Formative Period
28Jul72 An ABA expansion franchise is awarded to San Diego for an entry fee of $1 million -- the owner is San Diego dentist Dr. Leonard Bloom, president of the United States Capital Corporation.... The team is named the San Diego Conquistadors .... Alex Groza, who had been banned by the NBA in 1951 after a point shaving scandal from his college career at the University of Kentucky, is named General Manager .... 8Aug72 K.C. Jones is named head coach .... Play at San Diego State University's 4,500-seat Peterson Gymnasium .... In a special ABA expansion draft, select Red Robbins (from Utah), Gene Moore and Ollie Taylor (from New York), Stew Johnson & Larry Miller (from Carolina), and Chuck Williams (from Denver)
1972-73 (30-54) Fourth Place in Western Division
Avg. Regular Season Attendance: 2,247
6Feb73 Stew Johnson and Chuck Williams play in the ABA All-Star Game .... Lose in the first round of the playoffs to Utah 4 games to 0
1973-74 (37-47) Fourth Place in Western Division
Avg. Regular Season Attendance: 1,843
Draft Bird Averitt (who signs with San Antonio), Bo Lamar and Tim Bassett .... Draft Bill Walton (who stays in school) in undergraduate draft .... 26Sep73 Wilt Chamberlain signs a 3-year, $1.8 million contract as Q's player-coach .... Stan Albeck hired as assistant coach and Director of Player Personnel .... Sign Travis "Machine Gun" Grant .... 29Oct73 Sign Caldwell Jones, sending Larry Miller to Virginia for his rights .... 11Dec73 An arbitrator rules that Wilt Chamberlain must sit out the option year of his Los Angeles contract before playing for San Diego.... Play in 3,200-seat "Golden Hall".... Jan74 Red Robbins and Chuck Williams are traded to Kentucky for Jimmy O'Brien and a draft choice .... 13Jan74 Bo Lamar scores 50 points against Indiana .... 30Jan74 Stew Johnson plays in the ABA All-Star Game .... Bo Lamar named to the ABA All-Rookie Team .... Lose in the first round of the playoffs to Utah 4 games to 2
1974-75 (31-53) Fifth Place in Western Division
Avg. Regular Season Attendance: 2,581
Select Cazzie Russell, Sidney Wicks, Curtis Rowe, Gail Goodrich and Connie Hawkins in draft of NBA players .... 1Oct74 Wilt Chamberlain decides to forego the remaining two years on his contract as player-coach .... Alex Groza takes over as head coach .... The Q's are unsuccessful in attempts to sign Bill Walton .... Sign a lease to play in the San Diego International Sports Arena .... Sign Lee Davis .... 29Oct74 Marvin Barnes of St. Louis totals 30 rebounds against the Q's .... 13Nov74 Warren Jabali is signed as a free agent .... 6Jan74 Beryl Shipley replaces Groza as coach after a 15-23 start .... Travis Grant is limited to 53 games due to a knee injury .... Bloom sells 50% of the franchise and other properties to investors for $1.7 million .... 28Jan75 Caldwell Jones plays in the ABA All-Star Game .... 14Feb75 Julius Erving of New York scores 63 points against the Q's .... 27Feb75 The league assumes operation of the franchise .... fail to qualify for the playoffs
1975-76 (3-8)
Avg. Regular Season Attendance: 2,375
Draft Kevin Grevey (who signs with Washington of the NBA) and Bob Gross (who signs with Portland of the NBA) .... Jun75 The franchise is purchased by San Diego furniture dealer Frank Goldberg who assumes its $2 million in debts .... Irv Kaze is named General Manager .... Alex Groza named Director of Player Personnel .... The franchise is renamed the San Diego Sails .... 28Jul74 Bill Musselman hired as coach .... 20Aug75 Purchase Mark Olberding from San Antonio .... 21Oct75 Trade a second-round draft choice and cash to St. Louis for Dave Robisch (after St. Louis selects Robisch in the special dispersal draft of Baltimore Claws players) .... 11Nov75 The team folds after 11 games with 3-8 record .... 12Nov75 A special dispersal draft of San Diego players is held, with Mark Olberding going to San Antonio, and Dave Robisch and Bo Lamar going to Indiana .... 14Nov75 Rights to Caldwell Jones are sold to Kentucky .... 15Dec75 Stew Johnson is signed by San Antonio as a free agent
