Cavs Debut – October 28, 1970

It was fifty years ago this month that the new Cleveland franchise in the NBA played its home opener in the Cleveland Arena. The coach was Bill Fitch.

Unfortunately the Cavaliers lost to the San Diego Rockets, 110-99. 

Here’s the article that ran in the Journal the next day on Thursday, October 29, 1970.

For someone like me who never really followed the NBA too much, it’s kind of interesting seeing the names of some of the Cavaliers’ opponents back then. Their next game was against the Cincinnati Royals (who?). And the San Diego Rockets would relocate to Houston in 1971.

I can see why the team may have developed a ‘cavalier’ (heh-heh) attitude towards its name, eventually changing it in common usage to the shortened ‘Cavs.’ I never cared for the foppish musketeer mascot, and imagined him puncturing a basketball with his sword while babbling in French.