Cavs’ Cherished And Sometimes Wild Run At Richfield Coliseum Began 50 Years Ago Today

It’s been 30 years since the Cavaliers stopped playing at the Richfield Coliseum, but they had a pretty memorable run there before that.

And it was 50 years ago today — Oct. 29, 1974 — that the Cavs played their first game there.

Most fans remember the names, whether those fans ever saw those names or not. Brad Daugherty. Mark Price. Larry Nance. Lenny Wilkens. Bill Fitch. George Karl. Austin Carr. Campy Russell. Bingo Smith. Jim Chones. Mike Mitchell. World B. Free. The list goes on and on.

All played or coached at the Coliseum.

Back then, the team was owned by Nick Mileti, a Clevelander who founded the organization and gave it the Wine & Gold color scheme we still see today. Mileti, who passed away in August, was a product of John Adams High School. That school has the same colors as the Cavs.

It was Mileti’s idea to move the team to Richfield from its previous location in downtown Cleveland, building an arena in the middle of what really was some farmland. Where it once sat is back to being nothing but tall grass today.

“(Mileti) had this vision of Cleveland and Akron becoming one metropolis,” wrote Terry Pluto in his book, Vintage Cavs. “His research revealed 4.7 million people lived within an hour drive of Richfield, 2.8 million within a half-hour. And the Coliseum was right off Interstate 271, not far from Interstates 77 and 71. He believed hotels and shopping malls would soon grow up around the Coliseum.”

That, of course, never happened — but that was just fine for most fans of the Cavaliers. They were just happy to experience pro basketball in what really was the middle of nowhere.

As for that first game, the Cavs opened with the Boston Celtics, dropping a 107-92 decision under Fitch, the first coach in franchise history. Bingo Smith led the way with 20 points, Austin Carr added 19, Dwight Davis scored 11, and Dick Snyder and Jim Cleamons had 10 apiece. (Jo Jo White and John Havlicek paced the Celtics with 24 and 23 points, respectively.)

The Cavaliers finished 40-42 that season, missing the playoffs by a game. But the next year, they delivered the famous Miracle of Richfield season, with fans rushing the Coliseum court in scenes that will forever go down in Cleveland basketball lore.

As far as personal experience, the Coliseum is where I gained a love of the NBA, and attending games there with my dad and friends played a big role in why I do what I do today. I saw Michael Jordan score 69 points in that building (March 28, 1990) — the same building in which he buried The Shot.

Back then, I never dreamed I’d become friends with the likes of Mark Price, Austin Carr and Campy Russell. But those are just my own memories and those friendships my own products of the Coliseum days.

For all Cavaliers fans who have been following the team for a long time, the Coliseum forever will be revered. And it all started 50 years ago today.

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