PHOENIX – In 1968, gasoline was $ 0.34 a gallon, the Arizona Livestock Show was the city’s biggest event, and the city was just learning that it was creating its first professional basketball team.
To keep the community interested, the team’s new general manager, Jerry Colangelo, hosted a competition in The Arizona Republic newspaper to decide what the name of the first basketball team would be.
Anyone who submitted a potential name would receive a free ticket to an upcoming game. However, the winner will receive season tickets and the grand prize of $ 1,000.
Michael King said his entire family had submitted potential names for the competition.
According to newspaper archives, more than 28,000 potential names have been submitted, including saguaros, scorpions, and tumbleweeds. But one name was clearly more popular than the rest.
More than 300 people submitted a version of the “Suns” so Colangelo literally chose the winner of the competition by pulling a name out of a hat.
It was Selinda King, a mother and employee of the state health department, who received the honor of naming the team.
“I remember two men from the team came into the house and said they won,” said Michael King, Selinda’s son.
He said his mother wasn’t exactly a basketball fan, but he and his brother were, and he suspects that is why his mother entered the competition with him, his father, and his brother.
“The season tickets were right behind the bench. She hardly went to a game. I went to every home game,” he said.
Selinda was honored during a ceremony at the Phoenix Country Club where the sun’s name and logo were revealed. Her picture was also featured on future game tickets.
Michael said it was a singular honor that would forever be part of his late mother’s legacy – and that of the suns.
“When we’re gone, my son and daughter will have it. It will always be there. We’re pretty proud of that,” he said.
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