[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 228 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 228

   Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Indiana Pacers' 1972-1973 
 American Basketball Association Championship and their third American 
           Basketball Association Championship in 5 seasons.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                 May 31 (legislative day, May 30), 2023

     Mr. Braun (for himself and Mr. Young) submitted the following 
 resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
                           and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the Indiana Pacers' 1972-1973 
 American Basketball Association Championship and their third American 
           Basketball Association Championship in 5 seasons.

Whereas the Indiana Pacers were founded in 1967, as members of the American 
        Basketball Association;
Whereas the Indiana Pacers won American Basketball Association Championships in 
        the 1969-1970, 1971-1972, and 1972-1973 seasons and had 2 other 
        championship appearances;
Whereas, during the seasons between 1970 and 1975, the Indiana Pacers averaged 
        51 wins per season;
Whereas Mel Daniels, Freddie Lewis, Roger Brown, and Billy Keller were members 
        of all 3 Indiana Pacers championship teams;
Whereas the 1973 Indiana Pacers championship team had a strong native Hoosier 
        presence on the team;
Whereas the 1973 Indiana Pacers championship team was built around George 
        McGinnis, who attended George Washington Community High School in 
        Indianapolis, Indiana, and later attended Indiana University;
Whereas Billy Keller attended George Washington Community High School in 
        Indianapolis, Indiana, and later attended Purdue University;
Whereas Don Buse attended Holland High School in Holland, Indiana, and 
        Evansville College in Evansville, Indiana;
Whereas, during the 1972-1973 season, Don Buse, a rookie, made several 
        contributions, and Gus Johnson, a National Basketball Association 
        veteran at the end of his career, was brought onto the team to bring 
        bench strength and leadership;
Whereas the revived group finished with a 51 to 33 record after winning 11 
        consecutive games late in the 1972-1973 season, the fourth-best record 
        in the league behind the Carolina Cougars and the Kentucky Colonels in 
        the East and the Utah Stars in the West;
Whereas the Indiana Pacers took control of the 1972-1973 series by winning Game 
        4 on the home court of the Houston Rockets, as Billy Keller hit a game-
        winning 3-pointer from the left wing off a broken play with 14 seconds 
        left for a 97 to 95 victory;
Whereas that shot gained historical value in passing years because William 
        Robert ``Slick'' Leonard rose off the bench and shouted, ``Boom, Baby!'' 
        as the ball dropped through the net;
Whereas ``Boom, Baby!'' would become William Robert ``Slick'' Leonard's 
        signature call as a broadcaster on every 3-pointer by the Indiana Pacers 
        in following decades;
Whereas, on May 12, 1973, the Indiana Pacers beat the Kentucky Colonels 88 to 81 
        in Game 7 of the American Basketball Association Championship; and
Whereas that win gave the Indiana Pacers their third and final American 
        Basketball Association title, the most titles held by a team in the 
        history of the American Basketball Association: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) basketball has a rich history and passionate fan base 
        in the Hoosier State and the Indiana Pacers have highlighted 
        that rich history during the time in which they participated in 
        the American Basketball Association; and
            (2) the history of the Indiana Pacers and their storied 
        legacy should be recognized, especially during 2023, which 
        marks the 50th anniversary of the Indiana Pacers' third and 
        last American Basketball Association title and championship.
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