Another former ABA player dies waiting on pension from NBA. He left behind a chilling photo.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

INDIANAPOLIS — When Sam Smith died in his modest home on the east side of Indianapolis, he died a man who not long before had swallowed his pride and made a phone call to ask for gas money. He died a man who had to make a call to ask for help with funeral expenses for his daughter.

He died a man who was an American Basketball Association player, a pioneer who blazed the trail for what the NBA is today.

But basketball ended for Smith. After winning an ABA championship with the Utah Stars, he got a job as a security supervisor at the Ford assembly plant in Indianapolis. Years passed. Times got harder. More years passed.

-snip-

When the ABA disbanded in 1976, merging with the NBA, four of its 11 teams were absorbed by the NBA — the Pacers, Nuggets, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs. The players who didn't find a long-term spot in the NBA were left with no pension, salaries shut off and health insurance gone.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2022/06/09/sam-smith-former-aba-player-dies-waiting-pension-nba/7565607001/

[bucolic_frolic]

1. A lot of workers lost pensions prior to pension reform, I think about 1977

In takeovers, the new company would fire the former employees and walk off with the pension money, leaving workers zip.

[whathehell]

2. Very sad

Rest in peace, Sam.