Baltimore Banners

Baltimore Banners
Sport	Team tennis
Founded	May 22, 1973
Folded	February 1, 1975
League	World TeamTennis
Division	Eastern
Based in	Baltimore, Maryland
Stadium	Baltimore Civic Center
Colors	Red, White, Blue
Owner	Howard Fine, Gerald Klauber, Joseph Rivkin, Robert E. Bradley, Jr.
Head coach	Don Candy
Championships	None
Division titles	None
Playoff berths	None

Last updated June 10, 2023

The Baltimore Banners were a charter franchise of World Team Tennis (WTT) founded in 1974. The Banners lasted only one season but made a big splash by signing Jimmy Connors to a contract for $100,000 which obligated Connors to play in 22 of their 44 matches.^[1] Despite the presence of Connors, the Banners had 16 wins and 28 losses, and finished in third place in the Atlantic Section missing the playoffs.^[2]^[3] The Banners were contracted by WTT on February 1, 1975.

Team history

The Banners were founded as WTT's charter franchise for Phoenix, Arizona in 1973, by Gary Davidson.^[4] Before the team ever had a name in Phoenix, Davidson sold it to Howard Fine, Gerald Klauber, Joseph Rivkin and Robert E. Bradley, Jr.^[1] The new owners relocated the team to Baltimore, Maryland with a plan to have it play its home matches at the Baltimore Civic Center starting with the league's inaugural season in 1974 season and name it the Baltimore Banners.^[1]

The first 10 draft choices in the WTT inaugural draft made by what was at that time still the Phoenix franchise were^[5]

Round	No.	Overall	Player chosen
1	4	4	Jimmy Connors
2	13	29	Betty Stöve
3	4	36	Janet Newberry
4	13	61	Bob Carmichael
5	4	68	Barry Phillips-Moore
6	13	93	Janice Metcalf
7	4	100	Joyce Williams
8	13	125	Dick Crealy
9	4	132	Lost draft choice
10	13	157	Joaquín Loyo Mayo

The first match in Banners history was a 35–20 home victory against the Hawaii Leis on May 8, 1975.^[6] The Banners started the season strong and had a record of 5–3 after eight matches. However, after a quarter of the season had passed, the Banners lost 23 of their final 33 matches to finish with 16 wins and 28 losses, third place in the Atlantic Section.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Banners superstar Jimmy Connors had the highest game-winning percentage in men's singles for the 1974 WTT season.^[3] Connors was not allowed to participate in the 1974 French Open due to his association with WTT.^[7]^[8] His exclusion from the French Open denied him the opportunity to become the first male player since Rod Laver to win all four Major singles titles in a calendar year.

The Banners struggled mightily to draw fans at home. Only 761 people showed up for their second home match of the season. The attendance for their final home match of the season was just 1,065.^[1]

At the WTT owners meeting on February 1, 1975, each team was required to post a $500,000 letter of credit. The Banners failed to do so and were contracted by WTT. A dispersal draft was conducted to distribute the players among the remaining teams in the league.^[1]^[3]^[6]^[9]

Roster

Jimmy Connors was the only Banners player to have been enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Lobsters (1974)</span>

The Boston Lobsters were a charter franchise of World Team Tennis (WTT) founded by Ray Ciccolo. The Lobsters played only one season before being contracted after the 1974 season, because the team was unable to meet its financial obligations to the league. The Lobsters had 19 wins and 25 losses, and finished in second place in the Atlantic Section missing the playoffs.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Orleans Sun Belt Nets</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toronto-Buffalo Royals</span>

The Toronto-Buffalo Royals were a charter franchise of World Team Tennis (WTT) founded by John F. Bassett and John C. Eaton, III. The team was sometimes referred to as the Buffalo-Toronto Royals. The Royals played half of their home matches in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and the other half in Buffalo, New York, United States. The Royals played only one season before being sold and moving to Hartford, Connecticut after the 1974 season. The team was contracted by WTT on February 1, 1975. The Royals had 13 wins and 31 losses, and finished in last place in the Central Section missing the playoffs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnesota Buckskins</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Houston E-Z Riders</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Francisco Golden Gaters</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seattle Cascades</span>

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The 1975 World Team Tennis season was the second season of the top professional team tennis league in the United States. The Pittsburgh Triangles defeated the San Francisco Golden Gaters in the WTT Finals to win the league championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Friars (1975–1978)</span>

The San Diego Friars were an expansion franchise of World Team Tennis (WTT) founded in 1975. The Friars qualified for the WTT playoffs twice in their four seasons and won the 1978 Western Division Championship. The team folded following the 1978 season.

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References

1 2 3 4 5 6 Crossley, Andy (February 1, 2013). "1974 Baltimore Banners". Fun While It Lasted. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
1 2 "World Team Tennis Life Events". World TeamTennis . Retrieved August 11, 2014.
1 2 3 4 Dimitry, Steve (1998). "World Team Tennis (1974–1978)". Steve Dimitry's Extinct Sports Leagues. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
↑ "Next in Pittsburgh Pro Sports—'Triangles': Net Loop Begins Play Next May". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . May 23, 1973. p. 30. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
↑ "World Team Tennis Draft Gets Newcombe, King First". Spartanburg Herald-Journal . August 4, 1973. p. B2. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
1 2 Cummings, Jim (May 7, 2014). "Cummings and Goings". United States Tennis Association . Retrieved August 30, 2014.
↑ John Barrett, ed. (1975). World of Tennis '75. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 15–17. ISBN 9780362002171.
↑ "Connors, Goolagong 'Can't Play'". The Palm Beach Post. May 22, 1974.
↑ "New Boston Net Team Obtains Six Backers". Berkshire Eagle . March 28, 1975. p. 18.

External links

Official World TeamTennis Website

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Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
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[bannerfun-1] 1 2 3 4 5 6 Crossley, Andy (February 1, 2013). "1974 Baltimore Banners". Fun While It Lasted. Retrieved August 13, 2014.

[fb-2] 1 2 "World Team Tennis Life Events". World TeamTennis . Retrieved August 11, 2014.

[extinct-3] 1 2 3 4 Dimitry, Steve (1998). "World Team Tennis (1974–1978)". Steve Dimitry's Extinct Sports Leagues. Retrieved August 11, 2014.

[4] "Next in Pittsburgh Pro Sports—'Triangles': Net Loop Begins Play Next May". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette . May 23, 1973. p. 30. Retrieved August 20, 2014.

[draft-5] "World Team Tennis Draft Gets Newcombe, King First". Spartanburg Herald-Journal . August 4, 1973. p. B2. Retrieved August 20, 2014.

[cummings-6] 1 2 Cummings, Jim (May 7, 2014). "Cummings and Goings". United States Tennis Association . Retrieved August 30, 2014.

[7] John Barrett, ed. (1975). World of Tennis '75. London: Queen Anne Press. pp. 15–17. ISBN 9780362002171.

[8] "Connors, Goolagong 'Can't Play'". The Palm Beach Post. May 22, 1974.

[9] "New Boston Net Team Obtains Six Backers". Berkshire Eagle . March 28, 1975. p. 18.

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v t e World TeamTennis (WTT)
Current champions (2021): Orange County Breakers
Seasons	1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021
Current teams	Chicago Smash New York Empire Orange County Breakers Orlando Storm Philadelphia Freedoms San Diego Aviators Springfield Lasers Vegas Rollers Washington Kastles
Former teams	Austin Aces (2014–2015) Baltimore Banners (1974) Boston Lobsters (1974) Boston Lobsters (1974–1978) Boston Lobsters (2005–2015) California Dream (1993–2015) Chicago Aces (1974) Cleveland Nets (1974–1976) Cleveland-Pittsburgh Nets (1977) Delaware Smash (1987–2008) Denver Racquets (1974) Detroit Loves (1974) Florida Flamingos (1974) Hartford FoxForce (2000-2006) Hawaii Leis (1974–1976) Houston E-Z Riders (1974) Houston Wranglers (2005–2007) Idaho Sneakers (1994–1997) Indiana Loves (1974–1978) Indiana Loves (1983) Kansas City Explorers (1993–2012) Las Vegas Neon (2014) Los Angeles Strings (1974–1978) Los Angeles Strings (1981–1993) Minnesota Buckskins (1974) New Jersey Stars (1987–1995) New Orleans Sun Belt Nets (1974–1978) New York Apples (1974–1978) New York Buzz (1995–2010) New York Hamptons (2000–2002) New York OTBzz (1995–1998) New York Sets (1974–1976) New York Sportimes (2000–2013) Newport Beach Breakers (2003–2011) Philadelphia Freedoms (1974) Phoenix Racquets (1974–1978) Pittsburgh Triangles (1974–1976) Sacramento Capitals (1988–2013) San Diego Buds (1981–1985) San Diego Friars (1975–1978) San Diego Friars (1981–1983) San Francisco Golden Gaters (1974–1978) Schenectady County Electrics (1999–2000) Sea-Port Cascades (1977) Seattle Cascades (1974–1978) St. Louis Aces (1994–2011) Texas Wild (2013–2014) Toronto-Buffalo Royals (1974) Wichita Advantage (1990-1995)
Current stadiums	Credit Union 1 Arena (Chicago) Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning (New York) Breakers Stadium at the Palisades Tennis Club (Orange County) USTA National Campus (Orlando) Michael J. Hagan Arena (Philadelphia) Omni La Costa Resort and Spa (San Diego) Mediacom Stadium at Cooper Tennis Complex (Springfield) Orleans Arena (Vegas) Kastles Stadium at Union Market (Washington)
Other related articles	Team tennis No-line court