H5352 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD Ð HOUSE July 12, 1999 way to major league softball. They won mul- was a mixed bag but had four very strong Fred Zollner's organization. It was fun and ex- tiple national championships. Players were ce- teamsÐthe Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons, the tremely rewarding.'' lebrities. By the late 50s, as I was growing up, Rochester Royals (later moved to Cincinnati in For basketball buffs, there are two books softball was no longer as significant but I re- Hoosier Oscar Robertson days), George that most of this special order was based member my father talking about Leo Luken Mikan's Minneapolis Lakers (now the Los An- upon. Rodger Nelson has written the Zollner and Bernie Kampschmidt as if they were Nel- geles LakersÐever wonder where the lake Piston Story, covering both the basketball and lie Fox and Ernie Banks, my baseball heroes. was in LA?), and the Indianapolis Krautskys softball teams. Todd Gould has written a book After having success in softball, in 1939 (named after local grocery store owner Frank titled Pioneers of the Hardwood, about not Zollner fielded a team in a Chicago industrial Krautsky). These teams actually dominated only the Pistons but other early pro Indiana league tournament and never looked back. the NBA for most of its first years. basketball teams as well. Indiana, in the sec- The Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons were not Fort Maurice Podoloff, the Commissioner of the ond year of the merged leagues, had 3Ð Wayne's first pro basketball teamÐthe Fort BAA, came to Fort Wayne to Carl Bennett's threeÐof the NBA teams. Wayne Knights of Columbus (the Caseys) and home. After preliminary discussions, they were Let me close with several quotes from the the Fort Wayne Hoosiers were. And the Fort joined the next day by Fred Zollner and then Pioneers of the Hardwood, from former Fort Wayne General Electrics played in the NBL the Indianapolis Krautsky's owners in Fort Wayne Zollner Piston basketball stars. (National Basketball League) in 1937. The Wayne. The agreement to pull the four teams Frank Brian: ``Whenever I hear the song Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons left Fort Wayne at from the NBL and join with the BAA was the `Back Home Again in Indiana' I get real nos- the end of 1957 but continue today as the De- start of the NBA. Additional changes occurred talgic, because Indiana was like a second troit Pistons. over the next few years but the core remains home to me. The fans were so congenial and There were many eventful years in Fort until today. really loved their basketball. Basketball was its Wayne. The Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons brought own special culture there. When anybody ever For most of the Fort Wayne era, the Pistons many thrills to northeast Indiana, including one asks me about the fans in Indiana, there's played at the North Side High School gym. of the early NBA All-Star games which fea- only one word I can sayÐunbelievable. Yes, The enthusiastic fans and confined quarters tures such stars as George Mikan (whose sir, unbelievable. It was great.'' gave the Pistons a significant homecourt ad- 1948 basketball card is the most valuable of Hall-of-Famer George Yardley, the first Pis- vantage. Minneapolis Laker's star Slater Mar- all time), Bob Cousy and Dolph Schayes. The ton and the first NBA player in history to score tin was quoted on the courtside seating at then brand new Allen County War Memorial 2000 points in a season, said, ``If it's winter- North Side: ``I never really saw the fans get Coliseum was a showpiece arena, packed to time, and it's Indiana, it must mean basketball. physical with the players. I had them pull the the ceiling with over 10,000 fans. Over 8,000 The fans there were really wonderful. I loved hair on my legs through.'' came to see the Zollner Pistons defeat the it, truly loved it. It was the greatest experience Fred Zollner was key in keeping the NBL Boston Celtics, during Bill Russell's first visit in the world.'' (National Basketball League) solvent. He gave there. Yardley, a California boy and Stanford grad, direct financial aid to other teams, he pur- Fred Zollner's vision for Fort Wayne was for also said about Fort Wayne: ``My wife and I chased players for cash to help keep teams the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons to be to the didn't know what to expect when we got to afloat, and did other things to keep the league NBA what Green Bay was to professional foot- Fort Wayne. We had never seen snow before. going. Carl Bennett who's personal history ball. But, alas, it was not to be. New York, Major league sports to Fort Wayne was the with the Pistons is so intertwined with Zollner Chicago, Boston and other cities had millions Pistons. They were great basketball fans. But as to be inseparable said that Zollner never of people to draw from whereas Fort Wayne more importantly, they were great people. wanted anyone to know how he helped the had less than 200,000. But Fred Zollner not They wanted you to know that Fort Wayne leagueÐand pro basketballÐalive. only brought big-time basketball to a smaller was a great place to live, and they did every- Zollner treated his players well, being known size city, but he was instrumental in the found- thing they could to illustrate that to you. To throughout the league as a generous owner. ing of the NBA and much of its development. this day I believe that Fort Wayne has some He was the first owner to purchase a plane for Zollner saw the writing on the wall in the of the coldest weather and warmest people in the team. He did this even though he did not mid-fifties. He knew that the big-city teams the country.'' like to fly. It gave the Pistons such an advan- weren't thrilled to come to Fort Wayne. What In Fort Wayne we no longer have the Pis- tageÐplayers weren't as tired from travelingÐ may have finally pushed him over the edge, tons basketball team. We still have nearly that the league re-configured its schedule to according to long-time sports broadcaster and 1000 Zollner Pistons jobs that are part of the the disadvantage of Fort Wayne. Fort Wayne civic leader Hilliard Gates, was a backbone of our community. We have the Zollner was constantly upgrading his teamÐ situation that developed in 1955. Fred Zollner pride of having been there in the early days of which eventually led to repeat national titles. wanted badly to win an NBA championship. the NBA and now having one of our commu- The nation knew he was serious when he The Zollner Pistons made it to the finals. But nity leaders being honored by his selection signed ``Mr. Basketball''ÐBobby McDermott of the Fort Wayne Coliseum had booked the na- into the Basketball Hall of Fame. And we still the New York Celtics, then the most famous tional bowling tournament so the Pistons were have some of the coldest weather and warm- player in all of basketball famous for the tow- booted out of Fort Wayne for the NBA finals. est people in the country. ering two-hand set-shots typically from half- Now bowling was big in IndianaÐbowling still f courtÐor beyond. Paul ``Curly'' Armstrong was is very popular in IndianaÐbut it probably another favorite. wasn't the wisest move. The Fort Wayne Pis- TRIBUTE TO U.S. WOMEN'S The Zollner Pistons were also responsible tons lost four games to three, so the record NATIONAL SOCCER TEAM for the 24-second shot clock. When George should show that they did win all the games The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a Mikan, who was not only a giant of his day at played in Indianapolis. previous order of the House, the gentle- 6′10′′ but a talented athlete as well, changed Dick Rosenthal, who played as a Piston and woman from Florida (Mrs. MEEK) is the nature of basketball with his huge height later was the University of Notre Dame's ath- recognized for 5 minutes. advantage, the Pistons decided to try a dif- letic director, said about Fred Zollner: ``He was Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I ferent way to win. In Minneapolis, as the a man of vision. Fred nurtured professional rise today to pay tribute to the United crowd hollered, they stalled. It remainsÐand basketball from a very iffy proposition to a States women's national soccer team. always willÐas the lowest scoring game in major business venture. He embodied the soul Our soccer team won the women's NBA basketball history. 19±18. But the Fort of the organization and the league. Profes- World Cup. This tournament was held Wayne Zollner Pistons won. But the league sional basketball had come a long way. The this past weekend in Pasadena, Cali- said never again. game owes a great deal to the pioneer spirit fornia. Fred Zollner, coordinated by his able bas- of an owner like Fred Zollner.'' We are all very proud of our women's ketball specialist Carl Bennett, was key in cre- Carl Bennett, who crusaded to get Fred soccer team. The 1999 women's soccer ating the NBA as we know it today. The NBL Zollner into the Hall of Fame, and who for team has boldly gone where no United and the BAA (Basketball Association of Amer- most of the years of the Fort Wayne Zollner States soccer team has gone before.