Bob Boozer inducted into Basketball Hall of Fame

[skycat]

Last Thursday, Bob Boozer's gold medal-winning 1960 United States Olympic Team was inducted into the James Naismith Lambert Will Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Quick history: Boozer was a consensus First Team All-American at K-State in 1958 and 1959. In 1958 his Wildcats (under Tex Winter) beat Wilt Chamberlain's Jayhawks in Lawrence and went to the Final Four. Boozer was the NBA #1 overall draft pick in 1959, but postponed his NBA career so he could remain an amateur and play in the Olympics. After helping his team win Gold, Boozer began his 11-year NBA career, along the way becoming an All-Star with the Chicago Bulls and a Champion in 1971 with the Milwaukee Bucks.

A couple Boozer highlights from Thursday:

By the time Bob Boozer left his hotel room Friday morning and boarded the honorary bus bound for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, all the seats were occupied. That is when [KU class of 1954] Al Kelley's wife, Barbara Kelley, graciously offered her seat to her husband's 1960 Olympic teammate.

But the moment didn't pass without incident — all in good fun, of course.

"I gave him my seat, even though the only thing he keeps saying is, 'Rock Chalk, Chicken Hawk,' " Barbara Kelley said.

It all started when Charles Barkley walked into a Basketball Hall of Fame function on Thursday and was preparing to meet Bob Boozer for the first time.

Barkley extended his hand for a greeting and soon was taken aback. You've got to realize it takes a lot for Barkley to be surprised.

"I said, 'We would have kicked your butts,''' was how Boozer said he greeted Sir Charles.

One of the greatest JYCs ever! 

More:

• VIDEO: Interview with Bob Boozer and Jerry West
• LA Times: Bob Boozer put his NBA dreams on hold to play for a dream team
• WILDCAT GREAT BOB BOOZER TALKS HALL OF FAME 'DREAM TEAM'

[doom]

I think on the list of Omaha Emaw Elites it goes:

1) Boozer
2) doom
3) raquetcat
4) doom's drafting desks
5) stevedave

[sonofdaxjones]

Boozer is EMAW to the core.

[bozocat]

SD doesn't believe he was good enough to be on the all-time Cats list.   

[pissclams]

don't know who bob boozer is, never heard of him, but i love his name, sounds like the dude knows how to party

partay with some girls and their titays, yes

[steve dave]

SD doesn't believe he was good enough to be on the all-time Cats list.   

That's true (that I believe it and that he wasn't good enough)