Highlights
One of the NBA's 30 clubs, the Magic began play in the 1989-90 season as an expansion entry and became Orlando's first professional sports team. Bringing basketball to a city with deep football roots was the brainchild of Orlando businessman Jim Hewitt, who solicited the help of longtime NBA executive Pat Williams during a chnace meeting in church. They pulled off what many labeled as a long-shot. Williams left his job as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers to join the effort and the league granted Orlando an expansion team. The early years were full of losing, but the Magic won the draft lottery in 1992 and their luck changed. They chose Shaquille O'Neal out of LSU. Shaq, as he came...
One of the NBA's 30 clubs, the Magic began play in the 1989-90 season as an expansion entry and became Orlando's first professional sports team. Bringing basketball to a city with deep football roots was the brainchild of Orlando businessman Jim Hewitt, who solicited the help of longtime NBA executive Pat Williams during a chnace meeting in church. They pulled off what many labeled as a long-shot. Williams left his job as general manager of the Philadelphia 76ers to join the effort and the league granted Orlando an expansion team. The early years were full of losing, but the Magic won the draft lottery in 1992 and their luck changed. They chose Shaquille O'Neal out of LSU. Shaq, as he came to be known, led the Magic to the NBA Finals in the 1994-95 season. Orlando was swept in the Finals by the Houston Rockets in four games. O'Neal left the team as a free agent in 1996 to join the Los Angeles Lakers. The Magic made the playoffs for the first time in three seasons in the 2006-07 season, led by Dwight Howard, another all-star center. The club also made news off the floor as the city and county approved the building of a new arena, an issue that had become a political football for owner Rich DeVos.
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'There's only so much you can cut' at nonprofits
Sentinel Staff WriterFor many nonprofits, the market's misfortunes mean a shaky year ahead -- if the agencies can keep going at all. The smaller the nonprofit, the less it takes to put it out of business. "There's only so much you can cut," said Libby Donoghue, executive...Tags: Casselberry
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Injury bug bites Orlando Magic's Tony Battie, again
Sentinel Staff WriterIn each of his first two exhibition outings, Orlando Magic big man Tony Battie had been looking to recover the familiarity and comfort level that was denied him last season after he was forced to sit out the year following surgery on a torn rotator cuff...Tags: National Basketball Association, J.J. Redick, Dwight Howard, Stan Van Gundy, Rashard Lewis
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Venture on mental trip to Denmark
Peter Koefoed Bjornsen, a Danish citizen, will speak about "Denmark: Still a Fairy Tale?" at noon Sunday at the Leesburg Public Library, 100 E. Main St. The free library program is part of Beacon College's Global Awareness Program, which brings to...Tags: House and Home, W., Ecosystems, Oscar Hammerstein, Transportation
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Orlando Magic's Tony Battie fractures finger, calls it 'Minor'
Sentinel Staff WriterOrlando Magic center-forward Tony Battie will wear a split for up to two months after sustaining a fracture in his left ring finger Friday morning during shootaround. Battie will sit out tonight's exhibition againsts CSKA Moscow at Amway Arena. Battie...Tags: Tony Battie, Basketball, Injuries
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Increasing number of NBA players enticed by Euroleague's big deals
Sentinel Staff WriterWhen the Orlando Magic play the Euroleague's CSKA Moscow in an exhibition game tonight, it might seem to CSKA guard Trajan Langdon as if he's stepping through a hardwood time warp. Langdon, a former standout at Duke and 11th overall pick by Cleveland...Tags: National Basketball Association, J.J. Redick, Dwight Howard, Atlanta Hawks, Physical Fitness
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Harley dealer helps battle breast cancer
Sentinel Staff WriterGator Harley-Davidson, 1745 U.S. Highway 441, Leesburg, will host Breast Cancer Awareness Day on Saturday. Activities will include live music, food, beverages, bike wash, moonwalk, dunk tank, prizes and more. Gator also will donate 5 percent of its...Tags: American Legion, Breast Cancer, Harley-Davidson Incorporated, Cancer, Diseases
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Keith Bogans doesn't play against the Bobcats as Redick and Lee get a look
Sentinel Staff WriterKeith Bogans sees what everybody else sees when the Orlando Magic's shooting-guard position is under review: Mickael Pietrus, celebrated as the new starter, is locked into a long-term deal. J.J. Redick, ever popular, just had his contract extended....Tags: National Basketball Association, J.J. Redick, Keith Bogans, Vehicles, Otis Smith
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Varsity the Weekly quick quiz on dominant players, teams
Take our Super 6 quiz of true-false questions on some of the biggest winners in sports: 1. Troy Aikman led the Dallas Cowboys to more Super Bowl titles than Roger Staubach. 2. Michael Jordan was not the MVP in every NBA Finals in which he appeared for...Tags: National Basketball Association, Troy Aikman, Wine, Beer, and Spirits, Multi-Sport Events, Atlanta Braves
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A sneak peek at Orlando Magic's new arena
Sentinel Staff WriterThe Orlando Magic's new arena will feature a "beacon" with color-changing lights visible across downtown, according to new design details from the building's architects released exclusively to the Orlando Sentinel on Tuesday. The lighted beacon --...Tags: Empire State Building, Alex Martins
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Orlando Magic pick up option on guard J.J. Redick
Sentinel Staff WriterEight months ago, a frustrated J.J. Redick asked to be traded after feeling he wouldn't ever be in the Orlando Magic's plans. On Tuesday, an upbeat Redick discovered that he might have a future with the franchise. The Magic picked up the team option...Tags: J.J. Redick, Keith Bogans, Stan Van Gundy, New Year's, Vehicles
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