August 20, 2014 Hall Of Fame Catalog Auction (#42)

Lot #135:

1967-68 Leroy Wright Pittsburgh Pipers ABA Championship Trophy (First Year Of ABA • Wright LOA • BBHoF LOA)

In the inaugural 1967-68 season of the ABA, the Pittsburgh Pipers, led by Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins, won the Eastern Division title and faced off against the New Orleans Bucs in the Championship Finals. In a hard fought seven-game series, the Pipers emerged as the victor to win the very first ABA title. These individual championship trophies were presented to Wright and his Pipers teammates after winning the 1968 ABA Finals. The trophy weighs .75 lbs., stands 9” tall with a wooden base that measures 3-1/2” x 3-1/2” x 3-1/2”. The trophy features a basketball player at the top holding a ball. The wooden base contains a 2” x 3” metal plaque that reads “LEROY WRIGHT - Pittsburgh Pipers - A.B.A. Champions 1967-68” along with Wright’s photo. The trophy is in NRMT condition. To our knowledge, this is the only Championship Trophy from the ABA’s inaugural season to ever be offered publicly. Limited photos are available, the trophy matches the style of Connie Hawkins’ 1967-68 MVP Trophy with a screen printed metal plate featuring the player’s photo. Accompanied by a LOA from Leroy Wright.

Please note that a correction and/or update has been made to this lot and the printed catalog differs from what is online.