Did you know that the Washington Wizards basketball team did not get its start in Washington DC? As a matter of fact the team was founded in 1961 by a packing company owner named Dave Trager in Chicago, IL and named the team the Chicago Packers (1961- 1962). The following season the name was changed to the Chicago Zephyrs.
In 1963, the team moved to Baltimore, MD and became the Baltimore Bullets. In the same season the team finished the season off 4th in a 5 team Western Division title. 1974 team owner, Abe Pollin a successful construction contractor decided to move the team to Washington DC. It was in Washington that the team then known as the Capital Bullets (1973-1974) and the Washington Bullets (1974-1997) underwent a final name change after the owner felt the word “Bullets” represented violence.
Despite the name changes and moves the Wizards did have some stellar basketball moments. The late 60’s Earl “The Pearl” Monroe and Wes Unseld helped improve the team with a 57 game win and advance the team to the 1967 NBA playoff and later on to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The 1970's brought in players such as Elvin Hayes and Kevin Porter. In the 1990's Juwan Howard, Chris Webber who suffered numerous injuries and Rasheed Wallace were hopefuls to the lead the team to a victorious season. But, like preceding years, that wasn't so. Even famed basketball player and team president of basketball operations Michael Jordan couldn't help the team.
