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Connie Hawkins (7/17/42-10/6/17) passed away at 75; One of the great leapers in basketball history; a forerunner to Dr. J & MJ.
The first classic game I witnessed in person was the time Hawkins came to town with top ten ranked Detroit. Marquette's Ric Cobb and Joe Thomas had all they could handle in taking on Hawkins. The Warriors prevailed but what a contest.
I swear the noise from the crowd nearly blew off the roof at the old Milwaukee Arena.
That was Spencer Haywood, not Hawkins. Hawkins was blackballed by colleges.
You're right. The Hawk was the guy who went to Iowa but never played. Ended up with the Harlem Globetrotters, ABA in his prime and NBA in the twilight of his career.
Consider my initial post as an Emily Latella moment. ;-) http://i.pinimg.com/736x/bd/14/1a/bd...eea2d4e084.jpg
My favorite player of all-time - go back to his Pittsburgh Pipers days after his stint with the Globetrotters: https://www.basketball-reference.com.../PTP/1968.html
For those relative youngsters on this board who know little or nothing about "The Hawk" consider him as kind of a precursor to Dr J and MJ with a little Bob McAdoo thrown in.
Here are some videos:
http://ballislife.com/connie-hawkinss-epic-palming/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp3UXNVqR9E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtdhexDrmIk
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/..._Hawkins_Story