Louisville Catbirds

Continental Basketball Association (1983-1985)

Tombstone

Born: June 27, 1983 – CBA expansion franchise
Moved: July 11, 1985 (La Crosse Catbirds)

First Game: December 1, 1983 (W 122-118 vs. Toronto Tornados)
Last Game: March 11, 1985 (W 137-114 vs. Cincinnati Slammers)

CBA Championships: None

Arenas

1983-84: Louisville Gardens (5,500)¹

1984-85: Broadbent Arena (6,600)²

Branding

Team Colors: Black, Grey & Orange³

Ownership

Owners: J. Bruce Miller, Nolen Allen, et al.

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Background

The Louisville Catbirds were a minor league basketball outfit that played for two seasons in the Continental Basketball Association. The Catbirds identity was selected to try to appeal to both University of Kentucky fans (“Cats”) and University of Louisville (“Birds”) hoops fans.

The Catbirds signed a pair of troubled but talented ex-stars from the University of Kentucky. Dirk Minnifield was Kentucky’s “Mr. Basketball” as a high school senior in 1979. The 6′ 3″ point guard fathered three children by the time he arrived at UK. Minnifield later acknowledged heavy drug use during his Wildcats career. Minnifield began his pro career with the Catbirds in 1983. He would make it to the NBA in 1985 and hung around the league in a journeyman capacity. After cleaning up in the 1990’s, Minniefield became an NBA drug counselor.

Tom Payne Signing

While Minniefield was a redemption story, the Catbirds’ late 1983 signing of paroled serial rapist Tom Payne proved to be a horrible error in judgment. In 1969 Payne integrated the UK basketball program as the first black player on Adolph Rupp’s team. Payne played one season at UK before entering the NBA in 1971, where the Atlanta Hawks signed the 7′ 1″ center to a 5-year, $750,000 contract.

Payne was arrested in Georgia at the end of his rookie season on multiple rape charges. Soon after, Kentucky prosecutors indicted him for a separate series of sexual assaults. Payne would spend the next 11 years in Georgia and Kentucky prisons, all the while maintaining his innocence. Paroled in November 1983, the Catbirds quickly signed the 33-year old. The CBA initially prohibited Payne from playing road games, but basketball writer John Feinstein reported that he received a warm reception in Louisville. Payne received a standing ovation at Louisville Gardens during his Catbirds debut.

In February 1986, his basketball career now over, Payne stalked and raped a woman returning from an Valentine’s Day date in Los Angeles. Police arrested Payne during the commission of the assault in the victim’s parking garage. He was convicted in November 1986. He has spent the past 30+ years in prison.

Move To Wisconsin

In Louisville, the Catbirds left Louisville Gardens downtown and moved to Broadbent Arena at the state fairgrounds for their second season in the winter of 1984-85. Attendance plummeted by more than 50% at Broadbent and the team was sold during the summer of 1985. The new owners moved the club to La Crosse, Wisconsin. The team played as the La Crosse Catbirds from 1985 to 1994. After a short-lived move to Pittsburgh, the franchise finally closed for business in 1995.

Attorney J. Bruce Miller, who was often the public face of the Catbirds’ ownership group, has subsequently spent years trying to attract an NBA franchise to Louisville.