Categories: Editorials

10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Cleveland Cavaliers

Published by

Brad Sullivan

11 years ago

1. What Might Have Been

The Cavaliers’ nickname came out of a contest in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where the winner would receive the now-dubious prize of season tickets for the team’s first season. The contest was first announced in mid-February 1970, and the five finalists were narrowed down in March of that year.

Besides the Cavaliers, the 11,000+ voting had the option of these four other choices: Jays, Foresters. Towers or Presidents. In truth, only two of those seemingly had a connection to Cleveland, since the city used to be known as “The Forest City,” and remains home of the Terminal Tower.

In the end, the Cavaliers was chosen on more than one-third of the 6,000+ ballots and became forever connected to basketball in Cleveland. What swayed the judges was the explanation of the local winner: “The name Cleveland Cavaliers represents a group of daring, fearless men whose life’s pact was never surrender, no matter what the odds.”

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Brad Sullivan

Brad Sullivan is a lead writer for Cavaliers Nation. He has spent much of life in the Cleveland, Ohio area, and has remained a Cavalier fan from their 1970 beginnings through the return of LeBron James. While that fandom was sorely tested during the Reign of Error known simply by one word, Stepien, that overall historical perspective will be part of his writing for Cavaliers Nation in the months ahead.