Paxety Pages

The photo is of a billboard in downtown Atlanta a block or so from what is now the CNN Center and the Phillips Arena. The Flames came to town under the promotion "The Ice Age Is Coming." This billboard was one of many around town, but the only one that was multi-level.

It was 1973. The NBA was in competition with the upstart American Basketball Association. The ABA delighted crowds with its red, white and blue basketballs and a three-point shot. It also took players who were college underclassmen, something the NBA did not do for several more years.

Julius Erving

Players and fans called him "Dr. J" because the man sure could operate on the basketball court. He had moves no one had shown before.

Erving played two years for the Squires, but wanted a better contract. Erving hired a new agent who struck a deal with the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA.

The basketball world threw a fit. Both Atlanta and Erving claimed he no longer had college eligibility, so he was free to sign with an NBA team, just as any other ABA player could. The NBA's Milwaukee Bucks claimed it had NBA draft rights to Erving. The Virginia Squires claimed it still had Erving under contract. The ruckus went to court.

A federal judge ruled that Erving's contract with Virginia still stood and granted an injunction. But Erving didn't want to play at the small arenas in Norfolk, Hampton, Richmond and Roanoke anymore. Squires eventually traded him to the New York Nets along with Willie Sojourner for George Carter, draft rights to Kermit Washington and $800,000.

But the Hawks were still furious. Erving had signed a contract, played in pre-season games, and had been paid. Coach Cotton Fitzsimmons said Erving was the best player he had ever seen. The dispute was finally settled by team ownership.

The Ice Age Comes To Atlanta
(c)1972, J.E. Simmons

To clear up the Erving matter, Boe send a defenseman just drafted by the Islanders to the Flames along with $400,000.

The name of the player who completed this strange trade? Pat Ribble.