- 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 ...
History of the Oaks
The Oakland Oaks were a charter member of the original American Basketball Association and the first West Coast basketball team to win a major professional championship. Formed in February 1967, the team played in the ABA during the 1967–68 and 1968–69 seasons at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena. The team colors were green and gold.
On February 2, 1967, longtime entertainer and business entrepreneur 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. Initially, Boone received a 10 percent share of the franchise to serve as president, but he had limited involvement in team operations and rarely attended home games because of his outside interests.
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 the latter and the ABA Oaks both using the oak tree and the acorn on its logos.
With or without Barry, the team proved to be a poor investment for Boone, who became the majority owner after Davidson left the group. Despite winning the ABA championship, the Oaks was a failure at the box office, due in large part to the proximity of the NBA Warriors nearby. The team was sold and moved to Washington, D.C. for the 1969–70 season, where it was renamed the Washington Caps.
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 – Boone tries to change the team nickname to the “Jacks” (after former Oakland resident Jack London), but instead the nickname is changed to “Oaks” (the name of Oakland’s former Pacific Coast League baseball team).
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
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.
Coaches
1975 – 1976 / Bill Musselman
1970 – 1975 / Al Bianchi
1968 – 1969 / Alex Hannum
1967 – 1968 / Bruce Hale
*Blue is this team’s history
