Basketball: Hall of Fame
Larry Bird
It’s hard to find a player in basketball’s history as confident as Bird. He was known to
waltz up to the opponents' bench before the tip-off, and even predicted 40-point
performances for himself. In fact, he thought that he was such a deadly shooter
that he even practiced three-pointers with his eyes closed. He was an easy darling
of the crowd, and throngs of fans would cheer him when he leapt into crowds or on
press tables for loose balls. Amidst all the fanfare, Bird was the embodiment of the
Celtic Pride, as he was slowly known as that classy, confident, hardworking player
who inspired his teammates to excel along with him.
Full Name Larry Joe Bird
Nickname Larry Legend
Born December 7, 1956 in West Baden, Ind.
Nationality United States
High School Springs Valley (French Lick, Ind.)
College Indiana State
Draft 6th overall, 1978 Boston Celtics
Team Boston Celtics
Height 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Weight 220 lb (100 kg)
Position Small forward
Pro career 1979 – 1992
Awards 3-time NBA MVP
3-time NBA Champion
2-time NBA Finals MVP
Rookie of the Year (1980)
Olympic Gold Medalist (1992)
Hall of Fame, 1998
Bird was so known in his game that he began to have hosts of fans that followed
his career zealously. In fact, in October 2005, there was a man in Oklahoma City
named Eric James Torpy who was a certified die-hard for Bird. When Torpy was
convicted of shooting with the intent to kill and robbery he asked his sentence be
prolonged from 30 years to 33 years so that it would have to match Bird's jersey
number. His request was grandly accommodated.
 Preview and history
Rules of the game
Hall of fame
|
