Hal Greer
Encyclopedia
Harold Everett Greer is a retired American
professional basketball
player.
He attended Douglass Junior and Senior High School
in Huntington. He played college basketball at Marshall University
and was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals
of the NBA in 1958. Greer played for Syracuse for five seasons, raising his scoring average to 22.8 points a game in 1961. He was selected for the NBA All-Star team that year. In 1963, the Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia to become the Philadelphia 76ers
. There, Greer became well-known as a teammate of Wilt Chamberlain
, and starred on the powerful 1966-67 team that ended the eight-year championship reign of the Bill Russell
-led Boston Celtics
. In the 76ers' 15 playoff games that season, Greer averaged a team-best 27.7 points. Greer had an unusual but highly effective free throw
technique, shooting a jump shot from the charity stripe. He is usually considered the third-best guard of the 1960s, behind Oscar Robertson
and Jerry West
.
Greer played in 10 NBA All-Star Games and was the MVP of the 1968 game
when he went 8-for-8 from the field and scored 21 points, a record-breaking 19 in one quarter. He also was chosen to the All-NBA Second Team seven times, and scored more than 20,000 points during his NBA career. His hometown has honored his success by renaming 16th Street, which carries West Virginia Route 10 as the main artery between the campus/downtown area and Interstate 64
, as "Hal Greer Boulevard." Hal Greer is recognized as the only African-American athlete enshrined in a major sports hall of fame from West Virginia.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player.
He attended Douglass Junior and Senior High School
Douglass Junior and Senior High School
Douglass Junior and Senior High School is a historic school building located at Huntington, Cabell County, West Virginia. It was built in 1924, was the segregation-era high school for African Americans in the city. It is a three story building measuring 113 feet wide and 230 feet long. It is...
in Huntington. He played college basketball at Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
and was drafted by the Syracuse Nationals
Syracuse Nationals
The Syracuse Nationals were an American professional basketball team that existed from 1946 to 1963 as part of the National Basketball League and National Basketball Association . They are currently known as the Philadelphia 76ers, and are the NBA's oldest continued franchise.The team began in...
of the NBA in 1958. Greer played for Syracuse for five seasons, raising his scoring average to 22.8 points a game in 1961. He was selected for the NBA All-Star team that year. In 1963, the Syracuse Nationals moved to Philadelphia to become the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. There, Greer became well-known as a teammate of Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
, and starred on the powerful 1966-67 team that ended the eight-year championship reign of the Bill Russell
Bill Russell
William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...
-led Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
. In the 76ers' 15 playoff games that season, Greer averaged a team-best 27.7 points. Greer had an unusual but highly effective free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
technique, shooting a jump shot from the charity stripe. He is usually considered the third-best guard of the 1960s, behind Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
and Jerry West
Jerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
.
Greer played in 10 NBA All-Star Games and was the MVP of the 1968 game
1968 NBA All-Star Game
GAME 18: at Madison Square Garden in New York City, January 23, 1968.MVP: Hal GreerCoaches: East: Alex Hannum, West: Bill Sharman.-Western Conference: -Eastern Conference: -Score by Periods: *Halftime— East, 64-59*Third Quarter— East, 101-91...
when he went 8-for-8 from the field and scored 21 points, a record-breaking 19 in one quarter. He also was chosen to the All-NBA Second Team seven times, and scored more than 20,000 points during his NBA career. His hometown has honored his success by renaming 16th Street, which carries West Virginia Route 10 as the main artery between the campus/downtown area and Interstate 64
Interstate 64
Interstate 64 is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. 40, and U.S. 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchange with I-264 and I-664 at Bowers Hill in Chesapeake, Virginia. As I-64 is concurrent with...
, as "Hal Greer Boulevard." Hal Greer is recognized as the only African-American athlete enshrined in a major sports hall of fame from West Virginia.
College accomplishments
- Two-time All-Conference (1957, 1958)
- Team high scorer and Conference MVP (1958)
- AP All-America Honorable Mention (1958)
- Led Marshall in 71 games as its first black scholarship athlete
- Averaged 19.4 ppg and 10.8 rpg
- At the time of graduation, held the school's career record for field goal percentage (54.6 percent), hitting 531 of 974 attempts
Accolades
- Averaged 22 ppg to lead 76ers to NBA Championship (1967)
- Played in 10 consecutive NBA All-Star Games (1961–70)
- NBA All-Star Game MVP (1968)
- Set record for most points scored in a quarter (19) during an All-Star Game (1968)
- Seven-time All-NBA Second Team (1963–69)
- First all-time in 76ers' history in games played
- Scored 21,586 career points (26th all-time), including 50 in one game vs. Boston Celtics
- Scored 1,876 points in 92 playoff games and 120 points in 10 All-Star Games
- NBA 50th Anniversary Team (1996)
- His jerseys were retired by Marshall University (#16) and the Philadelphia 76ers (#15)
- A 1-and-a-half-mile stretch of road in Huntington, W.Va., was renamed "Hal Greer Boulevard"
See also
- List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders
- List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders
- List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise