DeBusschere dead at 62

upi via bloomberg no url | 5/14/3

[NativeNewYorker]

NEW YORK, May 14 (UPI) -- Hall of Famer Dave DeBusschere, regarded as the rock of the two New York Knicks' championship teams in 1970 and '73, died Wednesday.

He was 62.

A team spokeswoman confirmed DeBusschere died of a "massive heart attack."

Playing for Knicks teams which featured five Hall of Famers, DeBusschere was one of the league's elite power forwards, making the All-Defensive Team six times.

DeBusschere also played major league baseball with the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and '63 while playing with the Detroit Pistons in the NBA. He was a player-coach with the Pistons from November 1964-to-March 1967 before being traded to the Knicks.

DeBusschere also served as commissioner of the American Basketball Association, and was the Knicks' general manager from May 1982-to-January 1986.

[NativeNewYorker]

[ken5050]

Bummer....Dave was a class act...I ran into him a few times over the years at the bar at Smith & Wolensky's....He always said that Walt Frazier made that Knicks team go..

[bigfootbob]

The wife and I was talking last night about the uniforms now in use compared to the uniforms worn in the "good ole days" of the NBA like in your photo. DeBusschere's passing makes me feel very old. May God bless his soul.

[LS]

Very sad. I've never been a Knicks fan, but I cheered them in the early 1970s when he, Frazier, Monroe, Lucas, Reed, Bradley (yech), Jackson, and others had one of the best pure "teams" ever assembled.

I pray he was right with God, because I'd like to try guarding him in my glorified body!

[ken5050]

OK, sportsfans.... whom did the Knicks trade to get DeB?

[Digger]

Their games with the Lakers are still the best the NBA ever offered.

[KellyAdmirer]

He was The Man on the 1973 Championship team, every time he came into the game in the finals, he did something special. Sad he passed so young, completely different game now.

[So Cal Rocket]

It was Bellamy and someone else... can't remember who

[Willie Green]

making the All-Defensive Team six times.

(((sigh)))
There's no room in the NBA for a player like Dave DeBusschere anymore.
I doubt that there's ANY contemporary player with the foggiest notion of what "defense" is.
The darn game has degenerated into nothing but sloppy run and gun, nobody "works the ball" anymore. If they can't hang from the rim like a chattering chimpanzee, then they're tossing a Hail Mary from mid-court praying for 3 points.

That crap just isn't basketball.

[Charles Henrickson]

And Howie Komives. Bellamy and Komives for DDB.

I saw those Knicks teams many times when they came to town to play the Bulls. Great team concept and execution.

I probably also saw DDB pitch for the White Sox, even though I was a Cubs fan.

Ron Reed, Gene Conley, Danny Ainge. . . . Let's see, who else played both NBA and MLB? Chuck Connors? Bill Sharman? Jordan tried, but couldn't cut it in baseball. I think there's a pitcher named Hendrickson (no relation, spelled differently) who's on the Blue Jays now.

[TommyDale]

I will never forget seeing Dave DeBusschere play in the 1966 NBA All-Star Game, in San Francisco at the Cow Palace. He was matching Rick Barry shot for shot during an incredible performance of skills. A true great in the game!

[b4its2late]

RIP Dave.....

Back when the Knicks were a good team......

[Hatteras]

"Back when the Knicks were a good team......"

I've got the complete set of '72 Topps Basketball Cards including the Knicks (Frazier, Monroe, Reed, DDB etal.) and was just leafing through the set last night. I was chuckling about how they had some of the players put their jerseys on backwards so you could read their names. Good stuff.

[b4its2late]

Sounds good.......

[AlGone2001]

Dave Debusschere
Born: October 16, 1940
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

Pitching statistics

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CAREER STATISTICS
YEAR	TEAM	LG	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	BA
1962	CHI	A	12	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
1963	CHI	A	24	22	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	9	0	0	.045
			G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	BA
2 Seasons			36	22	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	9	0	0	.045

[Hatteras]

Check that. It was the '73 Set, stats from '72:

[GSWarrior]

Baggy trunks are a lot more comfortable than the 'cheek huggers' of yesteryear. Of course it can be taken to the extreme.

[LS]

Do you remember the series where Reed was hurt and Lucas had to play center, trying to draw Wilt out? In the first game, Lucas sank (what would today be 3-point) buckets like layups, and the Knicks killed the Lakers. But in the next game, LA put a forward on Lucas, kept Wilt close, and the Knicks didn't have a chance.

[deadhead]

Rest In Peace