The Art of the Steal
Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode | ||
Billy Cunningham illy Cunningham was born in Brooklyn, New York. His fame began while he was playing at Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn,[1] where he was the MVP in the Brooklyn League in 1961. That year, he was the First-Team All-New York City, and a member of the Parade Magazine All-America Team. Cunningham then went to the University of North Carolina, where he excelled. He once grabbed a record 27 rebounds in a game vs. Clemson on February 16, 1963. Cunningham also set a single-game North Carolina record with 48 points against Tulane on December 10, 1964. In his UNC career, he scored 1,709 points (24.8 points per game), and grabbed 1,062 rebounds (15.4 rebounds per game). Upon graduation, his 1,062 rebounds were the best in North Carolina history and he held seasonal records for most rebounds (379 in 1964) and rebound average (16.1 in 1963). In 1965, Cunningham joined the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association as a sixth man and played well enough to be named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. Cunningham is well known for coaching the 76ers to the 1983 NBA Championship. Cunningham also played on the powerful 1967 Sixers championship team (featuring Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Chet Walker, and Luke Jackson). In 1972, he joined the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association. In his first ABA season, Cunningham made the All-ABA First Team and was named the ABA MVP. In that 1972-73 season he led the Cougars to the regular season Eastern Division championship and into the 1973 ABA Playoffs where they beat the New York Nets in the Eastern Division Semifinals to advance to the Eastern Division Finals. In the Division Finals the Cougars lost a tight seven game series to the Kentucky Colonels, 4 games to 3. In the 1973-74 season Cunningham and the Cougars finished third in the Eastern Division and lost again to the Kentucky Colonels in the Eastern Division semifinals. After the 1973-74 season, Cunningham returned to the 76ers, where he played until he suffered a career-ending injury early in the 1975-76 season. For his career, Cunningham scored 16,310 points and grabbed 7,981 rebounds in both the NBA and the ABA. After his playing days were done, he became the head coach of the 76ers on November 4, 1977, and built a great team featuring the likes of Bobby Jones, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, Moses Malone, and Julius Erving. He reached the 200, 300, and 400-win milestone faster than any coach in NBA history. He led Philadelphia to the NBA Finals 3 times, in 1979-80, 1981-82 and 1982-83, facing the Los Angeles Lakers all 3 times. The 76ers lost to the Lakers in 1980 and 1982, but after acquiring Moses Malone, Cunningham finally got them past the Lakers in 1983, winning the franchise's second NBA Championship as part of a 12-1 playoff run. Upon his retirement, his 454 wins as a head coach were the 12th best in NBA history. In 1987, Cunningham replaced Tom Heinsohn as the lead color commentator (alongside play-by-play man Dick Stockton) for CBS' NBA telecasts. Cunningham left CBS Sports the following season to join the Miami Heat expansion franchise as a minority owner; he ultimately sold his interest of the Heat on August 12, 1994. Cunningham was subsequently replaced on CBS by Hubie Brown. Billy at NBA.com |
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Maury Wills The memory of Maury Wills achieving his 104th stolen base for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1962 evokes images of an athlete extraordinaire. This outstanding achievement is only one in a long list of accomplishments that give insight into a man who is both an important athlete and a true sports personality. On September 23, 1962 Wills broke Ty Cobb's record of 97 stolen bases in one year. At the time, it was almost inconceivable that the century mark could be broken, but that's exactly what Wills did. By season's end with his record 104 stolen bases, Wills set a new major league record. Wills went on to lead the National League in stolen bases for six straight seasons, from 1960-1965, and has a lifetime total of 585 stolen bases. Wills was also a major force on the winning L.A. Dodger team for 14 years and helped lead the Dodgers to three World Series victories in 1959 (his first year wearing the Dodger cap), 1963, and 1965. In addition, he also guided the Dodgers to a National League pennant victory in 1966. Wills' many athletic achievements tell the story of a true sportsman and team player, including: National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1962 Shortstop of the Year in 1970-71 Season, at age 39 Golden Glove award for Fielding in 1961-62 season Honored as Outstanding Fielder among National League Shortstops Wills' accomplishments are even more meaningful when we remember that it took him nearly 10 years in the minors to break through to the majors in 1959. In fact, after 13 years in the majors, at the senior age (in baseball terms) of 39, he was still batting an impressive 288. Wills' sporting career did not end when he put away his bat in 1972, after 23 years in the pros. His goal was to become a manager in the Major League. Beginning with the winter, 1970-71 season, Wills began managing at Hermosilli, Mexico between seasons. It was at this time that he was voted the top pilot in the league. Wills realized his dream of becoming a Major League Manager when he became manager of the American League Seattle Mariners, during the 1980-81 seasons. Wills' other post-Dodger highlights include six years as a baseball analyst for NBC Sports, " Major League Baseball Game of the Week, " and one year as an HBO network in-studio sports personality. He also has been a trainer for 15 different Major League baseball teams, teaching the art of base running and stealing and trained the Osaka, "Hanky Braves" in Japan for four years. An articulate and informative personality, Wills has been sought after by some of the most respected and recognizable entertainment programs. He has appeared on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" four times and the "Merv Griffith Show" three times. He has also appeared on the Dinah Shore, Jimmy Dean, and Mike Douglas programs, as well as Hollywood Palace with Milton Berle. Many were surprised to discover Will's talents go beyond the world of baseball when he appeared on stage in Las Vegas with a banjo at the Sahara, Desert Inn and Union Plaza hotels. Wills, today show no signs of slowing down. A seasoned golfer and fisherman, he likes to spend his leisure time on recreational activities. However, his busy schedule leaves him little time to relax. Wills is also busy working endorsements, but finds that his most satisfying role has been with the children he has worked with throughout the years. Under Governor Ronald Reagan, Wills was the Chairman of Athletics for Youth in the State of California. He has also worked as Assistant to Pittsburgh's Mayor Barr in Youth Relations; and was Assistant to the District Attorney of Clark County, Nevada for Youth programs. Currently he is involved with the Red Ribbon Program, a national organization dedicated to the prevention of drug abuse whose slogan is "Hugs not Drugs," and he is a Youth Drug Program Role Model for the Redondo Beach Crime Watch. Maurywills.com |
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