“Score meant very little, but a lot of talking going on, a lot of fun.” – Larry Bird picked up the art of trash-talking from…
The idea that white guys are weak is one of the most pervasive stereotypes in the NBA. Strangely enough, Larry Bird supported that viewpoint and was offended when the other team “got that white boy on me?” on multiple occasions. Keep that white boy off of me. Larry’s feelings are explained with a tale from his early years.
White child, raised with grit by Black hoopers
Bird, like many of the greatest players of all time, had an early passion for basketball. Growing up in French Lick, Indiana, young Larry improved his abilities by hoops with older guys who worked in a hotel nearby. In case you were wondering, the answer is yes! They were “Black, athletic, 20-something guys,” according to Bird.
Bird stated to The Undefeated in 2019 that “when you’re 9, 10, 11, and you see somebody 20, you think they’re old.” “However, there were several guys who consistently showed up every day.”
“They’d smoke their Kool cigarettes and drink their beer in between games,” Bird continued. Larry said that these people were nothing more than “great guys,” but a lot of people in Indiana at the time—and far too many people do now—wouldn’t believe him. In the process, Bird got to know most of them off the court and in real life, especially one guy he dubbed “Slim.”
“I met Slim 30 years ago, who was cooking at one of the hotels we stayed in while he was down in Atlanta. It was really great for me and made me happy,” he recalled. And he’d approach and ask, ‘Do you remember me?’ I knew I had seen that face somewhere before, but I couldn’t place it. He had gotten a little older. However, he expressed how happy he was of my transformation.
We can already imagine how competitive those games with the hotel staff were at the time, having seen how fierce Bird had been in the pros. In one way or another, it’s reasonable to conclude that “The Hick from French Lick” did pick up some tips from Slim and his friends.
Bird learned, among other things, that he would never be the toughest guy on the field by working out hard in the gym; instead, he had to figure out ways to overcome the obstacles and remain a great player.
The drive to improve oneself daily is, in my opinion, the one requirement. I had to think of another ruse to get by because I couldn’t run quickly or jump far. I am an athlete who is more skilled than most people realize. I excel at almost anything I try my hand at. Without a doubt, I have to put in a little bit more effort than someone who is naturally brilliant.
In the end, Bird disproved the notion that White men only play sports. He could also let his three MVP honors, three NBA titles, induction into the Hall of Fame, and twelve All-Star appearances speak for themselves if someone is still not persuaded.
