The Seventies

Owned by trucking company executive Larry Hatfield, the Southern California Sun were charter members of the World Football League in 1974. They played their home games at Anaheim Stadium, pre-dating the arrival of the Rams in Orange County by several years. The Sun posted...

The Shreveport Steamer began as the Houston Texans (no relation to the current NFL team), a charter member of the World Football League (WFL) in 1974. Halfway through the season, the team moved to Louisiana. Radio legend Larry King was part of the Steamer...

The original World Team Tennis (WTT) was a pro tennis league formed in 1974 by many of the same people that brought the sports world the likes of the American Basketball Association, the World Hockey Association, and the World Football League. The league folded...

The original San Diego Sockers began as the Baltimore Comets in the old North American Soccer League (NASL) in 1974. The team moved to San Diego in 1976, where they became the Jaws. A year later, they were the Las Vegas Quicksilvers, before returning...

Lincoln Mall opened in 1973 at the corner of U.S. Route 30 and Cicero Avenue in Matteson, Illinois. For the next 42 years shoppers to roamed its two levels, four anchor stores, and 250,000 square feet of retail space. In 2015, the inside of...

After debuting with the rest of the World Hockey Association (WHA) in 1972, the financially struggling New York Raiders became the New York Golden Blades in 1973 under new ownership. That lasted just 20 games before the league took over the team and moved...

The Chicago Cougars were members of the World Hockey Association from 1972 to 1975. They played their home games at the now demolished International Amphitheater on the South Side. Their mascot was a giant cartoon cougar called Clawford.

??The Cleveland Crusaders were charter members of the??World Hockey Association??in 1972. The team played first at the old Cleveland Arena before moving to the??Coliseum??in 1974. In 1976, the team moved to Minnesota to become the second incarnation of the Fighting Saints.??

The Orlando Panthers played in the Continental Football League as well as the Atlantic Coast Football League, from 1965 to 1971 and were one of the most successful minor league football teams in history, both on the field and at the gate. Their home...

Sandy's was a hamburger chain founded in Peoria, Illinois in 1956 by four businessmen who originally planned to open a McDonald's franchise. After a disagreement with McDonald's head Ray Kroc, the four men struck out on their own, naming their burger joint Sandy's. The...

The Detroit Printing Co-Op was founded by Freddy Perlman, a prolific and widely respected political writer and thinker. Perlman and his wife Lorraine printed all the books published by their press, Black & Red, at the co-op from 1970-1980. Other groups made use of...

Gray Drug was founded in 1912. In the 1960s it bought Cincinnati-based Rink's discount department store, later merging it with Cleveland's Bargain City. The drug store chain to over 100 stores by the 1970s. In 1987, Gray Drug was acquired by Rite Aid.

The Columbus Magic played in the old American Soccer league in 1979 and 1980. Their home pitch was Franklin County Stadium which was also used by the Clippers at that time.

Known for the Tee Pee that sat a top its buildings, this restaurant was an Indianapolis institution for nearly 50 years. All 3 locations of the Tee Pee restaurant closed in 1978.

The Force was with soccer fans in Cleveland from 1978 to 1988 as charter members of the Major Indoor Soccer League. The team name was resurrected when the Cleveland Crunch, founded in 1989, changed its name to the Force in 2002.

Hudepohl??introduced its light beer, Hudy Delight, in 1978 and the new brew quickly gained a following for its crisp taste.

Opened in 1978, it was one of the first dedicated water parks in the United States. It quickly became for its array of thrilling, yet dangerous, rides and attractions. Multiple injuries to patrons and several subsequent lawsuits forced the park to close in 1996.•...

The Lit Brothers, Samuel and Jacob, opened their first department store in Philadelphia in 1891 at the corner of North Eighth and Market Streets. After adding several suburban locations, the whole operation shut down in 1977.

The Cincinnati Suds were a men's professional softball team and founding members of the American Professional Slow Pitch League (APSPL) where they played for four seasons (1977-1980). In 1981, the Suds then joined the United Professional Softball League (UPSL) for the 1981 and 1982...

The Oakland Stompers played in the original North American Soccer League for just one season. Founded as the Hartford Bicentennials??in 1975, the team moved to Oakland in 1978. In 1979, the team was purchased by Peter Pocklington, who also owned the Edmonton Oilers hockey...

Northland Mall opened in 1964 as an open-air, plaza-style shopping center. It was enclosed in 1975 and became a proper mall. The subsequent opening of three other large shopping centers close by led to the mall's demise. It closed in 2002 and demolished in...

The Cavs went from 6 and 11 in November of 1975 to making their first ever play-off appearance in April of 1976. They miraculously beat the Washington Bullets 4 games to 3, capturing Game 7 at home in the Richfield Coliseum.

"Positive waves" was a slogan used by the Indianapolis Racers hockey team who played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1974 to 1978. In 1979, the Indianapolis Checkers were granted an expansion franchise in the Central Hockey League.

After the Central Hockey League (CHL) version of the Stingers folded 33 games into the 1979/80 season, Cincinnati was left without a pro hockey team for the first time since 1974, when the American Hockey League's Swords folded. The Tigers hit the ice in...

Jacksonville fielded a team called the Sharks in the first season of the World Football League??in 1974. Owned by a women's undergarments magnate, they lasted just 14 games before sinking in a sea of debt. The following season, a new group of owners established...

The World Football League (WFL) kicked off in July of 1974 as a rival to the established National Football League (NFL). At first, it seemed like it would be a serious rival to the NFL. After all, league founder Gary Davidson had already formed...

The Charlotte Hornets began as the New York Stars, a charter member of the World Football League in 1974. Just before week 14 of that season, the team left the Big Apple and headed to North Carolina. The team drew a lot more fans down...

The Carolina Cougars began as the Houston Mavericks, charter members of the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1967. The club relocated to North Carolina in 1969, splitting home games between Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro. The latter is where they played most of their games...

The original San Jose Earthquakes played in the old North American Soccer League?? (NASL)??beginning in 1974. In 1983 and 1984, they were known as the Golden Bay Earthquakes and played in the Major Indoor Soccer League??(MISL) while still fielding the outdoor team. They left...

The Florida Flamingos were charter members of World Team Tennis??(WTT) in 1974. There home court was the Miami Beach Convention Center. The club was contracted for the 1975 WTT season.