1968–69 Minnesota Pipers season

1968–69 Minnesota Pipers season
Head coach	Jim Harding (20–13) Vern Mikkelsen (6–6) Verl Young (10–23)
Arena	Met Center
Results
Record	36–42 (.462)
Place	Division: 4th (Eastern)
Playoff finish	Lost in the Eastern Division Semifinals

The 1968–69 Minnesota Pipers season was the only season of the Pipers in Minnesota and second overall season in the American Basketball Association. The previous season, the Pipers had won the ABA Finals, but moved the team from Pittsburgh to Minnesota (which had just lost the Muskies) after the season.

However, the Pipers would have a roller-coaster of a season in Minnesota before deciding to relocate back to Pittsburgh for 1969. The team went through three coaches: Harding, who coached the team who was fired after attacking the Pipers Chairman Gabe Rubin at the banquet of the All-Star Game. Mikkelsen (the general manager) took over for a while before Verl Young took the job permanently. At the All-Star break, the Pipers were 26-19. However, the team went into a dry spell, losing twelve of their last fifteen games to end the regular season, with Hawkins, Williams, Vaughn, and Heyman each being nagged by injuries due to long practices. The Pipers lost in the Division Semifinals to the Miami Floridians. Minnesota would not have a pro basketball team again until 1989 with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Roster

1968–69 Minnesota Pipers roster

Players

Coaches

Pos. No. Player Height Weight DOB From C 25 Dan Anderson 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 230 lb (104 kg) February 15, 1943 Augsburg SF 35 Frank Card 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 195 lb (88 kg) December 28, 1944 South Carolina State SG 30 Steve Chubin 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) February 8, 1944 Rhode Island C 42 Connie Hawkins 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 210 lb (95 kg) July 17, 1942 Iowa SF 12 Art Heyman 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) 205 lb (93 kg) June 24, 1941 Duke C 41 Tom Hoover 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 230 lb (104 kg) January 23, 1941 Villanova F 45 Tony Jackson 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 200 lb (91 kg) November 7, 1942 St. John's PG 20 Jim Jarvis 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) March 3, 1943 Oregon State G 14 Arvesta Kelly 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) November 20, 1945 Lincoln (MO) F 13 Jim Kissane 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) August 17, 1946 Boston College C 23, 41 Tom Kondla 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) November 30, 1946 Minnesota C 24 Mike Lewis 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 225 lb (102 kg) March 18, 1946 Duke PF 30 Willie Porter 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 205 lb (93 kg) July 3, 1941 Tennessee State C 15 George Sutor 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 235 lb (107 kg) September 14, 1943 La Salle PG 22 Steve Vacendak 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 185 lb (84 kg) August 15, 1944 Duke SG 10 Chico Vaughn 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 190 lb (86 kg) February 19, 1940 Southern Illinois PF 32 Trooper Washington 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 215 lb (98 kg) April 21, 1944 Cheyney SF 12 Ken Wilburn 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 195 lb (88 kg) June 8, 1944 Central State PG 44 Charlie Williams 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) 165 lb (75 kg) September 5, 1943 Seattle PF 24 Leroy Wright 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) 215 lb (98 kg) May 6, 1938 Pacific

Head coach Jim Harding Vern Mikkelsen Verl Young Legend (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured Roster

Final standings

Eastern Division

Team	W	L	PCT.	GB
Indiana Pacers	44	34	.564	-
Miami Floridians	43	35	.551	1
Kentucky Colonels	42	36	.538	2
Minnesota Pipers	36	42	.462	8
New York Nets	17	61	.218	27

Playoffs

Eastern Division Semifinals vs. Miami Floridians

Game	Date	Location	Score	Record	Attendance
1	April 7	Miami	110–119	0–1	4,103
2	April 9	Miami	106–99	1–1	1,688
3	April 10	Minnesota	109–93	2–1	1,520
4	April 12	Minnesota	109–116	2–2	2,532
5	April 13	Miami	107–122	2–3	4,206
6	April 15	Minnesota	105–100	3–3	1,345
7	April 19	Miami	128–137	3–4	5,702

Pipers lose series, 4–3

Awards and honors

1969 ABA All-Star Game selections (game played on January 28, 1969)

• Trooper Washington
• Charlie Williams

Hawkins had been selected, but he was injured. Harding was selected to coach the team, but Rhodes replaced him after his firing.

References

• Pipers on Basketball Reference

External links

• RememberTheABA.com 1968-69 regular season and playoff results
• Pipers page