Larry Bird

The Boy From French Lick

(Sneak Preview)

By the time Larry was in 10th grade, he was so interested in playing basketball that he just couldn’t get himself to play on the baseball team. He just HAD to play basketball. By now, he was also 6’2” tall and practicing constantly.

Early in the season, though, Larry broke his ankle going for a rebound. He was unable to play most of the season, but he continued to stand every day, propped up on crutches, taking his free throws and passing the ball. During this time, Larry learned something that he believes many players don’t understand: that passing is more of an art than scoring. He believes that when a player is open, that player should get the ball. It doesn’t matter who scores, as long as it’s somebody on your team. And, with crutches in tow, Larry practiced getting the ball to that open player.