Hartford Hellcats
CBA 1993-1995

The CBA returned to Hartford for the first time since the mid-1970's, when the Capital Region (N.Y.) Pontiacs relocated their team to the Hartford Civic Center. While previous Hartford-based CBA/EPBL entries had their home courts at various high schools and college gymnasia, the Hartford Hellcats went all out, signing a lease with the spacious Hartford Civic Center. The efforts paid off tremendously in the first week, as the Hellcats drew 11,762 for their first home game, a CBA record for an opening night crowd.

Although the Hellcats did not make the playoffs, they did have strong play from Melvin Newburn and Dan Bingenheimer, and assist leaders in Kelsey Weems and Sam Crawford.

The Hellcats were awarded the 1995 CBA All-Star Classic, and one of the largest crowds to witness an All-Star Game, 10,039 attendees, saw not only a classic All-Star contest, but also watched as Hartford's Charles Smith won the 3-point shooting contest.

But barely a week after the All-Star Classic, it was revealed that the Hellcats were in serious financial straits - in fact, the team still hadn't paid many of its bills from the 1993-94 season. On January 30, 1995, the Hellcats ceased operations in mid-season. Five months later, Brian Foley, the owner of a series of health care facilities, purchased the franchise and re-formed it for the 1995-96 season as the Connecticut Pride.

CBA STATISTICS
             W   L    QW    PTS    Result
1993-1994   18  38  100.0 154.0    not in playoffs
1994-1995   11  23   57.5  90.5    folded in midseason

CONTINENTAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
1993-1994 did not make playoffs
1994-1995 folded in mid-season