1974 New York Sets season

The 1974 New York Sets season was the inaugural season for the franchise in World Team Tennis (WTT). The team had 15 wins and 29 losses and finished in last place in the Atlantic Section.

1974 New York Sets season
Section4th Atlantic
Record
1974 record15 wins, 29 losses
Home record9 wins, 13 losses
Road record6 wins, 16 losses
Games won–lost1,027–1,163
Team Info
Owner(s)Sol Berg
President/CEOSol Berg
CoachManuel Santana
StadiumNassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Average attendance2,869 (63,121 total)

Season Recap

The Sets were founded as a charter franchise in World Team Tennis by Jerry Saperstein, son of Harlem Globetrotters founder Abe Saperstein. During the inaugural season, Saperstein sold the team to New York businessman Sol Berg.[1][2][3]

On May 7, 1974, the Sets played their inaugural match on their home court at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the hamlet of Uniondale in the town of Hempstead, New York against the Hawaii Leis. The Sets drew 4,999 fans for their opening match. Under rules used only during the first few weeks of the season, the match comprised two sets of women's singles, two sets of men's singles and two sets of mixed doubles. No men's or women's doubles were played. WTT changed the match format on May 18, 1974, to one set each of men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles and mixed doubles. Pam Teeguarden lost the opening set of women's singles for the Sets, 6–4, to Valerie Ziegenfuss. The Leis went on to win four of the six sets and take the match, 29–25.[4]

After opening the season with two losses at home, the Sets got their first victory in franchise history on the road beating the Cleveland Nets, 31–30, on May 12. Following the win over the Nets, the Sets lost 10 straight matches to fall to 1–12. They followed this with five wins in the next six matches to improve to 6–13. From there, the Sets lost seven of the next 10 matches and fell to 9–20. After winning three out of five matches, the Sets lost three straight to drop to 12–25 and assured themselves of a losing season. A three-match winning streak, tying their longest of the season, brought the Sets to 15–25. However, the Sets finished the season by losing four straight and cemented their position in last place in the Atlantic Section.[3]

Match log

Reference:[3]

Legend
Sets Win Sets Loss
Home team in CAPS
Match Date Result Record
1May 7Hawaii Leis 29, NEW YORK SETS 250-1
2May 9Pittsburgh Triangles 28, NEW YORK SETS 230-2
3May 12New York Sets 31, CLEVELAND NETS 301-2
4May 15Toronto-Buffalo Royals 33, NEW YORK SETS 321-3
5May 17Boston Lobsters 31, NEW YORK SETS 281-4
6May 20Baltimore Banners 24, NEW YORK SETS 231-5
7May 22Minnesota Buckskins 25, NEW YORK SETS 171-6
8May 24Houston E-Z Riders 32, NEW YORK SETS 231-7
9May 25PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS 30, New York Sets 161-8
10May 28Los Angeles Strings 30, NEW YORK SETS 201-9
11May 29DENVER RACQUETS 28, New York Sets 181-10
12May 31SAN FRANCISCO GOLDEN GATERS 27, New York Sets 191-11
13June 1LOS ANGELES STRINGS 29, New York Sets 251-12
14June 3NEW YORK SETS 27, Detroit Loves 262-12
15June 5NEW YORK SETS 24, Denver Racquets 213-12
16June 8BALTIMORE BANNERS 31, New York Sets 233-13
17June 10NEW YORK SETS 29, Baltimore Banners 274-13
18June 13NEW YORK SETS 26, Chicago Aces 235-13
19June 15New York Sets 24, BALTIMORE BANNERS 216-13
20June 16CLEVELAND NETS 31, New York Sets 176-14
21July 7BOSTON LOBSTERS 25, New York Sets 216-15
22July 8New York Sets 28, DETROIT LOVES 277-15
23July 9Cleveland Nets 32, NEW YORK SETS 197-16
24July 11NEW YORK SETS 23, Toronto-Buffalo Royals 218-16
25July 13MINNESOTA BUCKSKINS 26, New York Sets 258-17
26July 16Boston Lobsters 22, NEW YORK SETS 188-18
27July 18NEW YORK SETS 28, Florida Flamingos 229-18
28July 21PITTSBURGH TRIANGLES 28, New York Sets 279-19
29July 22PHILADELPHIA FREEDOMS 30, New York Sets 109-20
30July 23NEW YORK SETS 26, San Francisco Golden Gaters 2310-20
31July 26Philadelphia Freedoms 28, NEW YORK SETS 2010-21
32July 29New York Sets 28, TORONTO-BUFFALO ROYALS 2611-21
33July 30DETROIT LOVES 27, New York Sets 2211-22
34July 31NEW YORK SETS 27, Cleveland Nets 2512-22
35August 1HOUSTON E-Z RIDERS 30, New York Sets 1912-23
36August 2CHICAGO ACES 25, New York Sets 2012-24
37August 4HAWAII LEIS 22, New York Sets 2112-25
38August 7NEW YORK SETS 29, Detroit Loves 2413-25
39August 10New York Sets 28, FLORIDA FLAMINGOS 1314-25
40August 11New York Sets 28, BOSTON LOBSTERS 2215-25
41August 12TORONTO-BUFFALO ROYALS 27, New York Sets 2515-26
42August 13Pittsburgh Triangles 25, NEW YORK SETS 2215-27
43August 16Philadelphia Freedoms 25, NEW YORK SETS 2415-28
44August 18PITTSBURGH TRIANGLES 32, New York Sets 1915-29

Team roster

Reference: [3]

See also

References
  1. "1974-1978 New York Sets & New York Apples". Fun While It Lasted. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  2. Grimslky, Will (June 2, 1974). "World Team Tennis Raucous, Untamed Tyke One Month Old". Danville Register. p. 47.
  3. "1978 New York Apples Media Guide". New York Apples. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  4. "1974 WTT - New York Sets vs Hawaii Leis". NBC News. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
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