Just How Broke Was the NBA in 1978?

[both-teams-played-hard]

If The Uni-Watch's Paul Lukas ever writes a book, this photo should be on the cover.
This is from a playoff game in 1978 between the Washington Bullets and the San Antonio Spurs (when the Spurs were in the Eastern Conference).
Mike Gale, Spurs guard, either lost his own jersey or it was lost by the airlines (this is when it was the players' responsibility to keep up with their jersey.) The San Antonio trainer/equipment manager did not have an extra jersey for Gale to wear. So what did they resort to? Simple. They borrowed a road blue Bullets jersey from the Washington equipment manager and they "flipped" it inside out. Wonder if this is when Gale was given the nickname "Flipper"? The ensemble is complete with Bullets shorts with stars down the sides. It's funny 'cause its real.

[otismalibu]

I read about an exhibition game in Landover a few years earlier, where the opposing team had 5 players wearing road Bullets jerseys.

Should have just went skins...to show off those 70s chains.

[indyred]

That is funny, great picture. I'm sure there must be a few wacky stories like this out there.

[both-teams-played-hard]

Taken from the book, "Loose Balls" by Terry Pluto. A great book about the history of the defunct American Basketball Association.
Here are recollections from Pittsburgh Pipers player, Charlie Williams:
'I was with Pittsburgh, and our first exhibition game was against the New Jersey Americans. New Jersey's uniforms never showed up and they played in white T-shirts with numbers written on the back in Magic Marker. They also wore shorts or sweat pants that didn't match. Never in my life was I so grateful to have my own uniform.'

Ironically, N.J. Americans jerseys are possibly the most rare of any ABA jerseys.

[Yankwood]

New Jersey Americans

[both-teams-played-hard]

Yankwood, nice! Rawlings-made, now where did these photos come from?

[otismalibu]

http://www.remembertheaba.com/New-Jersey-Americans.html

[jdr3]

I still have the Washington Post's coverage of that game. Here is a little blurb they ran about the uniforms. Seems there were a few spurs who had problems.

[Yankwood]

You got it Otis, www.remembertheaba.com, is a great site for the "oldtimers" like myself.

[Yankwood]

Bruce Spraggins with the big-time dunk. If you look off to the left you can see Connie Hawkins of the Pittsburgh Pipers. CLASSIC!!!!