Mexico City Aztecas
Encyclopedia
The Mexico City Aztecas team was an experiment by the Continental Basketball Association
in fielding a team outside the United States and Canada. It played one season, the 1994-95 season.
(1986/87 to 1987/88), the Tulsa Fast Breakers (1988/89 to 1990/91) and the Tulsa Zone (1991/92)..
The Aztecas played their home games at the Palacio de los Deportes
(Sports Palace), where they were supported by a popular cheerleading squad. This was the same facility in which the United States basketball team won the gold medal in the 1968 Olympics. Mack Calvin
was named the new head coach and general manager. The Aztecas opened their season on November 18, 1994 at the Oklahoma City Cavalry
. Two days later they went on to delight their fans with a 90-88 win over the Chicago Rockers in their first home game. Attendance at the Palacio was 8,295.
During the season the Aztecas produced at least two NBA call-ups, Steve Henson
in early November and Greg Grant
in 1995. On February 10, 1995 the team lost 159-154 to the Tri City Chinook of Washington State in double overtime. This was perhaps the greatest population disparity for a game in North American sports history, more than 97:1 (1990 figures).
Overall, the Aztecas' home attendance was unheard of for the CBA, with several announced crowds over 9,000. In their final home game of the season, they beat the Omaha Racers 124-109 before 12,587 fans, an all-time record for the CBA. They finished the season at 19-37, out of the playoffs.
In spite of the attendance marks, the team took a financial blow from the crash of the Mexican peso in December 1994. Overnight, the peso lost half of its value against the U.S. dollar. More than one million Mexicans lost their jobs in the recession that followed. Most of the Aztecas' expenses, primarily player salaries, were in U.S. dollars, but revenues, including ticket sales, were in the now devalued peso. Logan could not afford another season in Mexico. On September 20, 1995, the Aztecas announced their move to San Diego, as the San Diego Wildcards. They played one more season there (1995/96), and then folded.
Continental Basketball Association
The Continental Basketball Association was a professional men's basketball league in the United States, which has been on hiatus since the 2009 season.- History :...
in fielding a team outside the United States and Canada. It played one season, the 1994-95 season.
History
Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the Western Hemisphere, with significant fan interest in basketball. In 1994 the owner of the Fargo-Moorhead Fever, Doug Logan, decided to move his team there. Population of the metropolitan region of the new location was about 95 times that of the old site (1990 figures). In earlier incarnations the Aztecas had played as the Detroit Spirits (1982/83 to 1985/86), the Savannah SpiritsSavannah Spirits
The Savannah Spirits were a professional basketball team that played for two years in the Continental Basketball Association from 1986 to 1988, amassing a total regular season record of 42 wins and 60 losses for a total of 306.5 points. The Spirits did not qualify for the postseason in their first...
(1986/87 to 1987/88), the Tulsa Fast Breakers (1988/89 to 1990/91) and the Tulsa Zone (1991/92)..
The Aztecas played their home games at the Palacio de los Deportes
Palacio de los Deportes
Palacio de los Deportes is an indoor arena, located in Mexico City, Mexico, within the sports complex Magdalena Mixhuca Sports City, near the Mexico City International Airport and the Foro Sol, in which sports and artistic events are also celebrated. It is operated by Grupo CIE...
(Sports Palace), where they were supported by a popular cheerleading squad. This was the same facility in which the United States basketball team won the gold medal in the 1968 Olympics. Mack Calvin
Mack Calvin
Mack Calvin is an American former basketball player.-College career:A 6'0" point guard from Long Beach City College and the University of Southern California, Calvin was a 14th-round draft pick of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers in 1969.In his final college season, Calvin and his Trojans defeated the...
was named the new head coach and general manager. The Aztecas opened their season on November 18, 1994 at the Oklahoma City Cavalry
Oklahoma City Cavalry
The Lawton-Fort Sill Cavalry is a professional basketball team based in Lawton, Oklahoma. They played in the Premier Basketball League after having been in the Continental Basketball Association. They have one PBL championship and also are the two time champions of the CBA...
. Two days later they went on to delight their fans with a 90-88 win over the Chicago Rockers in their first home game. Attendance at the Palacio was 8,295.
During the season the Aztecas produced at least two NBA call-ups, Steve Henson
Steve Henson
Steven Michael Henson is a retired American professional basketball player, who was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2nd round of the 1990 NBA Draft...
in early November and Greg Grant
Greg Grant
Gregory Alan 'Greg' Grant is a retired American professional basketball player.Growing up in a broken home, Grant worked in a fish market after high school...
in 1995. On February 10, 1995 the team lost 159-154 to the Tri City Chinook of Washington State in double overtime. This was perhaps the greatest population disparity for a game in North American sports history, more than 97:1 (1990 figures).
Overall, the Aztecas' home attendance was unheard of for the CBA, with several announced crowds over 9,000. In their final home game of the season, they beat the Omaha Racers 124-109 before 12,587 fans, an all-time record for the CBA. They finished the season at 19-37, out of the playoffs.
In spite of the attendance marks, the team took a financial blow from the crash of the Mexican peso in December 1994. Overnight, the peso lost half of its value against the U.S. dollar. More than one million Mexicans lost their jobs in the recession that followed. Most of the Aztecas' expenses, primarily player salaries, were in U.S. dollars, but revenues, including ticket sales, were in the now devalued peso. Logan could not afford another season in Mexico. On September 20, 1995, the Aztecas announced their move to San Diego, as the San Diego Wildcards. They played one more season there (1995/96), and then folded.
Roster
- Ryan Lothridge
- Dexter BoneyDexter BoneyDexter Lyndell Boney is an American former college and professional basketball player.Boney played for Brandywine High School, where he was named all-state three times and holds the boys scoring record in Delaware with over 2,000 points...
- Kermit Holmes
- Greg GrantGreg GrantGregory Alan 'Greg' Grant is a retired American professional basketball player.Growing up in a broken home, Grant worked in a fish market after high school...
- Joe CourtneyJoe Courtney (basketball)Joseph Pierre Courtney is an American former professional basketball player in the NBA.He attended both the University of Southern Mississippi and Mississippi State University. He played in the NBA for seven different teams, and has also played professionally in Slovenia.-External links:* @...
- Byron IrvinByron IrvinByron Edward Irvin is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6'5" and 190 lb shooting guard, he was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1989 NBA Draft.Irvin is from Chicago IL. where he attended Percy Julian High School...
- Steve HensonSteve HensonSteven Michael Henson is a retired American professional basketball player, who was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2nd round of the 1990 NBA Draft...
- Stan Rose
- Al Hamilton
- James Carter
- Scott Paddock
- Mark Boyd
- Leonard WhiteLeonard White (basketball)Leonard White, born February 21, 1971 in Century, Florida, is a professional basketball player. He is listed at 6'7" and weighed 224 lbs. White started playing collegiate ball with the Faulkner State and is still the all-time leading scorer of the Sun Chiefs with a 22.7 ppg average...
- Fred VinsonFred Vinson (basketball)Frederick O'Neal Vinson is a retired American professional basketball player formerly in the NBA. At 6'4" and 190 lb he played guard....
- Derrick Chandler