John Havlicek, Hall of Famer and Celtics legend, dies at 79

[marv2]

He was one of the "Superstars" of the NBA when I was growing up:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/celtics/2019/04/25/john-havlicek-dies-79-boston-celtics-legend/3582307002/

[edafan]

John Havlicek was a great one.

always remember

Havlicek stole the ball

edafan

[Jerry Oz]

I'm an Ohio State basketball fan. Hondo is the greatest Buckeye hoops player ever. Hearing this news ruined my day for a bit.

[daviddesper]

I am quite shocked at how little the sports pages have covered this.

[arr&bee]

Hondo was one of the best-r.i.p.

[edafan]

I am quite shocked at how little the sports pages have covered this.

I agree

edafan

[edafan]

I think this belongs here also:
Sideline Chatter:
Havlicek stole the ball
and Larry Bird's bravado

Havlicek vs. Bird: who wins? Turns out it was Hondo by TKO.

The two Celtics legends whose NBA careers missed overlapping by two years once went one-on-one anyway after Bird, 16 1/2 years Havlicek's junior, bragged he would have dominated had the two ever played.

As Havlicek, who died Thursday at 79, once told The Boston Globe: "I said, 'Fine, let's go right now.' I made a swipe for the ball, but in doing so I hit him in a very tender spot. He went down and stayed down for a good two minutes.

"I said, 'That's it. You lose. You aren't tough enough to have played in my day.' "

[edafan]

I am quite shocked at how little the sports pages have covered this.
I agree.
It shows a blatant media bias against the greatness of Boston Celtics 1950's - 1960's.
Havlicek won 8 NBA championships: 6 of them were with Bill Russell, who won 11 out of 13 years.
Then they regrouped the team, and won 2 more in the 1970's.
John Havlicek was a great player.
Read the statements from Red Auerbach when he first observed Havlicek on his team.

nuf said

[edafan]

Hondo was the best.

Here's a funny story about one of his teammates.
One game I took my son to we sat in the front row watching the warmups. Who sits next to my son but Jo Jo White. I told my son, look to the rafters. See that #10, he's sitting right next to you. So my son asks him, pointing to the #10 retired banner: "Is that you?" and Jo Jo was great talking to him.


edafan

[edafan]

They mention Hondo

Celtics legend Bob Cousy to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

By Nick Kelly and Dan Shaughnessy Globe Correspondent and Globe Staff,July 1, 2019, 11:54 a.m.
Celtics legend Bob Cousy doesn’t lack for accolades or trophies. None match his latest, however.
Cousy, who turns 91 in August, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump, Cousy told the Globe on Monday. It is the nation’s highest civilian honor.
“At 90, when someone rings your doorbell, you’re honored,” Cousy told the Globe. “Things change for you as to what is meaningful. I think it is a finish to a life circle to me.”
Cousy will receive the award after a Hall of Fame basketball career. He won NBA MVP in 1957, was a 13-time NBA All-Star, a six-time NBA champion and had his No. 14 retired by the Celtics on Oct. 16, 1963. He is the second Celtics player to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Former President Barack Obama awarded it to Bill Russell in 2011. Other sports figures who have received the award from President Trump include Babe Ruth and Tiger Woods. Cousy, who received the official letter notifying him this past Wednesday, does not know any details about when he will be honored.
President Trump first called Cousy, a lifelong Worcester resident, on Dec. 3 while eating lunch with West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, who Cousy called a good friend.
“I was doing then what I am doing now – sitting on my fat ,” Cousy said.
The White House called Cousy at his Worcester home phone, but Cousy didn’t recognize the number. A frequent recipient of calls from telemarketers, Cousy usually hangs up if no one responds within two seconds of his greeting.
This time, a woman replied seeking Mr. Cousy.
“Who’s calling please?” Cousy asked.
“The President of the United States,” she replied.
At first, Cousy thought a buddy was playing a prank. Then she mentioned Manchin was having lunch with the President, signaling to Cousy that the call was from the actual President of the United States.
Soon, President Trump was on the other end of the phone. They spoke for 15 minutes.
“I felt almost guilty about it,” Cousy said. “Toward the end of the conversation, I said, ‘Mr. President, I am flattered by your call, but I am going to have to report you for dereliction of duty.’”
The President, Cousy said, laughed before he asked what he meant. Cousy then brought up how President Trump had just canceled a planned meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 summit just days before.
“Today, you just spent 15 minutes with some old bloke with one foot in the grave,” Cousy recalled telling President Trump. “He was amused by that.”
During their conversation, President Trump also asked who Cousy thought was the best between Russell and Wilt Chamberlain.
“Obviously, I took my old friend,” Cousy said.
[B]The President had also asked how John Havlicek, Cousy’s former teammate, was doing. Havlicek, who suffered from Parkinson’s disease, died this past April.
After their conversation wrapped up, Cousy called Congressman Jim McGovern, another friend of his, to tell him about the phone call with the President. He wanted to let McGovern know because the Worcester congressman had pushed for Cousy to receive the award during the Obama Administration.
Cousy just had to wait a few years more for an award he said means a lot to him because it spans more than his accomplishments on the court. It takes into consideration more than just his basketball statistics. He said the White House focused on the work he has done in relation to social justice. Cousy was a proponent of diversity in the NBA and was a supporter of his black teammates.

[edafan]

Hall of Fame knuckleballer Phil Niekro, who spoke at a memorial service for John Havlicek at Trinity Church in Copley Square in April, still chokes up at the memory of his childhood friend. Niekro said he spoke with Beth Havlicek over the weekend.

[edafan]

Here is a patch the Celtics wore for the great John Havlicek

16459

edafan

[edafan]

Just a little note.
These little knowledge people who are putting these best lists on the net.

Boston Celtics Small Forwards
abject stupidity Tom Sanders was NOT a small forward, he played center in college

Boston Celtics shooting guards Bob Cousy was NOT a shooting guard, on those teams in the 1950's Bill Sharman was the shooting guard, & Cousy was the playmaker

nuf said

edafan

[edafan]

Hondo

you were the best


edafan

[edafan]

I'm an Ohio State basketball fan. Hondo is the greatest Buckeye hoops player ever. Hearing this news ruined my day for a bit.

I just saw a list of the 30 best college players of all time.

They had Jerry Lucas and didn't have John Havlicek

[edafan]

2020

We lost 2 other great Celtics

Tommy Heinsohn

& K C Jones [[ The late coach at our College used to call me his K C Jones )

edafan

[edafan]

News today

Celtics just lost Paul Westphal


edafan

[edafan]

One of the Celtics greatest opposing players, the Lakers Elgin Baylor, died.

[edafan]

We just lost Sam Jones, who won 10 NBA championships.