# Philadelphia Tapers

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The **Philadelphia Tapers** were an American professional [basketball](/source/Basketball) team that played a partial 1962–1963 season in the [American Basketball League (1961–1962)](/source/American_Basketball_League_(1961%E2%80%931962)). It traces its history to the 1950s AAU **New York Tapers**.

## AAU New York Tapers

Originally the amateur New York Tapers, the team played in the [NABL](/source/National_Alliance_of_Basketball_Leagues) and was sponsored by Technical Tape Corporation, makers of [Tuck](/source/Tuck_tape) brand adhesive and recording tapes. The Tapers were a top [AAU](/source/Amateur_Athletic_Union) club team in the 1950s featuring many former collegiate stars and pro players.

## Washington Tapers 1961–1962

The American Basketball League played one full season, [1961](/source/1961_in_sports)–[1962](/source/1962_in_sports), and part of the next season until the league folded on December 31, 1962. The ABL was the first basketball league to have a [three point shot](/source/Three-point_field_goal) for baskets scored far away from the goal. Other rules that set the league apart were a [30-second shooting clock](/source/Shot_clock) and a wider [free throw lane](/source/Free_throw_lane), 18 feet instead of the standard 12.

The American Basketball League was formed when [Abe Saperstein](/source/Abe_Saperstein) did not get the Los Angeles [National Basketball Association](/source/National_Basketball_Association) (NBA) franchise he sought. His [Harlem Globetrotters](/source/Harlem_Globetrotters) had strong NBA ties. When [Minneapolis Lakers](/source/Minneapolis_Lakers) owner [Bob Short](/source/Bob_Short) was permitted to move the Lakers to Los Angeles, Saperstein reacted by convincing [National Alliance of Basketball Leagues](/source/National_Alliance_of_Basketball_Leagues) (NABL) team owner Paul Cohen (Tuck Tapers) and [Amateur Athletic Union](/source/Amateur_Athletic_Union) (AAU) National Champion [Cleveland Pipers](/source/Cleveland_Pipers) owner [George Steinbrenner](/source/George_Steinbrenner) to take the top NABL and AAU teams and players and form a rival league.[1]

The league's franchises were: the [Chicago Majors](/source/Chicago_Majors) (1961-1963); [Cleveland Pipers](/source/Cleveland_Pipers) (1961-1962); [Kansas City Steers](/source/Kansas_City_Steers) (1961-1963); [Long Beach Chiefs](/source/Long_Beach_Chiefs) (1961-1963), as [Hawaii Chiefs](/source/Hawaii_Chiefs) in 1961-62; [Los Angeles Jets](/source/Los_Angeles_Jets) (1961-1962) — disbanded during season); [Oakland Oaks](/source/Oakland_Oaks_(ABL)) (1961-1963), as [San Francisco Saints](/source/San_Francisco_Saints_(ABL)) in 1961-62; Philadelphia Tapers (1961-1963), as [Washington Tapers](/source/Washington_Tapers) in 1961-62 — moved to New York during 1961-62 season, as [New York Tapers](/source/New_York_Tapers); and the [Pittsburgh Rens](/source/Pittsburgh_Rens) (1961-1963).[1]

When Saperstein's [American Basketball League](/source/American_Basketball_League_(1961%E2%80%931962)) was born in 1961, Tuck Tape owner Paul Cohen purchased a franchise, gave it the Tapers name, and placed it in [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington,_D.C.) (playing at the [Washington Coliseum](/source/Uline_Arena)). Cohen signed [Gene Conley](/source/Gene_Conley), who had played for the [Boston Celtics](/source/Boston_Celtics) and pitched for the [Milwaukee Braves](/source/Milwaukee_Braves). While with the Tapers, Conley often accompanied Paul Cohen on sales calls for his Tuck Tape Company.[2]

The team was a failure in Washington, and Cohen transplanted the franchise mid-season — on January 2, 1962 — to [Commack, New York](/source/Commack,_New_York), renaming it the New York Tapers.[3] They played their final game in New York at [Long Island Arena](/source/Long_Island_Arena) on March 14, 1962.[4]

## Philadelphia Tapers 1962–1963

When the ABL began their second season in 1962, the Tapers moved to Philadelphia, where Cohen hoped to take advantage of the NBA [Philadelphia Warriors](/source/Philadelphia_Warriors)' (and [Wilt Chamberlain](/source/Wilt_Chamberlain)’s) departure to San Francisco. [Harvey Pollack](/source/Harvey_Pollack) kept the Tapers' statistics as he had for the Warriors.[5] The Tapers hired Mario Perri to coach the team in Philadelphia. Perri had been the athletic director at the Technical Tape Corp where he coached the softball team to a national title.[6]

In a bizarre bit of scheduling, the team twice faced the Chicago Majors on November 15, winning the first game, 51-46, before dropping the nightcap, 65-63, in overtime. The Tapers played only 28 games during the abbreviated 1962–1963 season. The final game was against the Chicago Majors in a neutral site game at the [Cleveland Arena](/source/Cleveland_Arena) on December 30, 1962.[4]

## Players

During their time, the Tapers had many outstanding players.

Star of the team was [Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets](/source/Georgia_Tech_Yellow_Jackets) guard [Roger Kaiser](/source/Roger_Kaiser), who later became a college coach at [West Georgia College](/source/University_of_West_Georgia) and [Life College](/source/Life_College).

Another star was 6'10" center [Bill Chmielewski](/source/Bill_Chmielewski), out of the [University of Dayton](/source/University_of_Dayton). In 1964, he was selected in the [NBA](/source/National_Basketball_Association) draft by the [Cincinnati Royals](/source/Cincinnati_Royals), but never played in the NBA.[7][8]

Also starring on the team was [Sylvester Blye](/source/Sylvester_Blye), a strapping 6-9 player who saw his college career at [Seattle University](/source/Seattle_University) quashed after one game when officials discovered that he had been playing professionally for the touring [Harlem Clowns](/source/Harlem_Clowns). Blye then went to work for Tuck Tape and became the team's signature player. He was known as a legend in the [New York Rucker league](/source/Rucker_Park) and was a full-fledged star in the ABL, but no [NBA](/source/National_Basketball_Association) team ever called on him after the league's demise.

Another notable Taper was point guard [Cleo Hill](/source/Cleo_Hill), who was a superstar at [Winston-Salem State University](/source/Winston-Salem_State_University) several years prior to [Earl Monroe](/source/Earl_Monroe). Hill was a number one draft pick of the NBA [St. Louis Hawks](/source/St._Louis_Hawks) but was cut a year later. His stay with the Tapers also did not result in a call by any NBA teams.

## ABL year-by-year

Year League Reg. season Playoffs 1961/62 ABL 4th, Eastern Semifinals 1962/63 ABL 5th No playoff

## Media coverage

The Tapers got radio coverage in Washington on [WTOP](/source/WFED). They didn't have any radio or television in New York or Philadelphia.

## Game log Washington 1961

### First half

#### November

Record: 3-14; Home: 1-6; Road:0-1; Neutral: 2-7

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site 1 November 2 H Chicago Majors W 65-64 1-0 5,500 Washington Coliseum 2 November 4 H Chicago Majors L 87-101 1-1 2,000 Washington Coliseum 3 November 7 H Hawaii Chiefs L 76-91 1-2 1,196 Washington Coliseum 4 November 9 H Hawaii Chiefs W 92-91 2-2 1,800 Washington Coliseum 5 November 10 N Pittsburgh Rens L 88-111 2-3 500 Norfolk Arena 6 November 11 H Pittsburgh Rens L 84-95 2-4 350 Washington Coliseum 7 November 13 N Chicago Majors L 87-97 2-5 5,000 L.C. Walker Arena 8 November 15 N Chicago Majors L 91-96 2-6 6,500 Lansing Civic Center 9 November 17 H Hawaii Chiefs W 100-89 3-6 489 Washington Coliseum 10 November 18 H Hawaii Chiefs W 119-110 4-6 1,775 Washington Coliseum 11 November 21 H Kansas City Steers L 110-124 4-7 Washington Coliseum 12 November 22 N Kansas City Steers L 96-106 4-8 743 Richmond Arena 13 November 24 H San Francisco Saints L 92-95 4-9 350 Washington Coliseum 14 November 25 H San Francisco Saints W 91-88 OT 5-9 Washington Coliseum 15 November 27 A Pittsburgh Rens L 94-111 5-10 3,596 Pittsburgh Civic Auditorium 16 November 29 N Los Angeles Jets W 103-100 6-10 3,872 Pittsburgh Civic Auditorium

#### December

Record: 7-12; Home: 3-4; Road: 3-7; Neutral: 1-1

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site 17 December 1 A Hawaii Chiefs L 83-93 6-11 2,471 Honolulu Civic Auditorium 18 December 2 A Hawaii Chiefs L 83-102 6-12 2,868 Honolulu Civic Auditorium 19 December 3 A Hawaii Chiefs W 90-86 7-12 1,846 Honolulu Civic Auditorium 20 December 4 A Hawaii Chiefs W 122-117 8-12 1,611 Conroy Bowl 21 December 5 A Hawaii Chiefs L 93-115 8-13 1,509 Honolulu Civic Auditorium 22 December 9 A Los Angeles Jets L 99-115 8-14 938 Olympic Auditorium 23 December 10 A Los Angeles Jets W 101-100 9-14 1,773 Olympic Auditorium 24 December 12 N Hawaii Chiefs L 81-84 9-15 1,562 Olympic Auditorium 25 December 13 A San Francisco Saints L 89-94 9-16 3,384 Cow Palace 26 December 15 H Cleveland Pipers W 108-100 10-16 Washington Coliseum 27 December 16 H Cleveland Pipers L 84-99 10-17 5,745 Washington Coliseum 28 December 17 N Cleveland Pipers W 90-88 11-17 6,293 Pittsburgh Civic Auditorium 29 December 19 H Los Angeles Jets L 96-102 11-18 1,000 Washington Coliseum 30 December 20 H Los Angeles Jets L 89-93 11-19 Washington Coliseum 31 December 21 H Los Angeles Jets L 96-102 11-20 Washington Coliseum 32 December 26 H Cleveland Pipers W 109-108 12-20 1,110 Washington Coliseum 33 December 28 H Cleveland Pipers W 123-106 13-20 1,197 Washington Coliseum 34 December 29 A Cleveland Pipers L 98-124 13-21 3,518 Public Hall 35 December 30 A Cleveland Pipers L 104-108 13-22 7,218 Public Hall 36 December 31 A Chicago Majors W 96-92 14-22 5,163 Chicago Stadium

## Game log New York 1962

### First half

#### January

Record: 3-12 total, 0-6 first half; Home: 1-2 total, 0-0 first half; Road: 2-9 total, 0-6 first half; Neutral: 0-1 total, 0-0 first half

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site 37 January 2 A Los Angeles Jets L 104-112 14-23 583 Olympic Auditorium 38 January 4 A Los Angeles Jets L 104-107 14-24 1,165 Olympic Auditorium 39 January 6 A Kansas City Steers L 88-118 14-25 1,168 Municipal Auditorium 40 January 7 A Kansas City Steers L 90-110 14-26 908 Municipal Auditorium 41 January 9 A Cleveland Pipers L 124-141 14-27 2,114 Admiral King High School in Lorain, Ohio 42 January 11 A Chicago Majors L 99-109 14-28 13,012 Chicago Stadium

### Second half

Record January second half only: 3-6; home: 1-2; road: 2-3; neutral: 0-1

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site 43 January 15 N Kansas City Steers L 96-122 0-1 3,482 Pittsburgh Civic Auditorium 44 January 16 H Pittsburgh Rens L 97-105 0-1 1,600 Long Island Arena 45 January 17 N Chicago Majors L 95-115 0-3 2,143 Cleveland Arena 46 January 19 A San Francisco Saints L 104-118 0-4 9,978 Cow Palace 47 January 21 A San Francisco Saints L 105-108 0-5 3,862 Cow Palace 48 January 23 H Pittsburgh Rens W 129-123 1-5 261 Long Island Arena 49 January 25 A Pittsburgh Rens W 110-101 2-5 3,862 Pittsburgh Civic Auditorium 50 January 29 A Pittsburgh Rens L 107-124 2-6 3,783 Pittsburgh Auditorium 51 January 30 H Pittsburgh Rens W 114-93 3-6 244 Long Island Arena 52 January 31 A San Francisco Saints W 112-106 4-6 1,935 Civic Auditorium

#### February

Record: 9-6; Home:3-3; Road:1-5; Neutral: 1-3

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site 53 February 2 A San Francisco Saints L 98-101 4-7 3,269 Civic Auditorium 54 February 3 N San Francisco Saints L 109-113 4-8 2,338 Public Hall 55 February 4 A Cleveland Pipers W 112-109 5-8 1,523 Public Hall 56 February 7 N Pittsburgh Rens W 130-111 6-8 1,738 Public Hall 57 February 8 A Pittsburgh Rens L 115-129 6-9 3,917 Pittsburgh Civic Auditorium 58 February 10 H San Francisco Saints W 123-119 7-9 300 Long Island Arena 59 February 12 H San Francisco Saints W 109-100 8-9 1,300 Long Island Arena 60 February 13 H San Francisco Saints L 120-129 8-10 500 Long Island Arena 61 February 17 N Hawaii Chiefs W 103-85 9-10 5,700 Oklahoma City Municipal Auditorium 62 February 18 N Hawaii Chiefs L 103-105 9-11 5,000 Fairgrounds Pavilion 63 February 20 N Kansas City Steers L 106-114 9-12 10,064 Kiel Auditorium 64 February 21 A Kansas City Steers L 109-130 9-13 9,562 Municipal Auditorium 65 February 23 A Cleveland Pipers L 121-138 9-14 3,417 Cleveland Arena 66 February 24 H Pittsburgh Rens W 148-123 10-14 Long Island Arena 67 February 25 A Pittsburgh Rens L 99-117 10-15 2,083 Farrell High School 68 February 27 H Cleveland Pipers W 101-90 11-15 147 Long Island Arena 69 February 28 H Cleveland Pipers W 102-86 12-15 250 Long Island Arena

#### March

Record:5-7; Home:2-6; Road:0-0; Neutral: 1-0

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site 70 March 3 H Pittsburgh Rens L 87-98 12-16 1,500 Long Island Arena 71 March 5 H Chicago Majors L 98-102 12-17 1,183 Long Island Arena 72 March 7 H Chicago Majors W 106-94 13-17 112 Long Island Arena 73 March 8 H Kansas City Steers W 108-107 14-17 Long Island Arena 74 March 10 H Kansas City Steers L 104-112 14-18 762 Long Island Arena 75 March 13 H Hawaii Chiefs W 102-98 15-18 200 Long Island Arena 76 March 14 H Hawaii Chiefs L 95-110 15-19 Long Island Arena 77 March 15 N Pittsburgh Rens W 103-101 16-19 1,519 Public Hall 78 March 18 N Pittsburgh Rens L 104-114 16-20 5,200 New Haven Arena 79 March 20 A Kansas City Steers L 98-120 16-21 4,245 Municipal Auditorium 80 March 21 A Kansas City Steers L 101-110 16-22 1,218 Municipal Auditorium 81 March 22 N Cleveland Pipers W 100-98 17-22 3,943 Pittsburgh Civic Auditorium

### ABL second half preliminary round

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Attendance Site March 29 N Hawaii Chiefs W 125-116 OT 3,453 Pittsburgh Civic Auditorium

### Quarterfinal

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Attendance Site March 30 N Chicago Majors W 115-100 1,500 Cleveland Arena

### Semifinal

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Attendance Site March 31 N Cleveland Pipers L 84-105 300 Municipal Auditorium

## Game log 1962-63 Philadelphia

### November

Record: 3-5; Home:3-2; Road:0-2; Neutral: 0-1

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site 1 November 14 H Chicago Majors W 116-98 1-0 700 Convention Hall 2 November 15 H Chicago Majors W 51-46 2-0 see second game Convention Hall 3 November 15 H Chicago Majors L 63-65 OT 2-1 1,262 Convention Hall 4 November 18 A Pittsburgh Rens L 83-113 2-2 4,324 Civic Arena 5 November 21 H Pittsburgh Rens L 118-124 2-3 794 Philadelphia Arena 6 November 24 H Pittsburgh Rens W 100-98 3-3 1,794 Philadelphia Arena 7 November 25 A Pittsburgh Rens L 106-118 3-4 2,564 Civic Arena 8 November 26 N Pittsburgh Rens L 95-98 3-5 1,913 McKeesport Vocational High School

### December

Record: 7-13; Home: 4-2; Road: 1-10; Neutral: 2-1

Date H/A/N Opponent W/L Score Record Attendance Site 9 December 1 H Long Beach Chiefs L 86-93 3-6 3,479 Convention Hall 10 December 2 H Oakland Oaks W 89-79 4-6 1,556 Convention Hall 11 December 4 H Chicago Majors W 113-85 5-6 394 Convention Hall 12 December 6 H Oakland Oaks W 82-80 6-6 874 Convention Hall 13 December 8 N Oakland Oaks W 101-98 7-6 2,800 New Haven Arena 14 December 11 A Long Beach Chiefs W 106-102 8-6 1,088 Long Beach Arena 15 December 12 A Long Beach Chiefs L 89-99 8-7 704 Long Beach Arena 16 December 13 A Long Beach Chiefs L 90-94 8-8 764 Long Beach Arena 17 December 14 A Oakland Oaks L 84-86 8-9 1,764 Oakland Auditorium 18 December 15 A Oakland Oaks L 115-117 8-10 750 McClymonds High School 19 December 16 A Oakland Oaks L 102-104 8-11 1,845 Oakland Auditorium 20 December 18 A Kansas City Steers L 106-119 8-12 1,642 Municipal Auditorium 21 December 19 A Kansas City Steers L 84-117 8-13 1,902 Municipal Auditorium 22 December 20 A Kansas City Steers L 88-99 8-14 1,411 Municipal Auditorium 23 December 21 N Kansas City Steers L 107-111 8-15 3,500 Kiel Auditorium 24 December 23 A Kansas City Steers L 97-106 8-16 10,288 Municipal Auditorium 25 December 25 H Pittsburgh Rens W 110-102 9-16 3,574 Convention Hall 26 December 27 H Pittsburgh Rens L 95-110 9-17 2,382 Convention Hall 27 December 28 A Chicago Majors L 83-93 9-18 1,187 Chicago Stadium 28 December 30 N Chicago Majors W 95-86 10-18 7,000 Cleveland Arena

## References

1. ["History of the American Basketball League"](http://www.apbr.org/ablhist.html). *www.apbr.org*

1. Husman, John M. ["SABR Baseball Biography Project: Gene Conley"](http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/b5fecb6f). Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved 2016-01-18.

1. Bradley, Robert (1999). *Compendium of Professional Basketball*. Xaler Press. ISBN 0-9644774-3-2.

1. Sprechman, Jordan & Shannon, Bill (1998). *This Day in New York Sports*. Sports Museum Press. ISBN 1-57167-254-0.

1. Fitzpatrick, Frank (June 25, 2015). "Harvey Pollack, 76ers' legendary stat man, dies at 93". *[The Philadelphia Inquirer](/source/The_Philadelphia_Inquirer)*

1. Fitzpatrick, Frank (January 17, 2015). ["Remember the Philadelphia Tapers?"](http://mobile.philly.com/beta?wss=/philly/sports&id=365504511). *[The Philadelphia Inquirer](/source/The_Philadelphia_Inquirer)*. Retrieved 2016-01-18.

1. ["Bill Chmielewski Player Profile, Dayton, NCAA Stats, Awards - RealGM"](https://basketball.realgm.com/player/Bill-Chmielewski/Summary/68821). *basketball.realgm.com*

1. ["Ex-Dayton star keeps on playing"](https://www.post-gazette.com/life/senior-class/2005/06/09/Ex-Dayton-star-keeps-on-playing/stories/200506090406). *[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette](/source/Pittsburgh_Post-Gazette)*

## External links

- [Stats Crew: Philadelphia Tapers](http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballroster.php?team=PHT&year=1962)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Philadelphia Tapers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Tapers) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Tapers?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.