The San Antonio Spurs are based in San Antonio, Texas, but the franchise’s roots trace back to Dallas, where they began in 1967 as the Dallas Chaparrals, a charter member of the American Basketball Association.
The Dallas Chaparrals played in the ABA for six seasons, struggling with attendance and financial challenges. By 1973, the franchise was in dire straits, and the owners began seeking a buyer or relocation partner.
A group of San Antonio businessmen, led by Red McCombs and Angelo Drossos, stepped in. As McCombs served as first president of the ownership group, they leased the Dallas Chaparrals for $1 and moved the team to San Antonio for the 1973-74 season, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The deal included an option to buy the franchise after three years.
When the team arrived in San Antonio, it needed a new identity. Rather than keep the Chaparrals name, team management decided to hold a public naming contest. Announced in May 1973, the contest invited San Antonio residents to submit suggestions for the team’s new name. More than 5,000 entries poured in, with nearly 500 different names proposed, according to the San Antonio Express-News.
Among the suggestions were the Gunslingers, the Aztecs, the Bexars, and the Alamo Defenders. Some entries reflected the team’s planned home at HemisFair Arena, the Convention Center venue. About a third of submissions voted to keep the Chaparrals name, which was ultimately rejected because the contest was meant to select something new.
The name “Spurs” emerged as a strong choice. At least 20 entrants suggested it, and when multiple people submitted the same name, the organizers held a drawing to determine the winner. Mike Vavala, an 18-year-old Churchill High School senior and accomplished athlete with a football scholarship to Sam Houston State University, was selected in that drawing, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Vavala told local newspapers that his family had discussed the name over dinner, and they all agreed that “Spurs” captured the Western spirit of the Chaparrals but was shorter and easier to spell.
The Spurs played their first game in San Antonio on October 10, 1973, losing 121-106 to the San Diego Conquistadors. Three years later, when the ABA folded in 1976, the Spurs were one of four ABA teams to join the NBA, making them one of the oldest continuously operating franchises in the league today. The team has since won five NBA championships, establishing San Antonio as a basketball powerhouse.
Sources
- San Antonio Express-News — Spurs naming contest details, May 1973 announcements, Mike Vavala’s selection as winner, and first game result
- Texas State Historical Association — Team relocation to San Antonio in 1973, ABA-NBA merger in 1976
- San Antonio Sports — Red McCombs’ role in bringing the Chaparrals to San Antonio
- Wikipedia — Dallas Chaparrals charter membership in ABA, 1973-74 relocation, name change to San Antonio Spurs
- EBSCO — Franchise founding in 1967, relocation details, fan contest naming
