Springfield Fame
| Springfield Fame | |
|---|---|
| League | United States Basketball League |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Dissolved | 1986 |
| Arena | Springfield Civic Center |
| Location | Springfield, Massachusetts |
| Championships | 1 1985 (no playoffs) |
The Springfield Fame were a men's spring-professional basketball team in the United States Basketball League from Springfield, Massachusetts, the hometown of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which gave the inspiration of the team name.[1]
History
The Springfield Fame were founded in 1985. In their inaugural season, they finished with a record of 19-6 and were the first USBL Champions. The league did not add a playoff system until the 1987 season. In their second season, the Fame made national headlines by signing 27-year-old women's basketball legend Nancy Lieberman. Lieberman thus became the first female basketball player to play regular season minutes in a men's pro league. They would finish second with a 23–10 record and 0.5 game behind the Tampa Bay Flash. The Fame would fold following the 1986 season.
Season-by-season records
| Year | GP | W | L | Win % | GB | Head coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 25 | 19 | 6 | .760 | .. | Gerald Oliver |
| 1986 | 33 | 23 | 10 | .697 | 0.5 | Henry Bibby |
| Totals | 58 | 42 | 16 | .724 | – | – |
Honours
USBL Player of the Year
| Season | Player |
|---|---|
| 1985 | Tracy Jackson |
USBL Coach of the Year
| Season | Coach | W | L |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Gerald Oliver | 19 | 6 |
| 1986 | Henry Bibby | 23 | 10 |
All-USBL Teams
First Team
| Season | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Tracy Jackson | |
| 1986 | Billy Goodwin |
- Tracy Jackson (1985)
- Billy Goodwin (1986)
Second Team
| Season | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Larry Lawrence | |
| Michael Adams | Point Guard | |
| 1986 | ||
| Jerome Henderson | Center/Power Forward |
- Larry Lawrence (1985)
- Michael Adams (1985 and 1986)
- Jerome Henderson (1986)
USBL All-Rookie Team
| Season | Player | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Andre Goode | |
| Michael Adams | ||
| 1986 | Dominic Pressley |
- Andre Goode (1985)
- Michael Adams (1985)
- Dominic Pressley (1986)
USBL All-Defensive Team
- Michael Adams (1985 and 1986)
- Jerome Henderson (1986)