Founded 1973 Championships 2 | Folded 1978 Division titles 2 | |
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Team history New York Sets1974–1976New York Apples1977–1978 Stadium Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum(Capacity: 16,170)Madison Square Garden(Capacity: 17,812)Felt Forum(Capacity: 3,773) Colors Brunswick Green, Imperial Red Home grounds Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, The Theater at Madison Square Garden | ||
The New York Apples were a charter franchise of World Team Tennis (WTT). The team was founded by Jerry Saperstein, who sold it to New York businessman Sol Berg during its inaugural 1974 season. The team was originally known as the New York Sets and won the 1976 WTT championship under that name led by Billie Jean King. Prior to the 1977 season, the defending champion Sets held a contest to choose a new name for the team, and Apples was selected. With their new name, the Apples produced the same results winning their second consecutive WTT title in 1977. On October 27, 1978, Berg folded the Apples after their fifth season. WTT suspended operations of the league shortly thereafter.
Inaugural season
On May 7, 1974, the Sets lost their inaugural match on their home court at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in the hamlet of Uniondale in the town of Hempstead, New York to the Hawaii Leis, 29–25.
After opening the season with two losses at home, the Sets got their first victory in franchise history on the road beating the Cleveland Nets, 31–30, on May 12, 1974. Following the win over the Nets, the Sets lost 10 straight matches to fall to 1–12. The Sets finished the season in last place in the Atlantic Section with a record of 15 wins and 29 losses.