Rod Hundley, an Outsize Personality on and Off the Court, Dies at 80 (Hot Rod Hundley)

The New York Times ^ | March 28, 2015 | Richard Goldstein

[EveningStar]

Rod Hundley, basketball’s irrepressible Hot Rod, who parlayed showmanship on the court with flair at the microphone to become a fan favorite for more than half a century, died on Friday at his home near Phoenix. He was 80.

Hundley was an electrifying presence at West Virginia University, played for the Lakers and stamped his persona on broadcasting, mostly for the New Orleans Jazz.

“Nobody did the things I did on the court and nobody has done them since,” Hundley said of his collegiate exploits in “Hot Rod Hundley: You Gotta Love It Baby!” (2012), written with Tom McEachin. “I’d shoot behind my back, sit on the other team’s bench and really work the crowd. I was a Globetrotter in college basketball.”

[EveningStar]

Wikipedia

Hot Rod: The man behind the voice (from 2003)

[EveningStar]

SoCal Ping!



Attention Southern Californians

Please ping me with any Southern California related articles. Thank you!

If you want on or off this ping list, please FReepmail me.

[FreeInWV]

He probably had a heart attack watching the WVU game friday.

Rest in Peace Rod.

[al baby]

Wow a white baskeball player and boxing never bet on the white guy

[Dr. Ursus]

I remember him when I was young. That wasn’t a game Friday; it was a Kentucky scrimmage.

[dfwgator]

I bet those WVU players aren’t running their mouths now like they were before the game.

[rabidralph]

He looks a lot like this actor, Danny Huston.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.

[EveningStar]

Sadly, it was Alzheimer’s. :(

[driftless2]

As he admitted Hundley never did live up to his potential. In fact, during Jerry West's rookie year, West's college coach, Fred Schaus, started Hundley over West for most of the season while West sat on the bench and seethed.

Hundley later admitted that even as a rookie, West was a lot better than he was, "I couldn't carry Jerry's shoes" Hundley was quoted as saying.

But he was a real character and a long time fan favorite as a player and as an announcer. And he was always ready to talk to fans. When he was an announcer, he used to say win or lose, he'd be in a certain bar after a game ready to talk to the fans.