So a lot of people know, we were called the Cincinnati and Kansas City Royals, but I was today years old when I learned we were originally called the Rochester Seagrams. Named after the Canadian liquor company who was there primary sponsor for their first years.
April 30, 2024
The moniker Royals was also used because Seagrams was known as Canadian royal whiskey. But in 1942 Rochester wanted to be a dry community and not support liquor. So for the next two seasons, they became the Rochester pros. In 1945-46 they joined the NBL as the Rochester Royals.
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1923-24 season was their first. Allan Eber, first sponsored the team in 1923. In 1936, Eber Brothers, primarily a produce distributor, obtained the Seagram’s franchise for Rochester and used that division of their company as the basketball team sponsor. The team was known as the Rochester Seagrams from 1936-37 to 1941-42. In 1942-43 they were the Rochester Eber/Seagrams but that season the city of Rochester wanted to be a dry community and not support liquor. In 1943-44 and 1944-45 they were known as the Rochester Pros. In 1945-46 they joined the NBL as the Rochester Royals.
That’s still kind of a headscratcher considering 1923 was the middle of Prohibition, but I guess they figured something out.
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1923-24 season was their first.
Allan Eber, first sponsored the team in 1923.
In 1936, Eber Brothers, primarily a produce distributor, obtained the Seagram’s franchise
for Rochester and used that division of their company as the basketball team sponsor.
The team was known as the Rochester Seagrams from 1936-37 to
1941-42. In 1942-43 they
were the Rochester Eber/Seagrams but that season the city of Rochester wanted to be a
dry community and not support liquor. In 1943-44 and 1944-45 they were known as the Rochester Pros.
In 1945-46 they joined the NBL as the Rochester Royals.
That’s still kind of a headscratcher considering 1923 was the middle of Prohibition, but I guess they figured something out.