Established
1967
City
Pittsburgh – Minneapolis – Pittsburgh
League History
1967 – 1972 / American Basketball Association
Team History
1970 – 1972 / Pittsburgh Condors
1969 – 1970 / Pittsburgh Pipers
1968 – 1969 / Minnesota Pipers
1967 – 1968 / Pittsburgh Pipers
Nickname
Condors – Sports fans, have you ever wondered about the origins of the Pittsburgh Condors nickname? The Condors are a professional basketball team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and part of the American Basketball Association (ABA). While many sports teams take their name from animals or geographical locations, this isn’t true for the Condors. Their unique moniker has an interesting origin story that dates back to 1975.
The story begins with then-owner George Steinbrenner III, who wanted his team to stand out among other ABA franchises and give them something distinctively “Pittsburgh.” He named his new franchise after one of America's most majestic birds -the condor! This choice was also inspired by a local legend at nearby Carnegie Mellon University, where students had been referring to themselves as “condors” since 1969, when they adopted it as an unofficial mascot due to its majestic nature and soaring flight patterns -- perfect symbols for what Steinbrenner hoped would be achieved by his new franchise in terms of success both on and off the court!
Today, more than 40 years later, there is no mistaking which city these impressive birds represent: Pittsburgh! So next time you see your favorite players donning those iconic black & gold uniforms, remember it all started with one man's vision – George Steinbrenner III – who wanted something special for our beloved city…. He certainly got it when he chose "Condor" as our official mascot/nickname in 1975!
Championship
ABA Championships 0
1967
Arena
*Pittsburgh*
1967 – 1968, 1969 – 1973 / Pittsburgh Civic Arena
*Minnesota*
1968 – 1969 / Bloomington’s Met Center
Owner
1970 – 1972 / Metro Sports Haven Industries
1967 – 1969 / Gabe Rubin
- 1971
- 1972
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Name Change to Condors
Jack McMahon took over as coach. John Brisker and Mike Lewis played in the 1971 ABA All-Star Game, but the Condors could only manage a 36-48 record, fifth place in the Eastern Division, and out of the playoffs (one game behind The Floridians). While the Condors had a potent offense (5th in the 11-team ABA with 119.1 points per game), ... -
ABA Cancels the Condors
Haven and the league tried to move the Condors to a bigger market. However, they were unable to do so, and in June 1972 the ABA canceled the Condors franchise. The Condors’ roster was put into a dispersal draft; George Thompson went to the Memphis Tams, Mike Lewis to the Carolina Cougars, Skeeter Swift and James Silas to the Dallas ...
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 Condors
The Pittsburgh Condors, formerly known as the Pittsburgh Pipers, were a professional basketball team that played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1967 to 1972. Pittsburgh attorney Jack McMahon founded the franchise and began to play in 1967 as part of the ABA's first season. The Condors, previously known as the Pittsburgh Pipers, were one of 11 teams that competed during the league’s inaugural year and quickly became one of its most successful franchises. During their five-year tenure, they made three playoff appearances and won two division titles while playing at Civic Arena—now known as PPG Paints Arena—in downtown Pittsburgh.
The Condors had some memorable players throughout their history, including Connie Hawkins, who was named an All-Star four times during his time with the team; John Brisker, who led them to a 50–30 record in 1971–72; Mack Calvin; George Thompson; Charlie Williams; Warren Jabali among others. In addition to these stars, on-court success for fans came off it too with many fan-favorite promotions such as “Dunk for Dollars,” where fans could win money if any player dunked from beyond half court, or “Lucky Number Night,” where lucky attendees could win prizes like TVs or cars just by having their ticket number called out over the loudspeaker between quarters!
Despite all this excitement, however, financial difficulties plagued both ownership groups leading up to 1972, when they folded after only five seasons due largely due to being unable to compete financially against other teams, which caused attendance numbers to drop drastically, forcing them into bankruptcy before eventually folding altogether, ending what had been an exciting era for sports fans living near the Steel City area alike. Although short-lived, the legacy left behind by these players still resonates today through current NBA superstars like LeBron James & Stephen Curry, whose game style is said to owe much inspiration to legendary Pittsburghers Hawkins & Brisker.
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Coaches
1971 – 1972 / Jack McMahon and Mark Binstein
1970 – 1971 / Jack McMahon
1969 – 1970 / John Clark and Buddy Jeanette
1968 – 1969 / Jim Harding and Vern Mikkelsen
1967 – 1968 / Vince Cazzetta
*Blue is this team’s history