Cleveland Pipers's guest appearances

Cleveland Pipers

Good Seats Still Available

Mike Carey

Bob Ross

Michael Lewis

Randy Hahn

Dave Coleman

Rob Brown

John Oreovicz

Bob Moore

Jim O'Brien

Matt Stone

Scott Morrison

Matthew Algeo

Rick Davis

Sean McIndoe

Paul Goldberger

OwlTail

George Steinbrenner

Bill Livingston

Award-winning Cleveland Plain Dealer sports columnist Bill Livingston (George Steinbrenner’s Pipe Dream: The ABL Champion Cleveland Pipers) joins Tim Hanlon to delve deeper into the history of the ill-fated 1960s American Basketball League – this time through the lens of one of its (and ultimately, one of pro sports’) most combustible figures.  Livingston describes how Pipers owner (and future New York Yankees “Boss”) George Steinbrenner:         • Retooled a local Cleveland industrial amateur team into a fledgling pro club with NBA ambitions;         • Traded a player at halftime of a league game, and fired his collegiate hall-of-fame coach in mid-season – and still won a championship;         • Convinced a risk-averse college star named Jerry Lucas to spurn surefire NBA stardom with the Cincinnati Royals for partial ownership/oversight of an ambitious, yet financially wobbly ABL franchise; and        •  Outmaneuvered a similarly-aspirant Abe Saperstein in the race to secure a coveted NBA franchise, only to hasten the demise of the ABL and the financial viability of the Pipers in the process. Thank you Audible for sponsoring this week’s episode!

Award-winning Cleveland Plain Dealer sports columnist Bill Livingston (George Steinbrenner’s Pipe Dream: The ABL Champion Cleveland Pipers) joins Tim Hanlon to delve deeper into the history of the ill-fated 1960s American Basketball League – this time through the lens of one of its (and ultimately, one of pro sports’) most combustible figures.  Livingston describes how Pipers owner (and future New York Yankees “Boss”) George Steinbrenner:         • Retooled a local Cleveland industrial amateur team into a fledgling pro club with NBA ambitions;         • Traded a player at halftime of a league game, and fired his collegiate hall-of-fame coach in mid-season – and still won a championship;         • Convinced a risk-averse college star named Jerry Lucas to spurn surefire NBA stardom with the Cincinnati Royals for partial ownership/oversight of an ambitious, yet financially wobbly ABL franchise; and        •  Outmaneuvered a similarly-aspirant Abe Saperstein in the race to secure a coveted NBA franchise, only to hasten the demise of the ABL and the financial viability of the Pipers in the process. Thank you Audible for sponsoring this week’s episode!

020: George Steinbrenner’s Cleveland Pipers with Sportswriter Bill Livingston   