2015 Royal Rumble, Cleveland Cavaliers and more – WFNY Podcast – 2015-01-22
January 23, 2015Board Game Review – Survive: Escape from Atlantis
January 23, 2015Question: What do the following Cleveland professional team owners have in common: The Indians’ Hank Greenberg and Vernon Stouffer, the Browns’ Art Modell, and the Cavaliers’ Ted Stepien?
Answer: As Cleveland fans know, they each at least had a plan in place to move one of our beloved franchises out of town. The fact that Modell is the only one who succeeded doesn’t mean the others’ intentions don’t deserve acknowledgement.
During his playing days (mostly) with the Detroit Tigers, Hank Greenberg blazed an important trail as the first Jewish sports superstar in America. He suffered on-field derision that clearly was not discouraged by baseball commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis. He served almost four full years in the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II.
But according to some baseball historians, Greenberg was also culpable for the collapse of the Cleveland Indians in the 1950s. He was the general manager who preceded the infamous Frank “Trader” Lane. He also was a part-owner, and eventually forged a deal to move the club to Minneapolis. The Indians’ ownership team vetoed the move at the last minute.
Vernon Stouffer, the Cleveland frozen food magnate, first owned a piece of the Indians in 1964, when he feared the team was in danger of moving to Seattle. Stouffer was already deeply in debt when his company’s stock value was reduced by half, in 1968. The Indians franchise suffered from some lousy baseball decisions, harmful cuts in player development funding, and poor attendance. In 1970, he had an agreement in place to sell twenty-five percent of the team to a New Orleans group. In what many considered the first step on a slippery slope toward a full move of the franchise, 30 Cleveland home games were to be played in the Superdome. The league stepped in and stopped the sale. Stouffer wound up rejecting an offer by future New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, before selling to Nick Mileti.
Art Modell’s betrayal continues to haunt Cleveland, almost twenty years later. The expansion replacement team the city currently calls the Browns is synonymous with losing. Modell made bad financial decisions, and he’d refused to entertain an early overture by Cleveland’s Gateway initiative to be included in that project. He’d lobbied for the relatively fringe city of Jacksonville to be awarded an expansion franchise, instead of the open, established NFL market in Baltimore. Then he arranged to move to Baltimore himself, in secret, without approaching the city of Cleveland for a workable deal.
For Modell, selling the team to a Cleveland buyer was out of the question. It was the family business, and he wanted to keep it in the family. Of course, after receiving a mountain of Maryland cash and some sweetheart bank loans, Modell was still not out of the hole; he wound up selling the team anyway—to a Baltimore buyer.
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Ted Stepien is widely considered one of the worst U.S. sports owners—ever. The Pittsburgh native’s racism was clearly evident when he discussed targeting the racial makeup of the Cavaliers. His goal was to quickly assemble a playoff team; unfortunately, he was wholly inept at player evaluation. He traded virtually all of his top draft picks for marginal players, until the NBA stepped in and stopped him. The league instituted The Stepien Rule, which forbids teams from trading draft picks in consecutive years. Writer Burt Graeff (author of CAVS From Fitch to Fratello) has shared that while coaching in Dallas, Dick Motta “said that he was afraid to go to lunch because he would miss a call from Ted Stepien.” Stepien’s teams, which were the first to be known locally as the “Cleveland Cadavers,” seemed to be a revolving door for head coaches, and they remained solidly entrenched in last place.
The guy actually ran off announcer Joe Tait, who even by the early 1980s was a local icon. Tait, forthright as ever, had publicly criticized Stepien’s handling of the team, which the owner was unable to tolerate.
With attendance and money reduced to a trickle, Stepien considered re-labeling the team the “Ohio Cavaliers,” and sharing home games with Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Toronto. (Older Cleveland fans will recall that Cleveland had been a viable market, in a similar manner, for the 1960s NBA Cincinnati Royals.) Ultimately, Ted Stepien planned to move the franchise to Toronto, renaming it the “Toronto Towers.” He publicly discussed as much, in appearances north of the border. In Cleveland, he was tight-lipped. Cleveland sports radio host Pete Franklin shone a light on Stepien’s plan, and was merciless in his nightly, withering criticism of the owner.
With Stepien, something had to give. The NBA had tentative plans to merge the franchise with the Pacers, in Indianapolis. Ultimately, NBA legal counsel (and future commissioner) David Stern brokered a deal with Gordon Gund of Cleveland, who in 1983 agreed to purchase the team.
The Cavaliers’ general manager at the time was Harry Weltman. He was a local guy (Glenville High School/Baldwin Wallace), and an established basketball mind, with experience back to his ABA days with the Spirits of St. Louis (which was where he had given Bob Costas his first broadcasting job). Weltman’s first task was restoring some of the team’s public relations mess. He brought Joe Tait back to his role as the Cavs’ broadcaster.
Weltman’s player deals from 1982 to 1986 with the Cavaliers (he actually popularized the name “Cavs”, which he considered “punchy and strong”) were a decidedly mixed bag. The GM moved some of Stepien’s players for new faces—and draft picks. He’d acquire John “Hot Rod” Williams, Brad Daugherty, Ron Harper, Mark Price, and Johnny Newman, just before yielding the GM post to Wayne Embry. That of course was the nucleus of the Lenny Wilkens-coached playoff teams. Unfortunately, he bypassed Karl Malone in the draft. He’d drafted local Clevelander Charles Oakley- and traded him in a draft day deal.
Perhaps Weltman’s most important deal, however: in 1982, Harry Weltman made World B. Free a Cleveland Cavalier.
[Related: Cavs Rank — At No. 10, it’s World B. Free]
By this point, Free was an established veteran. He’d been an All Star shooting guard, and had twice finished second in the league in scoring, both times behind the San Antonio Spurs’ George “The Iceman” Gervin. Contrary to his image, Free was more than a gunner through much of his career. He was equally adept at banging inside, finishing and rebounding, as he was releasing his high, arching jump shot from behind his head. He actually led the league in getting to the foul line a couple seasons.
Readers may recall the Reggie Miller move, where he would take a jump shot while kicking out his leg. He’d make contact with the defender who was running out to guard him, and stumble or flop to sell the foul. This was World B. Free’s move, originally.
So while Free was a banger, it is true he was a gunner, as well. He talked about how important it was for him to “hit that first one.” If he did, especially if it was a swish, the confidence would build. It’s a sentiment shooters from all levels understand, but World B. Free was able to indulge this attitude on a nightly basis, at the highest level of competition, for an entire career. This, despite several teams announcing official “Stop World Free Nights” – if the home team could hold him to under 20 points, everyone would get a free ticket. (It appears every one of the teams that tried this, lost.)
Free, whose given name was Lloyd, had been given the moniker “World” by a local guy back home, in Brooklyn. Apparently, this individual was the man who handed out nicknames to basketball players. (He nicknamed James “Fly” Williams, who later inspired the chant at Austin Peay games: “The Fly’s Open, Let’s Go Peay!” He also gave Dwayne “Pearl” Washington his nickname – taunting him as an eight-year-old: “Who do you think you are, Pearl Monroe?”) Free was doing 360-degree dunks in junior high school, and the sage began calling him “All World.” Free legally changed his name, from Lloyd to World, while with the Golden State Warriors in 1981.
The enduring affection many fans have for World B. Free is owed to his convivial attitude. A 1985 Los Angeles Times article referred to him as a ”stocky, balding, gap-toothed bundle of fun.” Sure, he was selfish, in a confident way. Top athletes need to be. But he was also very down-to-earth. He remained just one of the guys back home in Brooklyn.
As John Kuntz of the Plain Dealer has mentioned, Free posed for photos and signed autographs. His quotes drew smiles: “You can drug test me for anything except Budweiser.” While talking about getting benched in high school: “I needed a rubber band to keep my head up.” He was open in talking about the perceived slights he received by other (especially younger) players. Once, when Free was with the Cavaliers, the Lakers’ Byron Scott had bragged that he’d shut down Free when he previously defended him. Free wound up torching Scott the next time they squared off, hitting 7 of 10 shots for 16 points in the first half. He led the Cavs to victory.
By the time World B. Free arrived in Cleveland, he was on the downside of his career; the gunner part of his game was pretty much all that remained. A shooter without a conscience.
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By 1984, with owner Gordon Gund installed as team owner, newly-hired head coach George Karl had led the Cavs to a 2-19 record to begin the season. Attendance was low, and some of the patrons who did attend games heckled Karl. He was oblivious to the barbs, but his wife found it tough to bear. As a rookie coach in the 1980s, he faced a set of special challenges. For example, Karl speaks of getting teed-up and ejected by an official, for stating that a call was “atrocious.” Karl describes the season in his book, This Game is the Best!: So Why Don’t They Quit Screwing With It?.
There were no expectations for the 1984 Cavaliers team. They had one star, shooting guard World B. Free, and a crew of role players. John Bagley was the point guard. (By the way, at least for a time, it was as common to see Bagley jack a 30 foot jumper as it was to see Free do it.) Lonnie Shelton was one hard-working, blue-collar ‘big’; Phil Hubbard out of Canton was another. They were Karl’s “glue guys.” Roy Hinson was the power forward.
The slow start for the team was mirrored by the play of World B. Free. After ten games, he suffered a groin injury; when he returned, Karl began to play him off the bench for the first time in the 31 year-old Free’s career.
Eventually, even though he was ‘just’ a shooter by this time, Karl realized he needed Free to start. He made a deal with the player. If Free could at least show commitment at the defensive end of the floor- if he would at least “fake it”- Karl would ensure he’d get twenty shots a game. He was encouraged to take three-point shots; Free would end up near the top of the league in the number of threes made as well as three-point field goal percentage (the NBA had instituted the three-point line in 1979).
It began to work. Free showed effort, and got his shots. When he began to dog it a little, Karl would give him fewer minutes. That had never happened to World before.
After the 1984-1985 All Star break, the Cleveland Cavaliers boasted the fourth best record in the NBA. They had begun to string short winning streaks together, and fans and players alike began paying attention. For the final game, the New Jersey Nets were in town. If the Cavs won, they’d reach the playoffs. The fans- including the detractors from months earlier- gave George Karl a standing ovation before the game. The Cavs won, 114-100- and the crowd of 10,000-plus demanded and received a curtain call from the team afterward. The players –led by World B. Free- hoisted Karl on their shoulders and carried him off the court. Karl received the key to the city from the mayor of Cleveland.
The Cavs fought admirably during the intense five-game playoff series with Larry Bird and the elite Boston Celtics. They led each game late, but fell to the Celtics 3-1. The three games lost were by three, two, and two. Questionable calls by the officials went Boston’s way.
The next season, fissures in the relationship between Harry Weltman and George Karl widened. Weltman was micro-managing his coach, and Karl chafed under the constant attention. It was time for George Karl to move on.
But after coming perilously close to their demise, the Cavs were back. Who, then, was their savior? Joe Tait credits Harry Weltman, who “held the team together” through the dark years of Ted Stepien. He calls World B. Free’s contributions “very important.” And as the coach who led the 1984-85 team from 2-19 to their first playoffs in nine seasons, George Karl belongs in that conversation as well.
13 Comments
Great article. Stouffer was a drunk who reneged on the deal to sell the Tribe to Steinbrenner, showed up drunk off his tail and nixed it all on the day of signing the paperwork. Pluto has some of that in his Rocky Colavito book.
The photo is sublime.
Man, I saw a lot of concerts at the Coliseum.
Excellent read as always sir! I didn’t know how bad Stepien was exactly because I was too young (just vaguely heard his named uttered in disdain by my parents)–but I met him in college. The fact that he came to my business class to impart his wisdom is now especially hilarious to me.
The comment about “questionable” calls by the officials against Boston in the playoffs is a major understatement. Robbery is more like it. Anyone who watched that series will concur (except Boston Fans). There is no way the NBA was going to allow Cleveland to oust Boston and thereby spoiling a chance for a Lakers/Celtics Finals. The Cavs totally outplayed Boston and if you asked Bird today (knowing how honest he is), he’d say the same thing. Free averaged 26 points a game in that series and really was the heart and soul of that team. The way the Cavs were playing at the end of the season, they could have beaten anyone in the NBA. They were playing that good. Funny thing is, at the start of the next season, the Cavs opened up against the Lakers in LA. The Lakers were receiving their rings that night for winning the NBA Championship the year before. The Cavaliers, led by Edgar Jones and World Free ran the Lakers off the Court beating them like a drum 129-111.
Great article, Greg. I lived the Stepien days, and it was worse than awful – he was truly a laughing stock, and we couldn’t even utter the usual Cleveland fan’s refrain about waiting til next year, because he had traded away the next 5 years or whatever draft picks. Nice for you to recount the building blocks that led to those great teams when we were thinking there was no chance until the next millennium.
Great article, well told. I think I always learn something new from your articles (I’m a child of the 80s). Thanks.
Wow I had forgotten- thanks. https://books.google.com/books?id=e1BbdxCoZAUC&printsec=frontcover&dq=terry+pluto&hl=en&sa=X&ei=50fFVJKoFtHxggSF0ILwAg&ved=0CEoQuwUwBw#v=onepage&q=stouffer&f=false
Agree on the photo. Scott posted it.
We probably went to some of the same ones. Favorites?
Wow!
Someone once was telling me about life around his old softball complex – anyone have stories?
Yeah, I could have focused on those playoffs more. good points.
I really learn a lot doing an article like this, too. Appreciate it.
Off the top of my head…The Kinks, Prince, Kiss, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Ozzy Osbourne, Dio, David Lee Roth, Metallica, Genesis…
Yeah, saw some great concerts there as well. I’ll throw out one I haven’t seen from anyone. Remember Blue Oyster Cult?? Saw them there in 1982. Saw the Allman Brothers there as well. I miss that building. Every time I drive by there and see that empty field, I just think of all the fantastic memories.