A tall, barrel-chested redhead sold cars with an eye on the future. He was bold and loud and rich and saw what no one else could see: a professional sports franchise transforming an old town into a modern metropolis.

Like a biblical prophet, the car dealer was a visionary, a voice in a wilderness of unbelief. When civic leaders planned HemisFair ’68 to modernize San Antonio, B.J. “Red” McCombs recognized one of its buildings as a catalyst for the city’s future.

A businessman from the West Texas burg of Spur (pop. 863), McCombs imagined HemisFair Arena as the home for a pro sports team, a venue that would draw thousands of fans and attract national media.

Opportunity beckoned in 1973. The Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association went on the market. Angelo Drossos, a loc

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