Basketball's Babe Ruth
On this day in 1946, a 6'10" center out of Depaul made his professional basketball debut. Young George Mikan suited up for the Chicago American Gears in a 66-61 loss to the Oshkosh All-Stars in the National Basketball League.
Mikan's size and skill was already changing the sport. While at Depaul, he swatted away so many shots that college basketball was forced to institute the goaltending rule. With the Gears in Chicago, MIkan played two seasons, leading them to a championship in 1947, before joining the Minneapolis Lakers in 1948 and becoming the game's first superstar.
Mikan was such a big attraction that when the Lakers came to play in New York, the marquee at the Garden read, "Geo Mikan vs. Knicks." The NBA doubled the width of the free throw lane because of his size, and stalling tactics that teams used to keep the ball out of his hands led to the advent of the 24-second clock.
In 1959, Mikan was named to the inaugural class at the Basketball Hall of Fame. He died of diabetes in 2005 at the age of 80. Shaquille O'Neal paid for his funeral.
Mikan's size and skill was already changing the sport. While at Depaul, he swatted away so many shots that college basketball was forced to institute the goaltending rule. With the Gears in Chicago, MIkan played two seasons, leading them to a championship in 1947, before joining the Minneapolis Lakers in 1948 and becoming the game's first superstar.
Mikan was such a big attraction that when the Lakers came to play in New York, the marquee at the Garden read, "Geo Mikan vs. Knicks." The NBA doubled the width of the free throw lane because of his size, and stalling tactics that teams used to keep the ball out of his hands led to the advent of the 24-second clock.In 1959, Mikan was named to the inaugural class at the Basketball Hall of Fame. He died of diabetes in 2005 at the age of 80. Shaquille O'Neal paid for his funeral.
2 Comments:
I think its great that Shaq offered to pay for his funeral. From what I've read about it, Mikan was like a grandfather figure to Shaq offering all types of guidance on how to handle being a big star in the NBA. He died in relative poverty beacuse the NBA has no pension for its pioneers. Its pretty pathetic that the league can't take care of the players that made the NBA what it is now. I think its a disgrace that the Lakers haven't retired his #99. Seeing as he was the league's first actual superstar, they owe him that much. Regardless of whether the team was based in Minneapolis or LA, its still the same ownership/franchise.
I feel you on this Chief. Guy is a Laker legend, they always used to talk about the Mikan to Wilt to Kareem to Shaq thang. Retire his fucking jersey then.
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