Cavaliers are gallant, courtly soldiers of days gone by. As of yesterday, Cavaliers is the name of Cleveland's courtly National Basketball Association team and there is no one happier about the christening than Eastlake's Jerry Tomko.

Tomko won a pair of season tickets for the team's maiden campaign when his letter on why the team should be called Cavaliers was judged best of more than 11,000 submitted to The Plain Dealer Name the Team Contest.

In part, Tomko's essay read, "The name Cleveland Cavaliers represents a group of daring fearless men, whose life's pact was never surrender, no matter what the odds."

THE WINNING name was the popular choice of the fans who voted on the five finalists, Cavaliers, Jays, Foresters, Towers and Presidents. More than one-third of the 6,000 votes cast preferred Cavaliers.

"I think it's just great," said Tomko, a 29-year old district manager for a credit card company. "I can't wait until the season starts and I've already had people coming to me and asking me if they can use the tickets for some games."

Tomko and his wife reside at 1448 E. 337^th St., Eastlake.

This article originally appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer April 5, 1970.