Many all-time greats believe the term “power forward” was invented by New York sportswriters looking for a way to describe Dave DeBusschere, who played every minute on the court with reckless abandon.
Tag Archives: Bob Pettit
Penny for Your Thoughts on Cleo Hill
Cleo Hill had certain remarkable talents as a player. He had fast hands, a wonderful asset for a basketball player. He was quick. But his quickness and his hand speed were wasted when they weren’t harnessed with the team effort of everybody else. It is something a man might learn in a minor league but has to be taken for granted in the majors.
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.
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.
Joe Lapchick: Down Memory Lane, 1969
There is no bitterness in the man because he played in a time when the game was not appreciated, and the rewards were relatively few.
Paul Silas: Shrewdness in Seattle, 1980
“In order to stay in this league for any length of time, you’ve got to be excellent at something,” Silas said. “Rebounding was my specialty, and I just worked at it.”
Oscar Robertson: Why He’s the Best Ever, 1968
Says a long-time basketball expert, “If Oscar walked into your neighborhood playground for a pick-up game, he’d probably get his 30 and not much more. He’s the most consistent star ever.”
Who Are the All-Time Greatest Slam-Dunk Artists? 1977
Dr. J. is the slam-dunk champ of the ABA. Won it fair and square at halftime of the league’s All-Star game last winter.
Bob Pettit: So Steady He’s Overlooked, 1964
“Bobby has the greatest desire of any athlete who ever lived,” says Marty Blake, general manager of the Hawks. “It is remarkable St. Louis should have had two such athletic heroes as Stan Musial and Pettit cut out of the same mould.”
From Way Downtown 