Birmingham Bandits (basketball team)

From Bhamwiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Birmingham Bandits
Birmingham Bandits logo.jpg
Sport Basketball
League Continental Basketball Association
Active 1991–1992
Home field Bill Harris Arena
Record 27–34
Coach Mo McHone
General manager N/A
Website N/A

The Birmingham Bandits were a professional basketball team that played for only the 1991–92 season as a member of the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). Led by head coach Mo McHone, the Bandits played their home games at the Bill Harris Arena during their lone season. On the court, the Bandits had modest success and advanced to the playoffs in their lone season, losing to Quad City. The franchise never truly developed a following during the course of the season and had an average attendance of just over 1,000 for home games at Fair Park. In May 1992 the Bandits were sold to investors in Minnesota, relocated, and became the Rochester Renegade.

History

In May 1991, it was announced the Pensacola Tornados would relocate to Birmingham for the 1991–93 season. Prior to the start of the season it was announced the Bandits NBA affiliations would be with the Atlanta Hawks and San Antonio Spurs. The Bandits opened the season with a 118–114 loss at Quad City on November 8. In their first home game on November 12, the Bandits lost to the Tri-City Chinook, but then defeated the Albany Patroons on November 15 for their first all-time victory. After their loss to Bakersfield on November 30, Birmingham's leading scorer and Jackson-Olin High School alumnus Michael Ansley was signed by the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.

On December 10, the Bandits general manager Jim Goodman resigned in part due to the poor attendance to home games. On December 18, Tom Maloney was named general manager. Although the Bandits won their December game against La Crosse 113–112, the Catbirds appealed a foul and the CBA required the final 1:31 be replayed at their February 21 rematch. At this time La Crosse won 132–122.

Jim Farmer was selected as the only representative from the Bandits to the CBA All-Star game on January 22 at Yakima, Washington. The Bandits finished the season in second place in the Eastern Division and qualified for the CBA playoffs. After defeating Albany in a one-game playoff, Birmingham lost to Quad City in a best of five series 3–1.

The franchise relocated to Rochester, Minnesota in May 1992 and became the Rochester Renegade. The primary reason for their relocation was the Bandits having the lowest average attendance in the CBA at 1,091 fans per game.

All-time roster

Games

Date Winning team Score Losing team Venue Attendance
November 8 Quad City Thunder 118–114 Bandits Wharton Field House
Moline, IL
4,875
November 9 La Crosse Catbirds 117–100 Bandits La Crosse Center
La Crosse, WI
4,343
November 12 Tri-City Chinook 102–100 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
2,387
November 15 Bandits 120–118 Albany Patroons Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
1,973
November 16 Bandits 124–119 Rockford Lightning Rockford MetroCentre
Rockford, IL
November 19 Bandits 138–120 Omaha Racers Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
1,681
November 22 Bandits 103–96 Wichita Falls Texans Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
2,061
November 23 Bandits 111–98 Grand Rapids Hoops Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
November 27 Bandits 116–114 Yakima SunKings Yakima SunDome
Yakima, WA
November 28 Tri-City Chinook 113–104 Bandits Tri-Cities Coliseum
Kennewick, WA
1,611
November 30 Bakersfield Jammers 130–124 Bandits Bakersfield, CA
December 5 Quad City Thunder 121–107 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
617
December 6 Albany Patroons 94–90 Bandits Knickerbocker Arena
Albany, NY
5,582
December 8 Oklahoma City Cavalry 106–102 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
714
December 10 La Crosse Catbirds 132–122 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
723
December 11 Fort Wayne Fury 103–96 Bandits Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
Fort Wayne, IN
December 13 Bandits 134–128 (OT) Tulsa Zone Tulsa, OK 2,568
December 15 Omaha Racers 109–101 Bandits Ak-Sar-Ben Arena
Omaha, NE
2,669
December 17 Quad City Thunder 103–96 Bandits Wharton Field House
Moline, IL
2,438
December 19 Bandits 114–102 Albany Patroons Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
803
December 20 Bandits 110–99 Columbus Horizon Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
December 22 Fort Wayne Fury 99–95 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
349
December 25 Bandits 107–103 Grand Rapids Hoops Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
463
December 29 Bandits 102–94 Columbus Horizon Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
543
January 2 La Crosse Catbirds 103–93 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
688
January 3 Rapid City Thrillers 110–90 Bandits Rushmore Plaza Civic Center
Rapid City, SD
5,521
January 8 Columbus Horizon 102–97 Bandits Ohio Expo Center Coliseum
Columbus, OH
January 10 Bandits 113–105 Quad City Thunder Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
1,292
January 11 Quad City Thunder 130–122 (3OT) Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
952
January 17 Albany Patroons 109–101 Bandits Knickerbocker Arena
Albany, NY
4,444
January 20 Bandits 112–98 Rockford Lightning Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
654
January 24 Grand Rapids Hoops 107–84 Bandits Grand Rapids Stadium
Grand Rapids, MI
3,432
January 25 Columbus Horizon 102–96 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
January 28 Oklahoma City Cavalry 105–101 Bandits Fairgrounds Arena
Oklahoma City, OK
January 30 Sioux Falls Skyforce 133–120 Bandits Sioux Falls Arena
Sioux Falls, SD
2,619
January 31 Rockford Lightning 118–86 Bandits Rockford MetroCentre
Rockford, IL
5,016
February 2 Grand Rapids Hoops 109–101 Bandits Grand Rapids Stadium
Grand Rapids, MI
3,047
February 4 Bandits 98–90 Yakima SunKings Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
441
February 7 Bandits 119–108 Fort Wayne Fury Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
822
February 8 Wichita Falls Texans 99–98 Bandits D. L. Ligon Coliseum
Wichita Falls, TX
2,787
February 10 Bandits 114–112 La Crosse Catbirds La Crosse Center
La Crosse, WI
3,759
February 14 Bandits 137–133 Albany Patroons Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
538
February 16 Fort Wayne Fury 106–101 Bandits Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
Fort Wayne, IN
7,657
February 18 Bandits 134–98 Sioux Falls Skyforce Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
February 21 La Crosse Catbirds 108–104 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
1,449
February 23 Columbus Horizon 105–104 Bandits Ohio Expo Center Coliseum
Columbus, OH
February 25 Rockford Lightning 84–81 Bandits Rockford MetroCentre
Rockford, IL
February 28 Bandits 116–100 Columbus Horizon Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
2,037
March 1 Bandits 127–123 La Crosse Catbirds La Crosse Center
La Crosse, WI
4,755
March 3 Bandits 110–88 Rockford Lighting Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
516
March 6 Bandits 120–119 Grand Rapids Hoops Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
1,214
March 8 Bandits 128–106 Tulsa Zone Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
347
March 10 Rapid City Thrillers 107–100 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
1,411
March 11 Grand Rapids Hoops 102–97 Bandits Grand Rapids Stadium
Grand Rapids, MI
3,590
March 13 Bandits 119–118 Albany Patroons Glens Falls Civic Center
Glens Falls, NY
March 14 Fort Wayne Fury 114–112 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
March 17
Playoffs (One game shootout)
Bandits 131–122 Albany Patroons Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
405
March 20
Playoffs (Best of five)
Quad City Thunder 109–99 Bandits Wharton Field House
Moline, IL
2,735
March 21
Playoffs (Best of five)
Quad City Thunder 125–102 Bandits Wharton Field House
Moline, IL
March 23
Playoffs (Best of five)
Bandits 102–97 Quad City Thunder Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
825
March 25
Playoffs (Best of five)
Quad City Thunder 116–109 Bandits Bill Harris Arena
Birmingham, AL
2,274

References

Alabama State Fairgrounds
Buildings Alabama State Fair cattle barn · Bill Harris Arena · Birmingham International Raceway · Exposition Building · Kiddieland
Events Alabama State Fair · Birmingham Fairgrounds Flea Market · Fair Park redevelopment · Fall Carnival · Southern Heritage Festival · Spring Fling
Exhibits Batmobile Rescue Ship · Engine No. 4018 · Historical Panorama of Alabama Agriculture · Vulcan
Organizations Alabama State Fair Authority · Birmingham Bandits · Birmingham Magicians · Birmingham Power · Magic City Court Kings