OT: Dick Barnett Dead at 88

[RUhasarrived]

Dammit.I was just thinking about him as I walked past the Garden this past Wednesday.
He was the shooting guard for the Knicks' 1969 legendary champions.
He came from the Lakers where he would yell to his teammates after he shot:"Fall back,baby."

 

[WhichReligionIsRight]

Aside from his basketball career (two ships), he also earned a PhD from Fordham.

 

[RUPete]

RIP. He gave back a great deal after his playing career ended. Great book to read about that Knicks era is “When the Garden was Eden,” by Harvey Araton.

 

[MADHAT1]

Sadly one of the Knicks I followed back in the day has passed
RIP Dick Barnett

 

[rufeelinit]

He had a rather funky shooting motion both from the field and foul line. A lefty as I recall and a pretty good defender. I guess he was gone by the time the Knick acquired Earl Monroe to form one of the best backcourts in the game. I think I heard on a broadcast the Earl is not well either.

 

[RU22]

He called his jump shot the "fall back baby" jumper since once it was in the air the defense could just fall back into position as it swished thru the net

 

[rudad02]

RIP Dick!

 

[RU#1fan]

RIP… loved that team with him, Clyde, and later Earl the Pearl…..

 

[colbert17]

This one hurts. I really enjoyed watching him on that first Knicks championship team. With all the great players on that team he did exactly what needed to be done for that team to win.
He did have that funky jumpshot where he kicked his legs while he was in the air. I cant find a video of his foul shot but he would stand on the line and as he started his motion he would step behind his left foot with his right. Every kid on the playground tried it.
R.I.P.

 

[gchicago]

He was an Indiana legend in high school and was a product of what was once a great city named Gary, Indiana.

 

[rudad02]

He was an Indiana legend in high school and was a product of what was once a great city named Gary, Indiana.

Steel mills in Gary.

 

[RUforJERSEY]

He had a rather funky shooting motion both from the field and foul line. A lefty as I recall and a pretty good defender. I guess he was gone by the time the Knick acquired Earl Monroe to form one of the best backcourts in the game. I think I heard on a broadcast the Earl is not well either.

Yeah that kick leg thing. Couldn't stand those Knicks. Lol

 

[4IUSox2]

He was an Indiana legend in high school and was a product of what was once a great city named Gary, Indiana.

Played at Gary Roosevelt HS and led team to the ‘55 state championship game, where his team lost to a lanky Junior named Oscar Robertson and Crispus Attucks HS. This was the year after the Milan miracle of ‘54 (the inspiration for Hoosiers) and the first time 2 all-black schools played for an Indiana state title.

 

[gchicago]

Played at Gary Roosevelt HS and led team to the ‘55 state championship game, where his team lost to a lanky Junior named Oscar Robertson and Crispus Attucks HS. This was the year after the Milan miracle of ‘54 (the inspiration for Hoosiers) and the first time 2 all-black schools played for an Indiana state title.

There were some great players in the Hoosier state.. it means so much in Indiana and when the flagship school sucks it doesn't make sense. We'll see how things go with the new regime. IU needs to be good again.

 

[gchicago]

Steel mills in Gary.

Still producing and they are modernizing the plants. The biggest US Steel plant is still kicking as the Cliff's plants. The modernization has reduced the work force along with cheap import steel. The city is getting cleaned up (new Hard Rock casino) and airport expansion. It was a clean, beautiful city back in the day my dad grew up there playing against the Karras family and Tom Herman. All the folks leaving Chicago are growing that county as it's the second most populated so good things ahead????

 

[Bagarocks]

The kick, as teens we were all tryin it...

 

[WhiteBus]

He had a rather funky shooting motion both from the field and foul line. A lefty as I recall and a pretty good defender. I guess he was gone by the time the Knick acquired Earl Monroe to form one of the best backcourts in the game. I think I heard on a broadcast the Earl is not well either.

Dick Barnett and Earl Monroe both played together on the 1973 Championship team.
He did have unique shooting style. Instead of squaring his body to the basket he was turned so that his left side was facing the basket.
I loved the Knicks (and the NBA) during the 70's but as each year passed it faded away. I stopped watching all together by the mid 80s.
But I still have fond memories of the 70 and 73 Championship teams.

 

[Bagarocks]

Willis Reed Limping out on the Court for game 7. The Lakers didnt know it yet but they already had lost the game...

 

[colbert17]

Willis Reed Limping out on the Court for game 7. The Lakers didnt know it yet but they already had lost the game...

For our younger fans who may not know what we're talking about.

 

[colbert17]

Willis Reed Limping out on the Court for game 7. The Lakers didnt know it yet but they already had lost the game...

Those first two shots were the only points he scored all night. Lost in all the drama was one of the greatest game 7 performances ever by Clyde. 36 points, 19 assists and 7 rebounds is a pretty good night's work

 

[rubaseball78]

The kick, as teens we were all tryin it...

Of course I tried to copy. Never good enough to make my way of shooting but good enough to use in games of horse.

 

[RU#1fan]

Willis Reed Limping out on the Court for game 7. The Lakers didnt know it yet but they already had lost the game...

Priceless