 1975 / Al Bianchi
1968 – 1969 / Alex Hannum
1967 – 1968 / Bruce Hale
*Blue is this team’s history