On this day 34 years ago: Heat vs Suns was cancelled due to the 1989 Miami Riot after a car carrying the referees was hit by sniper fire, injuring two.
On this day 34 years ago: Heat vs Suns was cancelled due to the 1989 Miami Riot after a car carrying the referees was hit by sniper fire, injuring two.
This was the first instance of a NBA game being cancelled by civil unrest or rioting, and the league was doing everything to try to ensure the game was going to happen, regardless of the ongoing violence. The league did not cancel the game until less than an hour before tip-off, with fans already in the arena. The decision was finally made after rioters made their way down 8th street, destroying and setting cars ablaze… and the car carrying the referees reportedly being smashed in the windshield by gunfire or a rock en route to the Arena.
Excerpt from The Metropole: “Miami Heat center Rony Seikaly, who had been born in Lebanon and was often serenaded with racist taunts such as “go back to Lebanon, you terrorist” or “go home, you Arab,” said, “I grew up in war torn countries and the least I expected was me driving to an NBA game and having road blocks and we weren’t allowed to get to the game.” “
magicbeaned
I was there, about 10 miles north ready to go to the game, super late cancellation.
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This was the first instance of a NBA game being cancelled by civil unrest or rioting, and the league was doing everything to try to ensure the game was going to happen, regardless of the ongoing violence. The league did not cancel the game until less than an hour before tip-off, with fans already in the arena. The decision was finally made after rioters made their way down 8th street, destroying and setting cars ablaze… and the car carrying the referees reportedly being smashed in the windshield by gunfire or a rock en route to the Arena.
Excerpt from The Metropole: “Miami Heat center Rony Seikaly, who had been born in Lebanon and was often serenaded with racist taunts such as “go back to Lebanon, you terrorist” or “go home, you Arab,” said, “I grew up in war torn countries and the least I expected was me driving to an NBA game and having road blocks and we weren’t allowed to get to the game.” “
I was there, about 10 miles north ready to go to the game, super late cancellation.
Very exciting times.
Was the game rescheduled?