Indiana Loves (1974–1978)
 | |
| Sport | Team tennis |
|---|---|
| Founded | May 22, 1973 |
| Folded | November 9, 1978 |
| League | World Team Tennis |
| Division | Eastern |
| Team history |
Detroit Loves 1974 Indiana Loves 1975–1978 |
| Colors |
British Racing Green, Chartreuse Yellow |
| Owner(s) | Larry Noble, William H. Bereman |
| President | William H. Bereman |
| Head coach | Allan Stone |
| Championships | None |
| Division titles | None |
| Playoff berths |
1974 (as Detroit Loves) 1977 (as Indiana Loves) |
| Section titles | 1974 (as Detroit Loves) |
The Indiana Loves were a charter franchise of World Team Tennis (WTT). The team was founded as the Detroit Loves and moved to Indianapolis for the 1975 season.[1] Following the 1978 season, Loves president Larry Noble announced that the team was folding.[2][3]
Team history
Inaugural season
The Loves were founded by Seymour Brode and Marshall Greenspan as a charter franchise of WTT in 1973, and played their home matches at Cobo Arena in downtown Detroit starting with the league's inaugural season in 1974. The team was led by Rosie Casals, one of the top American female players at the time, and Kerry Harris and Allan Stone, who teamed up to lead WTT in game-winning percentage in mixed doubles. Other players on the inaugural Loves team were Phil Dent, Mary-Ann Beattie and Lenny Simpson.[2] The Loves won the Central Section Championship with a record of 30 wins and 14 losses, edging out the Pittsburgh Triangles in a standings tiebreaker for the section title.[4][5]
WTT division semifinal and division final playoff series in 1974, were played over two legs, one match on the home court of each team. The team with the best aggregate score over the two matches was the winner. As the higher seed, the Loves had the choice to play either the first or the second match at home. The Loves met the Triangles in the Eastern Division Semifinals and lost both matches, 31–10 at home and 32–17 in Pittsburgh.[4][5]
Following the season, Brode and Greenspan put the team up for sale, and a new ownership group led by William H. Bereman and Dan Domont bought the Loves on November 18, 1974, and moved them to Indianapolis changing the team's name to the Indiana Loves.[3]
Move to Indiana
The Loves moved into the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis for the 1975 season.[6] Led by coach Allan Stone who was a key member of their previous season's section championship team, the Loves struggled to a record of 18 wins and 26 losses, fourth place in the Eastern Division and missed the playoffs.[4][5]
In 1976, the Loves featured Ann Kiyomura and Ray Ruffels who teamed up to have WTT's best game-winning percentage in mixed doubles. The overall results were not much better than the previous season. The Loves finished with 19 wins and 25 losses, fourth place in the Eastern Division and missed the playoffs again.[4][5]
Return to the playoffs
Before the 1977 season, Dan Domont sold out his interest in the Loves, and Larry Noble became the principal owner. William H. Beremen remained part of the ownership group and team president.[2] The Loves added Vitas Gerulaitis and Sue Barker who went on to win the Female Rookie of the Year Award. The Loves committed themselves to a $250,000 contract over two years for Gerulaitis.[7] While they still had a losing record, the Loves improved enough to qualify for the playoffs with a record of 21 wins and 23 losses, third place in the Eastern Division.[4][5]
The Loves met the defending WTT champion New York Apples in the best-of-three Eastern Division Semifinals. The Apples took the opening match, 33–21. The Loves won the second match, 27–25, to force a deciding third match which the Apples won in dominant fashion, 31–15, to end the Loves' season.[4][5]
Final season
In 1978, the Loves moved into the larger Market Square Arena.[6] The team struggled to a record of 13 wins and 31 losses, last place in the Eastern Division.[4][5]
On November 9, 1978, Loves principal owner Larry Noble announced that the team was folding.[3]
Season-by-season records
The following table shows regular season records, playoff results and titles won by the Indiana Loves franchise since its founding in 1974.
| Year | Team Name | W | L | PCT | Playoff result | Titles won |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Detroit Loves | 30 | 14 | .682 | Lost in Eastern Division semifinals | Central Section Champions |
| 1975 | Indiana Loves | 18 | 26 | .409 | Missed playoffs | |
| 1976 | Indiana Loves | 19 | 25 | .432 | Missed playoffs | |
| 1977 | Indiana Loves | 21 | 23 | .477 | Lost in Eastern Division semifinals | |
| 1978 | Indiana Loves | 13 | 31 | .295 | Missed playoffs | |
| Subtotals | Detroit Loves | 30 | 14 | .682 | WTT Finals: 0 wins, 0 losses All Playoff Series: 0 wins, 1 loss, .000 | Central Section Champions - 1 (1974) |
| Subtotals | Indiana Loves | 71 | 105 | .403 | WTT Finals: 0 wins, 0 losses All Playoff Series: 0 wins, 1 loss, .000 | |
| Grand Totals | 101 | 119 | .459 | WTT Finals: 0 wins, 0 losses All Playoff Series: 0 wins, 2 losses, .000 | Central Section Champions - 1 (1974) |
Home courts
The following table shows home courts used by the Indiana Loves franchise.
| Venue | Location | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | End | ||
| Cobo Arena | Detroit, Michigan | 1974 | 1974 |
| Indiana Convention Center | Indianapolis, Indiana | 1975 | 1977 |
| Market Square Arena | Indianapolis, Indiana | 1978 | 1978 |
Individual honors
The following table shows individual honors bestowed upon players and coaches of the Indiana Loves franchise.
| Year | Player/Coach | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Sue Barker | Female Rookie of the Year |
Hall of Fame players
The following players who are enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame played for the Indiana Loves franchise:
Final roster
The Indiana Loves final roster for the 1974 season was
Allan Stone, Player-Coach- Dianne Fromholtz
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Tanya Harford
Sue Mappin- Geoff Masters
John Whitlinger
See also
References
- ↑ "Detroit Loves Will be Moved". The Evening News. Newburg, New York. November 19, 1974. p. 9B. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
- 1 2 3 "1975-1978 Indiana Loves". Andy Crossley. May 31, 2013. Retrieved August 13, 2014.
- 1 2 3 "Loves May Fold Today". Kokomo Tribune. November 9, 1978. p. 25.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "World Team Tennis Life Events". World TeamTennis. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Steve Dimitry's Extinct Sports Leagues: World Team Tennis (1974–1978)". Steve Dimitry. 1998. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
- 1 2 Bodenhamer, David J.; Barrows, Robert G., eds. (1994). "Tennis". The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis. Indiana University Press. p. 1,329. ISBN 0-253-31222-1. LCCN 94016665. Retrieved August 13, 2014 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "It's Veni, Vidi, Vici for Vitas". Sports Illustrated. August 15, 1977. Retrieved August 20, 2014.