OT RIP...Hal Greer

[Blakeon18]

Passed away at 81. HOF...star guard back in the 1960's with Philly.
He would shoot his foul shots as jumpers. I remember he said that it allowed him to practice his free throws all over the court and to practice his all over the court shots on the free throw line.

 

[oldude]

Passed away at 81. HOF...star guard back in the 1960's with Philly.
He would shoot his foul shots as jumpers. I remember he said that it allowed him to practice his free throws all over the court and to practice his all over the court shots on the free throw line.

Very sorry to hear the news. Greer was something of a role model to me in a specific way.

Back when I was in jr HS, I struggled for a time shooting foul shots. I tried out Greer’s jump shot technique and my foul shooting immediately improved. From then on, I never shot below 75% from the charity stripe.

 

[Confident Carl]

Passed away at 81. HOF...star guard back in the 1960's with Philly.
He would shoot his foul shots as jumpers. I remember he said that it allowed him to practice his free throws all over the court and to practice his all over the court shots on the free throw line.

Those Sixer's - Celts games on the Parkay floor, Wilt vs. Russell with Hal Greer and mates were unforgettable classics. Today's NBA doesn't do it for me. I prefer college hoops. RIP Mr. Greer.

 

[cohenzone]

One of my favorite non-Celts when I was the same age as oldude who is now much older.

 

[JordyG]

Just a picture perfect jump shot. The kind you just don't see anymore: Feet together, jump straight up, keep the ball high, release at the top of your jump from the centerline of you body. RIP to a great man and a great player.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Hal was one of my favorite players when I was a kid. Always running, very quick, sweet jumper. Seemed like a good guy too. Was part of the great Philly championship team, one of the best units ever assembled.

That lineup was loaded!

1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers Roster and Stats | Basketball-Reference.com

Hal, Luke Jackson, Matt Guokas, Larry Costello, Chet the Jet Walker, the Kangaroo Kid, and the Big Dipper. They went 68-13.

 

[JordyG]

Hal was one of my favorite players when I was a kid. Always running, very quick, sweet jumper. Seemed like a good guy too. Was part of the great Philly championship team, one of the best units ever assembled.

That lineup was loaded!

1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers Roster and Stats | Basketball-Reference.com

Hal, Luke Jackson, Matt Guokas, Larry Costello, Chet the Jet Walker, the Kangaroo Kid, and the Big Dipper. They went 68-13.

+1000

Loaded! Today people go on and on about how Jordan change basketball. But the biggest changes to the game were actually due to two people, Wilt and Dr.J. Wilt was a big, powerful, athletic man. Because of him the NBA changed the size of the lane, the NCAA outlawed offensive basketball interference, and lobbing the ball from the baseline over the backboard. All of these rules are still implemented today. From Jordan we got the hand check, 3 steps to the hoop, to a lesser extent, palming, and a less physical game.

Doc changed basketball because the ABA and the NBA were two separate leagues with two different styles of play. The NBA teams mostly played a half court game. The ABA ran the lanes, encouraged spectacular dunks (and had dunk contests), ran to the 3pt line, had cheerleaders, free giveaway nights, half time shows etc. You know, the way the NBA looks now. The leagues merged, not because the Association wanted to imitate that style of play, but because they wanted Doc in the fold. But along with Doc came the game the way it is today. The Association wants you to believe Showtime came about because of Magic's Lakers, but in the ABA every night was showtime.

 

[VAUConnFan]

One of my all time favorites; Out of Marshall. Jump shot his free throws. Played on the all time great '67 76ers.

 

[VAUConnFan]

+1000

Loaded! Today people go on and on about how Jordan change basketball. But the biggest changes to the game were actually due to two people, Wilt and Dr.J. Wilt was a big, powerful, athletic man. Because of him the NBA changed the size of the lane, the NCAA outlawed offensive basketball interference, and lobbing the ball from the baseline over the backboard. All of these rules are still implemented today. From Jordan we got the hand check, 3 steps to the hoop, to a lesser extent, palming, and a less physical game.

Doc changed basketball because the ABA and the NBA were two separate leagues with two different styles of play. The NBA teams mostly played a half court game. The ABA ran the lanes, encouraged spectacular dunks (and had dunk contests), ran to the 3pt line, had cheerleaders, free giveaway nights, half time shows etc. You know, the way the NBA looks now. The leagues merged, not because the Association wanted to imitate that style of play, but because they wanted Doc in the fold. But along with Doc came the game the way it is today. The Association wants you to believe Showtime came about because of Magic's Lakers, but in the ABA every night was showtime.

The leagues merged because the ABA was failing miserably. Four ABA teams were folded into the NBA, the rest of the players dispersed.

Wilt definitely changed the game/rules. Dr J to a lesser extent. I still vividly recall the first time I saw Erving play as a rookie with the Virginia Squires against the Nets at the Island Garden; Had a front row view to a play where Erving picked up a loose ball on the left side of the baseline, jumped up to the right side and threw it down; With ease, grace, and power.

 

[JordyG]

The leagues merged because the ABA was failing miserably. Four ABA teams were folded into the NBA, the rest of the players dispersed.

Wilt definitely changed the game/rules. Dr J to a lesser extent. I still vividly recall the first time I saw Erving play as a rookie with the Virginia Squires against the Nets at the Island Garden; Had a front row view to a play where Erving picked up a loose ball on the left side of the baseline, jumped up to the right side and threw it down; With ease, grace, and power.

The ABA was failing miserably, no doubt. So why bother to merge at all? The NBA could have just waited it out and then gobbled up the players as the franchises failed. The truth is the NBA wanted J in the league ASAP, and a merger was the quickest way. THAT'S why the leagues merged. Also remember. Each of the four franchises that entered the league could only keep two players from their teams, the rest were pooled. The remaining and entering teams picked players from the pool.

Frankly, the person who changed sports the most since Jackie Robinson was Curt Flood. With his lawsuit came free agency which altered the landscape of sports forever.

 

[ME Husky Fan]

Hal was one of my favorite players when I was a kid. Always running, very quick, sweet jumper. Seemed like a good guy too. Was part of the great Philly championship team, one of the best units ever assembled.

That lineup was loaded!

1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers Roster and Stats | Basketball-Reference.com

Hal, Luke Jackson, Matt Guokas, Larry Costello, Chet the Jet Walker, the Kangaroo Kid, and the Big Dipper. They went 68-13.

Can't forget Wali Jones. He was as important part of that starting five as anyone. Loved watching those games on channel 17. The Sixers and big 5 basketball back then - couldn't beat it.

 

[Aluminny69]

Anyone remember the Syracuse Nationals?

 

[VAUConnFan]

The ABA was failing miserably, no doubt. So why bother to merge at all? The NBA could have just waited it out and then gobbled up the players as the franchises failed. The truth is the NBA wanted J in the league ASAP, and a merger was the quickest way. THAT'S why the leagues merged. Also remember. Each of the four franchises that entered the league could only keep two players from their teams, the rest were pooled. The remaining and entering teams picked players from the pool.

Frankly, the person who changed sports the most since Jackie Robinson was Curt Flood. With his lawsuit came free agency which altered the landscape of sports forever.

Without doubt. Curt Flood's stand was beyond courageous in that he had very little support and it pretty much cost him his career. Flood, BTW, was an excellent center fielder.

 

[Scud49]

He was a great player for them. The 76ers had Hal Greer, and we had Sam Jones....damn, those were some superb teams. And very watchable BB, not like what's out there today on the NBA court.

 

[Florida Fan]

Passed away at 81. HOF...star guard back in the 1960's with Philly.
He would shoot his foul shots as jumpers. I remember he said that it allowed him to practice his free throws all over the court and to practice his all over the court shots on the free throw line.

Saw him once in the Manley Field House, with George Yardley and Woody Sauldsbury. Back then the pros played before small groups of bettors in top coats yelling obscenities at those who would tamper with the point spread. Who knew the pro game would become the wealthy stronghold it is today?

 

[msf22b]

Anyone remember the Syracuse Nationals?

before that: Booby Wanzer; loved him...or was that Rochester...
Dolph Shayes was Syracuse, I think