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 | |
|---|---|
| Section | 4th Atlantic |
| Record | |
| 1974 record | 15 wins, 29 losses |
| Home record | 9 wins, 13 losses |
| Road record | 6 wins, 16 losses |
| Games won–lost | 1,027–1,163 |
| Team info | |
| Owner(s) | Sol Berg |
| President/CEO | Sol Berg |
| Coach | Manuel Santana |
| Stadium | Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum |
| Average attendance | 2,869 (63,121 total) |
|
1975 → | |
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]
Reference:[3]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Sets Win | Sets Loss |
| Home team in CAPS | |
Reference: [3]
- "1974-1978 New York Sets & New York Apples". Fun While It Lasted. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
- Grimslky, Will (June 2, 1974). "World Team Tennis Raucous, Untamed Tyke One Month Old". Danville Register. p. 47.
- "1978 New York Apples Media Guide". New York Apples. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
- "1974 WTT - New York Sets vs Hawaii Leis". NBC News. Retrieved August 10, 2014.