John Begzos (April 7, 1942 – September 1, 2004) was an American sports executive who served as general manager of theSan Antonio Spurs andKansas City Kings.
Begzos was born on April 7, 1942, inDetroit to John and Laura Begtzos. He graduated fromWalled Lake High School in 1960. He then worked as an assistant golf professional and studied atMichigan State University until 1967, when he joined theUnited States Army. He served in the196th Light Infantry Brigade of theAmerical Division during theVietnam War and was awarded threePurple Hearts, theBronze Star Medal with the"V" device, and theSilver Star. After receiving a medical discharge he returned to Michigan State and received his accounting degree.[1]
Begzos began his career as a ticket manager for theOklahoma City 89ers.[1] He then served as the general manager of theSan Antonio Brewers. In 1973 he was named theTexas League's executive of the year. When theDallas Chaparrals of theAmerican Basketball Association moved toSan Antonio, Begzos became the team's sales manager. The team struggled to draw fans early on due to the area's unfamiliarity with basketball and a strike that delayed the start of the team's first season. In order to draw fans, Begzos offered Larry Braun and David Boyle, two local sports fans he knew from his time with the Brewers, discounted seats if they could help bring in fans. The pair formed the Baseline Bums and placed in ad in the local newspaper for "loud beer drinkers" to join their group. The Bums were, according to Pat Putnam ofSports Illustrated "basketball's loudest and frequently most profane cheerleaders". The Spurs ended up averaging 6,594 spectators a game during their first season.[2]
General managerJack Ankerson left the team after the inaugural season to take the same job with theVirginia Squires and Bergzos was chosen to succeed him.[3] He held this position for five seasons, during which time the Spurs made the playoffs every year and were one of the four of the remaining six accepted into theNational Basketball Association as part of theABA–NBA merger. By his final season as GM, the team's average attendance per game had risen to just under 12,000.[4]
In 1979, Begzos left the Spurs to become executive vice president and general manager of the Kansas City Kings.[4] During his first season as GM, Begzos acquiredMike Green,Len Elmore, andErnie Grunfeld, but the Kings were unable to repeat as Midwest Division champions and lost in the first round of the playoffs to thePhoenix Suns. The following year, Begzos signed free agentLeon Douglas, traded for seven-time All StarJoJo White, and negotiated a long-term contract with CoachCotton Fitzsimmons. The Kings got off to a 5–6 start and on October 29, 1980, the team fired Begzos.[5] On November 7, 1980, Begzos' attorney confirmed aKansas City Star report that his client had been fired overpostage stamp reuse. According to the lawyer, Begzos had purchased $240 worth of stamps from a neighbor for $120. Begzos then sold the stamps to the team for what he had paid for them. Oncepostal inspectors informed the team of the situation, Kings' presidentH. Paul Rosenberg demanded Begzos resign. When he refused, Begzos was fired.[6]
After leaving the Kings, Begzos found employment with aBuffalo-based cable television company and moved toAmherst, New York. In 1982 he was pleaded guilty to theft charges stemming from the 1980 sale of his burnedAlamo Heights home. Begzos had accepted a down payment from Richard Squires and a note for a future payment of $20,000 plus interest. Begzos sold the note to the Traders Bank of Kansas City but never told Squires, who sent Begzos a check for $22,000 on September 19, 1981. Begzos cashed the check and did not use the money to pay the note. After Squires was approached by the bank for the money, he notified theBexar County district attorneys office, who charged Begzos with theft over $10,000. Begzos reached a deal that reduced the charges to a misdemeanor after he agreed to give the bank possession of a home he owned inOverland Park, Kansas. He sentenced to one year of probation.[7]
In 1988, Begzos returned to Texas. He resided inPlano and owned a sports bar inAddison. He died on September 1, 2004.[1]
