> Archive 75: Dave DeBusschere | 75 Stories: Dave DeBusschere. DeBusscheres college alma mater, University of Detroit Mercy, decided to honor him and created the Dave DeBusschere scholarship in 2003. Phil Jackson, coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and DeBusschere's teammate with the New York Knicks, was shaken by the news and cut short a media session. DeBusschere's second year (1963-64) with the Pistons was far less successful as injuries limited him to only 15 games. He is a celebrity basketball player. "His strength, dedication and modesty lay at the core of our great Knick teams. He pitched a shutout on August 13, 1963, against the Cleveland Indians, giving up six hits, one walk and striking out three. In 1973, DeBusschere played with another future Hall of Famer in Earl Monroe as the Knicks defeated the Lakers again to win the 1973 NBA Finals. Please upload the eulogy for your loved one using the form below. A magic about life--there is no other way to describe those years on our Knick teams. ''Sometimes he'll score only 4 or 6 points in 40 minutes. '', Dave also was not above practical jokes. I was in my first year coaching the Philadelphia 76ers (1968), when Dave . He and Bradley formed a brilliant front court surrounding center Willis Reed, an inductee last year. And I'd get a few hours of sleep .. until the next time. DeBusschere died of a heart attack Wednesday at NYU Downtown Hospital after collapsing on a Manhattan street. He was 62. Dave DeBusschere. Enshrined 1983 Born October 16, 1940 Detroit, MI Died May 14, 2003 College Detroit Professional Career Detroit Pistons New York Knicks Career Stats history. Colleges everywhere beckoned, but DeBusschere stayed home and attended the University of Detroit. DeBusschere became commissioner of the A.B.A. The Dave DeBusschere trades and transactions seen below include all known instances where Dave DeBusschere has been involved in a trade or transaction of any type as it relates to baseball. DeBusschere's son Peter flew in from New York for the event and spoke on behalf of the family. Power, fame, money, were not the currencies he traded in. He was a famous man who didnt think he was famous, he never put on any airs, DiGarbo said. I always knew he was an outstanding player, but not this good. Otherwise you won't be ready to play tomorrow night.'' The Pistons also struggled, finishing 23-59 and missing the playoffs. His teams went 79-143 before he was replaced late in the 1966-67 season by Donnis Butcher. When is Dave Debusscheres birthday? Im very sorry to hear that Dave passed away today, said the former Knick center, whose number 33 hangs in the Garden rafters along with DeBusscheres 22. The 40s also brought us the Slinky, Velcro, Jeep, Tupperware and Frisbee. In 2003 he suffered a tragic death that shocked the NBA world. After his injury, he made a full recovery and helped the Pistons out a lot during his time there. Dave DeBusschere. But time has only deepened our friendship. In the early 1970's, the. He was a distinctive personality who went from the court to the front office to the Hall of Fame, youngest coach in league history, commissioner of the rival ABA and the general manager who picked Patrick Ewing for the Knicks in the NBA's first draft lottery. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. #PatWeek pic.twitter.com/MdNtFod2ae. He received two votes.[11]. I was scoring better, rebounding better, defending better and doing everything else better.. Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico It was the teamwork of the Knicks against the glamour of the Lakers, who were led by superstars Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. "He had a profound impact on the landscape of professional basketball, both as a player and an executive," Reed said. Chinese Zodiac: Dave Debusschere was born in the Year of the Rabbit. He was named to the. A hard-nosed, tenacious forward, DeBusschere was one of the games all-time best defenders. David Albert DeBusschere (October 16, 1940 May 14, 2003) was an American professional National Basketball Association (NBA) player and coach and Major League Baseball (MLB) player. Still no success. People born under this sign are energetic and excitable. To start the 1968-69 NBA season, the skinny seven-foot rookie was struggling in the paint, and Detroit GM Ed Coil had to make a move to bring in a veteran post player. 1 choice in the 1985 draft, but they could not win a championship with him. During his rookie season, he averaged 12.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, and was later named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. DeBusschere went on to have asuccessful NBA career. Trending News Dave DeBusschere. The eight-time All-Star, who helped the. According to a warrant for Morrow's arrest, he's facing charges of assault by strangulation, second-degree kidnapping and communicating threats. During the next two years, DeBusschere compiled a 25-9 record for Chicagos Class AAA Indianapolis farm club. The Knicks of that era had undeniable personality with Walt Clyde Frazier, a flashy guard with an even flashier wardrobe, leading the way. A talented and versatile athlete, he also pitched for baseball's Chicago White Sox. Dave's strength, his dedication, his unselfishness, his fierce desire to win, and, above all, his commitment to the team, were all at the core of that success. In 1996 he was named one of the 50 greatest playersin NBA history. Dave DeBusschere was born on October 16, 1940 and died on May 14, 2003. No excuses. Wiki User. Power Forward and Small Forward You can learn a lot of from your roommate, too, especially if he's an experienced pro and you are not. Born in Detroit, Oct. 16, 1940, DeBusschere was a two-sport star at the University of Detroit, one of a handful of players to reach the major leagues in both basketball and baseball. Dave Debusschere is best known as Basketball Player who has born on October 16, 1940 in Detroit, MI. DeBusschere, who was 79-143 as a coach, retired from his post but remained with the Pistons as a player. On occasion, Dave, Willis and I would go to dinner on the road, and Willis would begin telling hunting stories--what weapons he used, where he used them and what the weather was, how be tracked the animals, what his gear consisted of, the angle at which he shot with his gun, or his bow and arrow, and so forth. No pretense. The situation changed, however, when Paul Seymour took over as the Pistons coach. His No. ''In basketball, for one, the statistics don't mean a thing -- there is no real value in that scoresheet,'' he wrote in The New York Times in October 1974. He was one of the rare two-pro sport players before giving up baseball after the 1963 season. He played from 1962 to 1974. He labored for almost three seasons at the helm before he was replaced by Donnis Butcher after the 1966-67 season. Full Site Menu. And, I will never forget when he told me how proud he was to be sitting in the gallery the day I was sworn into the Senate. DeBusschere was 21 years old when he broke into the big leagues on April 22, 1962, with the Chicago White Sox. ", "Dave DeBusschere was someone for whom I have always had the utmost respect, not only as a basketball player but as a great human being," said Baylor, now general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers. He retired as a player in 1974. In 1996 he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. He also pitched the Titans to three NCAA baseball tournament berths. In May 2003, Dave DeBusschere collapsed on a Manhattan street from a heart attack and was pronounced dead at New York University Hospital. UDM Athletics held its second Dave DeBusschere Scholarship Dinner & Cruise in September and it was a rousing success, raising additional funds to be designated to worthy recipients and their education at UDM. Dave Debusschere was born on October 16, 1940 (age 63) in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Big D was an 8x All-Star, 2x Champ ('70/73 NYK), one of the best defensive forwards ever, plus an ahead-of-his-time outside shooter. inDetroit,Michigan Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. Dave DeBusschere was the missing piece for the Knicks in the early 1970s. David Albert DeBusschere is part of the Silent Generation, which followed after the G.I. He averaged 24 points a game in basketball, helping Detroit reach the National Invitation Tournament twice and the N.C.A.A. [6], He is one of only 13 athletes to have played in both the National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball. While a member of the Pistons, DeBusschere appeared as himself on the April 29, 1963 episode of the game show To Tell the Truth. DeBusschere retired as a player after the 1973-74 season, then became a vice president and general manager of the Nets, who were then in the American Basketball Association. Barely missing a beat, DeBusschere returned to baseball in 1963, and pitched the entire year with the White Sox, finishing 3-4 with a 3.09 ERA. Norfolk Southern train derails in Springfield, Ohio, At least 12 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, Trump speaks at CPAC after winning straw poll, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant to "take some time away" from the team after allegedly brandishing a gun in a club, Man charged for alleged involvement in 2 transformer explosions, Promising drug could provide alternative to statins, new study finds, 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home, Nikki Haley slams potential GOP contenders, and Trump and George W. Bush, NTSB to investigate in-flight turbulence that left 1 passenger dead, Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico. Please check back soon for updates. Dave DeBusschere played 2 seasons. He snagged a $75,000 signing bonus from the Chicago White Sox and received a $15,000 contract from the Detroit Pistons, who had claimed him as a territorial draft pick. Updated: May 15, 5:12 PM ET. Shoots: He was elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1983 and was named one of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History during the league's 50th anniversary celebration in 1996. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. The pain was obvious. Limping up and down the floor, he nevertheless scored the Knicks first two baskets and inspired the team to a 113-99 victory. He attended Austin Catholic High School and led its basketball team to a state championship; was the star hurler on a baseball team that won the city championship and also pitched a local team to a national junior championship. If he can get the rebounds and play good defense, we got the other guys on this team who can shoot. Age, Biography and Wiki. Currently, Dave Debusschere is 82 years, 4 months and 3 days old. After the first 11 games of the 1964-65 season, the Pistons named DeBusschere their player-coach. Hes the man who brought me to New York, Ewing said. A beloved Knicks player, Willis Reed was a seven-time All-Star who helped lead New York to two titles in the 1970s. The elder Dave DeBusschere who pitched for the Chicago White Sox for two seasons and became the Detroit Pistons' player-coach at the age of 24 was a rugged 6-6 forward who also could shoot from the outside. The championship round was pure drama. Dave DeBusschere brought out his lucky horseshoe to ensure the @nyknicks secured the #1 pick. I always looked forward to our one-on-one lunches, our dinners with Ernestine and the irrepressible Geri, our family visits to Long Island, and on occasion a game like the one last spring when Willis, Dave, Earl and I went to New Jersey for a Lakers/Nets playoff game with loyalties split between Willis's Nets and Phil's Lakers. Former teammate Tom McCraw, now a coach with the Montreal Expos, remembered how DeBusschere embraced both baseball and basketball. Dave DeBusschere, the defensive cornerstone of two championship New York Knicks teams who also was the National Basketball Association's youngest coach and the last commissioner of the rival . Dave DeBusschere, the Hall of Fame forward whose tenacious defensive play, rebounding prowess and timely scoring helped propel the Knicks to their only two N.B.A. Dave DeBusschere (David Albert DeBusschere) was born on 16 October, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan, USA, is an Actor. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, NBA Legends: Profiling the league's greats, 5 stats to know for 76ers-Bucks matchup on ABC, Brooks suspended after receiving 16th technical foul, Grizzlies' Clarke (torn achilles) out indefinitely, Ja issues apology, will miss 'at least' 2 games, Ex-NBA player Morrow facing assault charges, Durant passes 'Big O' for 13th in career points. College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. A hard-nosed, tenacious forward, DeBusschere was one of the game's all-time best defenders. Although DeBusschere began the 1964-65 campaign healthy, the team limped through a poor start. Right, Born: Dave DeBusschere played 12 seasons for the Knicks and Pistons. Dave, his face drawn from the long season; and Willis, with his brow furrowed, and heating packs on each knee. His chief role with the Knicks, however, was to collect key rebounds and shut down the opposing teams best forward. Oh my God! Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Illinois, U.S., Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947. us, College: Dave DeBusschere was a loyal friend, an unselfish teammate and a quality human being, said ex-New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley, DeBusscheres former teammate and front court partner. DeBusschere was on his way to Michaels of Broadway restaurant where he was a regular to lunch with Larry DiGarbo, a consultant. Buried: St. Joseph Church Cemetery, Garden City, NY High School: Austin Catholic HS (Detroit, MI) . He took him to school. An 8-time All-Star, Dave DeBusschere was a defensive stopper and keyed the Knicks' title teams in 1970 and '73. ``There are too many games, Sure, you blew it tonight, but when it's over, it's over. 4 Holy Trinity, 71-56, in the CHSAA semifinals. He averaged 24 points a game in basketball, helping Detroit reach the National Invitation Tournament twice and the NCAA basketball tournament once. ", "Dave DeBusschere was a loyal friend, an unselfish teammate and a quality human being," said former U.S. senator Bill Bradley, his longtime roommate. The overwhelming emotion derives from more than pride. "The fans of New York were very privileged to have had the chance to applaud and celebrate his contribution to the Knicks' legacy in New York," said West, now president of the Memphis Grizzlies.