MILWAUKEE (NBC 26) — Dennis Sell's Milwaukee home is filled with reminders of Wisconsin sports history.
The Algoma native has a treasure trove of memorabilia; the Packers, Brewers and Bucks line the walls.
But packed away are memories of a lesser known team: The Milwaukee Hawks, who called Cream City home from 1951-55.
It's the same Hawks franchise that now stands between the Bucks and the NBA Finals.
"Isn't that ironic?" Sell, a Wisconsin sports historian and author of two books, beamed. "And the Hawks weren't even supposed to beat the Philadelphia 76ers! They upset them."
If you are not familiar with the Hawks' history in the Badger State, there is good reason: They finished in last place each year they played in Milwaukee.
As such, the team struggled to gain popularity. Tickets were only one dollar, but by 1954, attendance plummeted to around 2,000 fans per game. That's only about a quarter of what top-tier teams like the Boston Celtics were drawing.
"What really hurt the Hawks - in addition to the fact that they weren't very good - was the fact that the Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1953," Sell said. "There was so much craziness at the time that the Hawks kind of suffered by comparison."
The Braves thrilled the baseball crazy town in 1957, winning Milwaukee's only World Series.
The very next year, in 1958, the Hawks - now playing in St. Louis - won their only NBA Championship. It's a reminder to Milwaukee hoops fans of what could have been.
"A lot of people maintain that if the Hawks could have hung on just for a year or two longer, they might still be the Milwaukee Hawks today," Sell said.
The team was led by Hall of Famer Bob Pettit, who won two NBA MVPs while playing in St. Louis. Pettit played just one year in Milwaukee, winning the league's Rookie of the Year award in 1955.
While the Hawks' history in Wisconsin is still largely fotgotten, they do leave a small legacy behind - having paved the way for the Bucks we know today.
"They won't be remembered for their success because they were a last place team," Sell said. "But I think they'll be remembered as the first team and hopefully in their four years here they developed some fans who eventually became fans of the Milwaukee Bucks."
As of Thursday, the Bucks trail their Eastern Conference Finals series to the Hawks 1-0. Game 2 is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 p.m.
