Larry Bird’s Greatest Shot Was The One He Didn’t Take
Bird (top row, No. 20) played for an Amateur Athletic Union team, Hancock Construction, shortly after the death of his father. https://www.indianapolismonthly.com/longform/larry-birds-greatest-shot-one-didnt-take by Michael Rubino - Indianapolis Monthly December 24, 2015 The screen door slammed in Bill Hodges ’s face. The mother of the basketball player he had driven to see didn’t want to hear his pitch. “He’s not here,” she said. “Why don’t you coaches just leave my son alone? He doesn’t want to go to school, but everybody just keeps on bothering him.” Hodges and Stan Evans —both Indiana State University assistants—retreated from the tiny home. Down the gravel drive sat a makeshift carport with a backboard and basketball goal, and about 50 yards below that lay train tracks. Miss a shot here, and the ball might catch a rock, bound down the bank, and be gone for good. But the shooter the coaches sought in the spring of 1975 didn’t miss. Hodges refused to