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05/14/2003 Archived Entry: "Dave DeBusschere, RIP"
Dave DeBusschere, RIP
All of a sudden, this has turned into one of the saddest days ever in New York Sports. From ESPN:
NBA Hall of Famer Dave DeBusschere, who won two championships with the New York Knicks before becoming the youngest coach in league history, died of a heart attack on Wednesday at the age of 62.DeBusschere's exploits in the world of sports also included a stint as commissioner of the ABA and parts of two seasons as a major league pitcher with the Chicago White Sox in 1962-63.
But it was in basketball that DeBusschere excelled. He gave up baseball after two seasons and a 3-4 record in 36 games to concentrate on his NBA career.
Whenever people talk about the Championship Knicks of '70 and '73, they talk about Willis Reed's Knicks, or Clyde's Knicks, or Bradley's Knicks. But ask any of them, and they'll tell you whose team it really was. Renowned sportswriter Stan Isaacs said this:
The steadiest of all the Knicks, it seemed, the one who never seemed to deviate from good defense and clutch shooting and rebounding was Dave DeBusschere. I wouldn't argue that DeBusschere is better than several other forwards in the history of the league, but I would put him on a personal all time pro basketball team along with John Havlicek, Bill Russell, Michael Jordan and Walt Frazier.
DeBusschere's Knicks continue to be the glimmer of hope that we Knicks fans carry in our hearts - that it can happen for us, and it somehow will again someday. For basketball fans anywhere, a bright light has gone out. Godspeed, Dave DeBusschere.
