On May 23, 1962 – 53 years ago today – the City of Philadelphia lost a sports franchise. On that date, the NBA approved the transfer of the Philadelphia Warriors to San Francisco.

The Philadelphia Warriors began playing in the NBA for the 1946-47 season – the NBA’s inaugural season – and the Warriors won the championship that season by beating the Chicago Staggs four games to one. That Warriors team is pictured above in the header.

The Warriors won a second NBA championship in the 1955-56 season when they beat the Fort Wayne Pistons four games to one. I remember watching the Warriors seal that championship on a black-and-white TV in a motel room on U.S. 1 in Hollywood, Florida. I was a seventh-grader at the time and on spring vacation with my parents – and I learned how to swim in the motel’s pool.

Neil Johnston

Paul Arizin, Neil Johnston, and Tom Gola – all of them future Hall of Famers – played on that championship team. Neil Johnston lived one town over from me, in Glenolden, and I used to see him during the summers standing in line at the Dairy Queen on my corner. He’d be wearing a softball uniform and standing there with his kids waiting to get served just like anyone else.

I also used to watch Johnston and Arizin play pickup games with other college and pro players who lived in the area on summer evenings one town over in the other direction – in Sharon Hill. We kids would go to the courts early and get in a game or two before the big guys came over. Then we’d sit and watch and fantasize about playing pro ball when we got older.

Neil Johnston was a three-time NBA scoring champ and six-time All-Star. He later coached the Warriors for two seasons – the first two seasons of Wilt Chamberlain’s NBA career.

That’s when Wilt had his historic 100-point game.

Paul Arizin

Paul Arizin, an All-American at Villanova, was a two-time NBA scoring champ and ten-time All-Star.

Tom Gola

Tom Gola – a LaSalle All-American and legend – was a five-time NBA All-Star. LaSalle’s basketball facility bears his name.

The Warriors played at Convention Hall back then and they provided me with some memories that’ve lasted a lifetime – which I’ll write about at a later date.

I hated to see the Warriors leave town:

(1) I loved that team.

(2) We were left without an NBA team until the Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia in 1963 to become the 76ers.

The Warriors played as the San Francisco Warriors from 1962 thru 1971 before changing their name to the Golden State Warriors.

Barry Bowe is the author of Born to Be Wild, 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant, and 12 Best Eagles QBs.