ell ▁and ▁Th orn burg ▁in ▁Santa ▁Maria . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Duke ▁Web ster ▁and ▁AA U ▁Duke ▁Web ster , ▁a ▁Santa ▁Maria ▁individual ▁who ▁owned ▁a ▁service ▁station ▁c atic or ner ▁from ▁the ▁Santa ▁Maria ▁Inn ▁founded ▁the ▁team . ▁He ▁used ▁to ▁organ ize ▁one ▁campaign ▁or ▁another ▁to ▁keep ▁the ▁team ▁af loat . ▁For ▁ 4 – 5 ▁years ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁team ▁joining ▁the ▁N IB L , ▁Web ster ▁would ▁spons or ▁the ▁team , ▁bringing ▁in ▁college ▁players ▁and ▁becoming ▁the ▁D uk es ' ▁first ▁coach . ▁The ▁Golden ▁D uk es ▁became ▁champions ▁of ▁the ▁Santa ▁Maria ▁City ▁Basketball ▁League ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 - 4 8 , ▁when ▁Santa ▁Maria ▁was ▁a ▁small ▁town ▁back ▁then ▁and ▁just ▁about ▁every ▁adult ▁who ▁lived ▁here ▁went ▁to ▁a ▁D uk es ▁home ▁game . ▁The ▁team ▁soon ▁grew ▁popular ity ▁though ▁its ▁function ▁was ▁strictly ▁amateur . ▁" The ▁Arm ory ▁Building ▁which ▁hosted ▁the ▁D uk es ' ▁games ▁always ▁was ▁pack ed . ▁Joe ▁White ▁was ▁the ▁leading ▁player ▁of ▁the ▁D uk es ▁and ▁later ▁became ▁a ▁long - time ▁Han cock ▁College ▁Bul ld ogs ▁men ' s ▁basketball ▁coach ▁and ▁athlet ic ▁director , ▁with ▁the ▁College ▁ren aming ▁their ▁g ym ▁to ▁Joe ▁White ▁Memorial ▁G ymnasium ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 3 . ▁The ▁D uk es ▁ran ▁through ▁the ▁smoke ▁well ▁enough ▁to ▁be ▁successful ▁from ▁a ▁won - loss ▁stand