TEAM
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1967-69: In The Beginning
The Dallas Chaparrals were established in 1967, one of 11 teams to take the floor for the ABA that year. Former St. Louis Hawks star Cliff Hagan was persuaded to end his one-year retirement and join the club as a player-coach. The Chaps' stars included forward Cincinnatus "Cincy" Powell, center John Beasley, and guard Bob Verga. Maurice McHartley was the first player off the bench.
With each team in the new league an unknown quantity, the ABA was wide open, and Dallas found itself in a tight race with the New Orleans Buccaneers and the Denver Rockets for the top spot in the Western Division. The 36-year-old Hagan had a good year, scoring 18.2 points per game. Beasley, the 6-foot-9 rookie, probably had the best season of his seven-year ABA career, averaging 19.7 points while collecting 12.8 rebounds per game. Powell scored 18.3 points per game, Verga averaged 23.7 points in 31 contests before being called to military service, and McHartley tallied another 15.3 points per contest.
Dallas finished its inaugural season with a 46-32 record and in second place, two games behind New Orleans and two games ahead of Denver. The Chaparrals swept the Houston Mavericks in the first round of the playoffs, then lost in the second round to New Orleans, which went on to lose to the Pittsburgh Pipers in the first ABA Finals.
The second-year Dallas Chaparrals slipped a bit in the 1968-69 season despite the addition of rookie guard Ron Boone. Boone averaged 18.9 points in his freshman campaign, and Powell and Beasley each had productive years. But Hagan's contribution slipped, and he appeared in only 35 games.
The Chaps fell to fourth place in the Western Division with a 41-37 record, resulting in a first-round playoff rematch with New Orleans. After falling behind the Buccaneers, three games to one, Dallas bounced back with convincing wins in Games 5 and 6. However, the Chaps fell short by losing Game 7, 101-95.
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