“You think I took a helluva gamble entrusting a team—and a franchise—to a man who had never coached college or pro ball and who was at the time a mere referee. It was no gamble to me.”
Tag Archives: 1950s NBA
What’s Wrong with Big-Time Basketball, 1955
Undoubtedly, this is progress. But is it enough? We don’t think so. The NBA could do much to improve its league.
Second Chance for Clyde Lovellette, 1958
What happens when you replace someone like George Mikan?
Tommy “Gun” Heinsohn, 1960s
Cousy agreed. “Heinsohn can do everything Baylor can do,” he said one day. “On top of that, he’s the best offensive rebounder in the business.”
Remember When St. Louis Won the NBA Title in 1958?
“We were a mixture of the old and the new, both in experience and style of play. The long jump shot was just catching on in the league and practically none of our players used it.”
Never a Dull Moment with the St. Louis Hawks, 1958
Kerner comes to a basketball game looking, fittingly, likes the best-dressed man in the hall. He leaves looking more like Emmett Kelly, the clown.
Red Auerbach Rates Basketball’s Best Battlers, 1973
It brought back memories of Auerbach’s Celtic battlers of the past, of Russell breaking Jim Krebs’ jaw, of Loscutoff decking Dick Schnittker with one punch, and of Brannum flattening Dolph Schayes.
Red Auerbach: An Old Friend’s Telling You to Hang ‘Em Up, 1979
Heed those words, Red. Sit back, light up a cigar and relax. You don’t need the aggravation anymore.
Bill Sharman: The Shooter, 1965
What made Sharman’s shooting so remarkable was its purity. He shot with almost robot-like precision, his style so polished and precise that it seemed like an illustration for a book on how to play basketball.
Bill Russell: First Wind, 1957
From that day on, William Felton Russell made everyone an imitator.
From Way Downtown 