The following first appeared in May 1, 2005 editions of The Dallas Morning News.
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Like a newborn foal, the Dallas Mavericks franchise entered the world at 10:22 a.m. on May 1, 1980, wobbling boldly, naively, into the provocative realm of professional basketball.
Dignitaries and onlookers filled Union Station's Pullman Room. NBA commissioner Lawrence O'Brien picked up a pen and smiled at Mavericks owner-to-be Donald Carter.
"Shall I sign first, Don?"
"I've been willing to sign for a long time," quipped Carter, at the time a precocious 46-year-old retail tycoon. "Y'all are the ones that wouldn't sign.