Boom, Baby!: My Basketball Life in Indiana

by Bobby "Slick" Leonard, Lew Freedman, Larry Bird (Foreword by)

Overview

Bobby "Slick" Leonard has etched his name forever on the Mount Rushmore of Indiana basketball, and in Boom, Baby! he shares memories from his storied career. Leonard takes readers inside the Indiana locker room with legendary head coach Branch McCracken and onto the court when he hit the deciding free throws as the "Hurrying Hoosiers" topped Phog Allen's Kansas Jayhawks. He recalls the NBA's early years, including being drafted by a Baltimore Bullets team that folded soon after selecting him. He tells of his time as the winningest coach in the ABA's nine-year history, securing three championships in his first five seasons with the Indianapolis Pacers. In his final act, "Slick" endeared himself to new generations of Hoosier hoops fans as the longtime Pacers radio voice, with his trademark call "Boom, Baby!" for a successful three-point shot.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781600788598
Publisher:	Triumph Books
Publication date:	11/15/2013
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Bobby “Slick” Leonard has been a broadcaster for the Indiana Pacers since 1985. He coached the Indiana Pacers to three ABA championships in the late 1960s and early 1970s and played seven seasons in the NBA. He was a star player on Indiana University’s NCAA champion “Hurrying Hoosiers” team in 1953. He lives in Carmel, Indiana. Lew Freedman is an award-winning journalist and the sports editor at the Republic newspaper in Columbus, Indiana. He has previously worked for the Anchorage Daily News, the Chicago Tribune, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is the author of more than 50 books, including The 50 Greatest Plays in Chicago Bears Football History, Cubs Essential, “Then Ozzie Said to Harold . . .”, The Best Chicago White Sox Stories Ever Told, White Sox Essential, and Fergie: My Life from the Cubs to Cooperstown with Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins. He lives in Columbus, Indiana. One of basketball's all-time greats, Larry Bird led Indiana State to the 1979 NCAA championship game. The Hall of Famer was a 12-time All-Star in 13 NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics. He led the Celtics to three NBA championships and was named the league's Most Valuable Player three times. Bird later coached the Indiana Pacers for three seasons and later served as team president. He is the only person in NBA history to be named Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year. He lives in Naples, Florida.

Table of Contents

Foreword Larry Bird vii

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xi

Chapter 1 Growing Up in Terre Haute 1

Chapter 2 High School Hoops 11

Chapter 3 Going to IU 27

Chapter 4 Playing for Indiana 37

Chapter 5 Varsity Breakthrough 45

Chapter 6 National Champs 65

Chapter 7 Going for Two in a Row 65

Chapter 8 Being Drafted and Being Drafted 73

Chapter 9 Going Pro 85

Chapter 10 Becoming Slick 97

Chapter 11 Go West, Young Men 111

Chapter 12 Off to the Windy City 121

Chapter 13 Out of the Game 131

Chapter 14 Call from the Indiana Pacers 141

Chapter 15 Pacers Become Champs 153

Chapter 16 Big Winners in Indy 167

Chapter 17 The Wins Keep on Coming 177

Chapter 18 Indianapolis Title Town 189

Chapter 19 Chasing a Fourth Crown 199

Chapter 20 On to the NBA 211

Chapter 21 NBA Struggles 221

Chapter 22 End of the Coaching Line 231

Chapter 23 Boom, Baby! 237

Chapter 24 As Serious as a Heart Attack 247

Epilogue: Broadcasting Forever 255

Appendix 261

Sources 265

About the Authors 267

Index 269