LARRY BIRD

["Dorine" <norine@sover.net>]

(AP) - Larry Bird never left the Boston Celtics in his NBA
playing days. During his induction into the Basketball Hall of
Fame, the team's fans proved they never left him. Fans, including
some in Celtics green and Bird jerseys, let out throaty chants of
"Lah-ree! Lah-ree! Lah-ree!" in an uncharacteristically raucous
ceremony Friday night in the team's home state. A two-minute roar
by about 7,000 Bird admirers at the Springfield Civic Center put
an exclamation point on his one-team career. "I'm very proud to
say I spent 13 years playing for the Boston Celtics," he said,
setting off more cheering. He entered the shrine with Marques
Haynes of the Harlem Globetrotters, Arnie Risen, also of the
Celtics, and coaches Alex Hannum of the 1967 NBA champion
Philadelphia 76ers, Jody Conradt of the University of Texas, and
Aleksandar Nikolic of Yugoslavia.
Atlanta Hawks coach Lenny Wilkens, inducted as a player in 1989,
was honored again, this time as the NBA's career victory leader.
He has an NBA coaching record of 1,120-908, including the 1979
championship with Seattle. Bird, who has now coaches the Indiana
Pacers, voiced worry earlier Friday about the NBA lockout. He
said he hopes the outcome will help keep players from engaging in
too much team hopping. "I think it's great for the fans to be
able to identify with certain players in certain places," Bird
said. "He's out of the old school," said Chicago Bulls assistant
Tex Winter, winner of this year's Hall of Fame John Bunn award
for lifelong service to the game. "As a team player, he surpasses
anybody I've ever seen." Wilt Chamberlain, in Springfield to
honor his former coach, Hannum, said he would pick Bird first,
even over Jordan, for a spot on a personal dream team.

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