Name/Title
Seattle Sonics, 1980.Entry/Object ID
2007-012.283NDescription
Seattle Sonics, 1980. These thirteen black and white film negative strips were created for the Lacey Leader newspaper. These images were created using three different film rolls, so some of the physical numbers on the strips appear more than once within this sleeve. For the purposes of this description, these strips will be grouped according to which film roll they originally came from. Each of these groups will be assigned a lower-case letter to go along with the physical numbers on the strips (ex: 1a, 2a, 3a, 1b, 2b, 3b, etc.) to help differentiate between images. The images in group "a" show the Seattle Supersonics practicing in Marcus Pavilion at St. Martin's College. Image 14a shows five men standing in a rough circle. Two of the men are wearing basketball jerseys, and one has a Seattle Supersonics logo partialy visible on his shirt. This man also has the number 43 on his shorts. Image 15a shows a referee in the foreground and a man wearing jersey number 44. Both men are facing away from the camera. There is a number 24 visible in the left-hand background of the image. Image 16a shows a man (Lenny Wilkens) in a Seattle Supersonics polo shirt with the name "LENNY" on the left breast. There is a man standing between the camera and Mr. Wilkens. This man is holding a jacket and facing away from the camera. Image 17a shows a player with a jersey number ending in 2 having just released a jumpshot. A player in Nike brand shoes with the "swoosh" design appears to be running past the player taking the shot. The basketball is visible in the top right corner of the image. Image 18a shows two players jumping up for a rebound. One of the jumping player's shorts have the number 43 on them, the other's has the number 12. Image 19a shows one player jumping up while holding the ball out in front of him with both hands. This player has a Seattle Supersonics logo on his pants. Another player with Seattle Supersonics sweatpants is running up on the right-hand side of the image. Image 20a shows a player wearing Supersonics sweatpants having just released a jumpshot. A player with the number 32 on his sweatpants is in the background to the left of the shooter. Image 21a shows a player with a jersey number beginning with 4 going for a lay-up. A player with a Sonics logo on his sweatpants and a number ending in 5 is trying to block the shot. Image 22a shows a man in the audience holding a baby. Both the man and the baby are shown in profile. Image 23a shows a player with the Sonics logo on his sweatpants going for a lay-up. A player with the number 22 on his shorts is jumping up and blocking the shot. Image 24a shows a player in sweatpants with the Sonics logo on them going for a hook shot. A player with jersey number 8 has his arms up trying to defend against the shot. Image 25a shows a player with the number 42 on his Sonics sweatpants about to release a jumpshot. A player with a number beginning with 2 is jumping up to block. A player with jersey number 15 is near the center of the image facing away from the camera. Image 26a shows a player with jersey number 8 holding his right hand up in the air with the ball either touching it or very nearly so. He appears to be receiving a pass. A player with a jersey number beginning with 2 is near the left-hand edge of the image. Image 27a shows player 14 and a player with a jersey number ending in two at the center of the image. Player 15 is at the right-hand edge of the image. Image 28a shows player 42 dribbling the ball while player 27 guards him from behind. Both players are facing away from the camera. Image 29a shows player 43 having just released a lay-up. His mouth is open. Player 21 is at the right-hand side of the foreground facing away from the camera. Image 30a shows the man holding the baby in the audience again. The man is looking toward the camera. Image 31a shows a group of men in polo shirts standing in a rough circle on the left-hand side of the image. A raised walkway is visible in the background, and two ceiling lights are shows near the top edge of the image. Image 32a shows Lenny Wilkens in a Sonics polo shirt and shorts standing on the court with his left hand in his shorts pocket. He appears to be speaking to a man partially visible at the right-hand edge of the image. Image 33a shows a player releasing a jump shot, and the ball is either still touching his fingers or nearly so. A player in sweatpants with the Sonics logo on them is jumping up and trying to block the shot with his right hand. Image 34a shows a player with a number ending in 2 on his Sonics sweatpants jumping up off the ground and holding the ball out in front of himself with both hands. A second player in Sonics sweatpants is immediately to the right of this player and holding both arms straight up into the air. The images in group "b" show the Seattle Supersonics practicing in Marcus Pavilion on the Saint Martin's College campus. Image 28b shows a player with a number beginning in 1 on his Sonics sweatpants jumping up for a lay-up. No other people are visible within the image. Image 29b shows players 24 and 10 looking up toward the basket. The ball is not readily visible. No other people are visible within the image. Image 30b shows player 32 in the background having released a jumpshot. A player wearing shorts and a t-shirt is partially obscuring the shooter and is facing away from the camera. Image 31b shows player 42 having released a jumpshot. A player with a jersey number beginning with 2 approaching from the right-hand side of the image. Image 32b shows Lenny Wilkens at the center of the image holding the whistle that is hanging around his neck. The player to the right of Mr. Wilkens has the number 44 on his shorts and has a towel covering his head and face. Image 33b shows Mr. Wilkens speaking to a player with jersey number 44. Image 34b shows three players reaching up toward the ball, which is visible above and to the left of the three players. A player with jersey number 40 is facing away from the camera near the right-hand edge of the image. Image 35b shows player 34 facing the right-hand edge of the image and holding both arms up in the air. Two other players are visible behind him. Image 36b shows player 4 leaning backward and holding both arms up in the air. His hands are beyond the upper edge of the image frame, but he is likely holding the ball. A player in Sonics sweatpants has both arms up in the air and is running toward the first player. Image 37b shows several players going for a rebound. A portion of the back of someone's head is occupying the lower right corner of the image. Image 38b shows player 40 jumping up and taking a hook shot. Players 8 and 34 are in the foreground facing away from the camera. Image 39b shows a player with a jersey number ending in 0 preparing to dunk the ball. Player 4 is facing away from the camera in the foreground and player 21 is under the basket. Image 40b shows a player with a jersey number ending in 4 having just released a jumpshot. Player 34 is at the center of the image facing away from the camera. Image 41b shows a player with a jersey number beginning with 2 standing under the basket and appearing to hold to ball with his left hand. Player 15 is facing away from the camera at the left-hand side of the image, and a player with number beginning in 4 is at the right-hand side of the image. Image 42b shows one player having released a lay-up and a second player having failed to swat it away. Players 40 and 15 are in the foreground facing away from the camera. Image 43b shows two players going to a rebound. The player on the left's number is either 84 or 34. Player 40 is nearest the camera and is facing away from the camera. Image 44b shows four players looking up toward the basket and one player whose face is not visible kicking a leg out in front of him. Player 21 is the leftmost player in the image. Image 1b shows coach Lenny Wilkens with his arms folded across his chest and facing the right-hand side of the image. Image 2b shows a player having just released a jumpshot. Players 22 and 27 are nearest to the camera and are also facing away from the camera. Image 3b shows player 24 about to release a one-handed jumpshot. A second player is jumping up and trying to block the shot with his right hand. This player is facing away from the camera. Image 4b shows coach Lenny Wilkens standing at the edge of the court. Player 10 is the only other person in the shot. The images in group "c" show the Seattle Supersonics playing a practice game in Marcus Pavilion on the Saint Martin's College campus. Image 11c shows coach Lenny Wilkens near the center of the image. He appears to be speaking. There is a referee at the left-hand edge of the image, and player 22 is facing away from the camera at the right-hand side of the image. Image 12c shows a portion of the audience. The three main subjects in the image are a man in a plaid shirt, a man in a striped shirt and a woman wearing glasses. Image 13c shows several players under the basket. Player 4 is the player further toward the left, and player 27 is furthest toward the right. Image 14c shows a child seated on the floor of the pavilion immediately in front of the first row of spectators. Image 15c shows a portion of the audience at the game. The woman at the center of the front row is taking a photograph. Image 16c shows a player wearing shorts holding the ball in both hands out to his left side. Three players are very near to him, and an arm is reaching into the frame from the left-hand edge. Image 17c shows a player having just released a jumpshot. Players 34, 42 and 15 are standing near the shooter. Image 18c shows a player preparing to take a shot, and player 40 leaping up stretching out with his left arm to block the shot. A referee is at the left side of the image facing away from the camera. Image 19c shows player 21 having just released a jumpshot and player 40 attempting to block the shot. Player 15 is at the center of the image facing away from the camera. Image 20c shows a player jumping up to dunk the ball with both hands. Image 21c shows a man in glasses and a suit jacket watching from the front row of the stands. He is resting his chin on his right hand. Image 22c shows a player with a jersey number ending in 2 jumping up for a lay-up or to dunk the ball. A referee is partially visible at the left-hand edge of the image facing away from the camera. Image 23c shows player 34 about to release a jumpshot. Player 27 is reaching in to block the shot. Image 24c shows several players jumping up for a rebound. Player 40 is at the center of the image and a referee is partially visible at the right-hand edge of the image. Image 25c shows player 32 jumping up to either go for a lay-up or try to get a rebound. A referee is facing away from the camera in the bottom-right quadrant of the image.
The Seattle Supersonics held their pre-season training camps at Marcus Pavilion on the St. Martin's College campus for several years in the later 1970s and/or early 1980s.
Lenny Wilkens was a player/coach for the Seattle Supersonics from 1969 to 1972, and also coached the team from 1977 to 1985 after retiring as a professional player. He was the coach of the Sonics when they won their first and only NBA Championship in 1979.
Printed at intervals along one long edge of all of these film negative strips is "KODAK SAFETY FILM 5063."Made/Created
Date made
1980 - 1980Notes
Film Size: 35 mm
Medium: AcetateLexicon
Search Terms
Sports/Basketball, Marcus Pavilion, Saint Martin's CollegeRelationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Lenny Wilkens