[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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