La Crosse Catbirds

The La Crosse Catbirds, based in La Crosse, Wisconsin, played in the Continental Basketball Association from 1985 to 1994. The franchise began as the Louisville Catbirds in 1983. The name blended the University of Kentucky Wildcats (the "Cats") and the University of Louisville Cardinals (the "Birds"), a nod to two rival fan bases. Weak crowds in Louisville led to a sale in 1985, and the new owners moved the team to La Crosse, where it played at La Crosse Center.

La Crosse took to the team quickly. The Catbirds went 24-24 in 1985-86 and reached the league finals, losing to Tampa Bay four games to one. They won their division in 1986-87 and again in 1987-88, when they went 40-14, but lost in the first round of the playoffs both times. After a 19-35 season in 1988-89, they bounced back with a 42-14 record in 1989-90 and beat Rapid City four games to one for the CBA title.

Flip Saunders, who later coached in the big leagues, led the team to both of its championships. The second came in 1992, when the Catbirds beat Rapid City again, this time four games to three. The team posted a 292-192 regular-season record in La Crosse and drew well at the gate, leading the league in attendance in its first five seasons there.

After the 1993-94 season the club left for Pittsburgh and became the Pittsburgh Piranhas, who lasted one season. The CBA returned to La Crosse in 1995 with a different team, the Bobcats.