12/21/24
September 13, 2015
Moses Malone, three time NBA MVP, passes away: age 60.
posted by rumple to basketball at 01:42 PM - 3 comments
First Darryl Dawkins and now Moses Malone. These two were mainstays of the great 76ers teams of the '70s and early '80s. Perhaps the Celtics were fortunate not to have been embarrassed by Philly in '83. Don't forget that the Celtics had lost to the 76ers -- minus Malone who was then with Houston -- the year before. That was the year the Boston fans, knowing that the series was lost as the clock wound down in the Garden, began to chant "Beat LA, Beat LA" to encourage the 76ers. Malone's years with Houston were also some pretty good ones. With Houston in 1980-81 Malone reached the finals, losing to the Celtics that year.
When we watched the great ones from years ago play, we saw them as young men. As the years passed, they remained young in our memories; we forgot that they, like us, would grow older. Now as we hear of their passing, we read the news with a measure of sadness and disbelief, but more so with a sense of our own mortality.
posted by Howard_T at 03:53 PM on September 13, 2015
"Fo, Fo, Fo .."
Still remember watching that interview.
Had the opportunity to very briefly meet Moses at a Sixers rookie camp at St.Joe's back in the summer of 84. Arrived early to watch a rookie scrimmage and walked in to see Moses helping out a couple of women's college players with shooting drills. Came across as a real down to earth guy and was very approachable, a sharp contrast to the "get out of my way or I'll tear your head off" type of intense persona he had on the basketball court.
I was also amazed at how I had thought he absolutely had to be 3 inches taller and 90 lbs heavier just by the way he dominated the paint .. for some reason his somewhat slight size hadn't registered previously.
Possibly the best rebounder ever.
RIP
posted by cixelsyd at 07:01 PM on September 14, 2015
As a former Virginian, I was so in awe of what he did in high school and so glad he chose not to attend Maryland.
Somewhere there must be footage of the HS tournaments he played in. It was man against boys and then some.
The Celtics are so lucky that the Bucks took them out in the 83 playoffs, so they didn't have to face the Sixers onslaught and the humiliation that would have been sure to follow. Being annihilated by the Sixers would have been a huge deal for Boston back then. Ryan and Shaughnessy would still be talking about it.
I can't believe that the Malone Sixers didn't win 3 or 4 titles.
I can still see him pushing his goggles up onto his forehead to take foul shots.
RIP