John John has left us

I just saw the report on Celtics Blog that he had passed away. He had heart issues for a few years, I believe he wore a defibultor. This is the saddest day for me. John Havlicek was my favorite player even before he joined the Celtics. No one was a bigger fan, he was a kind person, I had met him several times over the years.

My heart is broken, one of the greatest Celtics is gone.

I’m heart broken

He will always be my favorite

From NBA.com...


Basketball legend and eight-time NBA champion with the Boston Celtics John Havlicek has died at 79 years old.

The Celtics announced the news Thursday evening.

Havlicek played 16 seasons in the NBA, all with the Celtics. He made 13 All-Star teams and was an 11-time All-NBA selection before entering the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984.

“John Havlicek is one of the most accomplished players in Boston Celtics history, and the face of many of the franchise’s signature moments,” a statement from the Celtics reads “He was a great champion both on the court and in the community, winning 8 NBA championships and an NBA Finals MVP, while holding Celtics career records for points scored and games played.”

Dboss, funny you said that as it is part of my password too.

It is unbelievable to think that a guy who could out run everyone on the floor, all game long, had a weak heart. Dick told me that one time when we were talking about him. Sad, sad, sad

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I just saw the report on Celtics Blog that he had passed away. He had heart issues for a few years, I believe he wore a defibultor.  This is the saddest day for me.  John Havlicek was my favorite player even before he joined the Celtics.  No one was a bigger fan, he was a kind person, I had met him several times over the years.

My heart is broken, one of the greatest Celtics is gone.

Parkinson’s

Prayers going up for “John John the Bouncing Buckeye”

The story in the Boston Globe said that he had Parkinson’s Disease. That was confirmed by the Celtics

This sucks, he was everyone’s favorite, I grew up in NJ around a ton of Knick fans, they all loved/respected Hondo....RIP John

John Havlicek was my favorite, more so even than Larry. Ironic that I wrote two days ago how much I missed Hondo, unaware that he was seriously ill. Such a good man, citizen, and father too.

What energy and stamina - 1970-71 and 1971-72 he played 81 games each year while averaging 45.4 minutes in 70-71 and 45.1 minutes in 1971-72. Topped off the seasons with 28.9 points in 70-71 and 27.5 points in 71-72. We are not likely to ever again see numbers like that.

swish

The New York Times did him justice.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/25/sports/basketball/john-havlicek-dead-boston-celtics-hall-of-famer.html?fbclid=IwAR0hvwqIQGPRoA4k5RuMFb9vjp9rvzbbboErxoWNYqm-zxQokQHRxS75_5I

He was one of my first Bean-town favorites, along with Yaz and Bobby Orr.

I couldn't read enough about them in the old Record American. I had to wait until my Dad was finished reading it before I could dive into it's sports pages.

Boston Celtics Great And Hall Of Famer John Havlicek Dies At 79

https://www.npr.org/2019/04/26/717376099/boston-celtics-great-and-hall-of-famer-john-havlicek-dies-at-79

The Boston Celtics drafted John Havlicek in 1962, and he played for the team for 16 seasons — eight of them as NBA champions. He was voted one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history.

Havlicek died Thursday in Jupiter, Fla., at age 79. The cause of death wasn't immediately available, but Boston media report he had Parkison's disease.

The Celtics released a statement honoring Havlicek:

"John Havlicek is one of the most accomplished players in Boston Celtics history, and the face of many of the franchise's signature moments," the statement read. "He was a champion in every sense, and as we join his family, friends, and fans in mourning his loss, we are thankful for all the joy and inspiration he brought to us."

During his NBA career, Havlicek scored 26,395 points in 1,270 games. He set Celtics career records for points and games. He was the first player to score 1,000 in 16 consecutive seasons.

Havlicek played in 13 NBA All-Star Games, and was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984. And during his college career at Ohio State, he helped the Buckeyes win the 1960 national championship.

For all his outstanding efforts on the court, the 6-foot-5 Havlicek may be best known for his steal during the closing seconds of Game 7 of the 1965 Eastern Conference championship against the Philadelphia 76ers.

He stole Hal Green's inbounds pass to Sam Jones. As the game ended in a win for Boston, Celtics radio announcer Johnny Most screamed, "Havlicek stole the ball!"

The immortalized play sent the Celtics to a ninth consecutive NBA finals, and Most's call lives on in highlight reels.

In 1978, when Havlicek retired from the Celtics, his jersey, No. 17, was retired too.

He occasionally returned to Ohio State for reunions of the championship team and Celtics events. His Ohio State number was retired during ceremonies in the 2004-2005 season.

Havlicek remained in Boston after his retirement and later split his time between New England and Florida.

Former teammates and friends Tom Heinsohn and Bob Cousy told the Boston Herald that "Havlicek had suffered from an aggressive strain of Parkinson's disease for about the last three years, and that he recently took a turn for the worse."

The paper reports that according to Cousy, "Havlicek caught pneumonia after a bad fall three weeks ago, when doctors decided to put him in an induced coma. The family Thursday put Havlicek into hospice, and he died shortly thereafter."

"Havlicek was part of a Thursday night dinner group that always convened at Cousy's country club in Florida," the Herald reports. "When Havlicek and his wife Beth failed to show up three weeks ago, Cousy knew something was wrong."

We thought he would go on forever. A huge piece of Celtic history has left us, the list is getting smaller and smaller. JoJo last year, Louscy, not John, we need to embrace what is left and realize just how important they are to the next generation.  Sad thing is that is team this year never got to meet him and listen to what he had to tell them.  He  have would been a great one for "passing the torch" to Hayward.

Rosalie

We thought he would go on forever. A huge piece of Celtic history has left us, the list is getting smaller and smaller. JoJo last year, Louscy, not John, we need to embrace what is left and realize just how important they are to the next generation. Sad thing is that is team this year never got to meet him and listen to what he had to tell them. He have been a great one for "passing the torch" to Hayward.

Rosalie

We thought he would go on forever. A huge piece of Celtic history has left us, the list is getting smaller and smaller. JoJo last year, Louscy, not John, we need to embrace what is left and realize just how important they are to the next generation. Sad thing is that is team this year never got to meet him and listen to what he had to tell them. He have been a great one for "passing the torch" to Hayward.

Rosalie

Gordon Hayward should spend his off-season watching hours and hours of John Havlicek film.  He'd see what the ultimate Swiss Army Knife of Basketball looks like.  Hayward has all the same tools Havlicek had.  Good height for multiple positions, good shot, excellent court vision and passing skills.  As we saw this year he also has the determination to overcome obstacles.

Having said all this, there will probably never be another Hondo because he had, in addition to all those winning traits, an extremely manageable ego that allowed him to accept a role as 6th man despite him having all it took to be a starter from Day 1.  We've seen that in Hayward, but how much of that was because he knew he wasn't 100%?  We see that in Marcus Smart, but Smart doesn't have Havlicek's skills that make him an obvious starter.

TheBillRussell
‏
Verified account

@RealBillRussell
Follow Follow @RealBillRussell
More
It is getting difficult each time I hear about another contemporary that passes! What is harder is when we lose guys like John Havlicek, he was not just a teammate & a great guy, but he was family. That is how our @celtics teams were. #RIP Hondo @NBA #RIPJohnHavlicek @NBAonTNT



Boston Celtics
‏
Verified account

@celtics
Follow Follow @celtics
More
"If I had a son, if he was like John, I’d be the happiest man in the world.” – Red Auerbach

#ForeverGreen


marcus smart @smart_MS3 RIP to this legend! https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1121583846712070144?s=21 … Boston Celtics



8X World Champion, 13 X All-Star, 4X All-NBA First Team, 7X All-NBA Second Team, 5X All-Defense First Team, 3X All-Defense Second Team.  NBA Finals MVP (1974) and only one of 3 players to be a perfect 8-0 in NBA Finals Series.  The only players to win more rings than Hondo are Bill Russell and Sam Jones.  Elite company, to state the absurdly obvious.




I look forward to watching John "Hondo" Havlicek play basketball again in Heaven (assuming I'm allowed to buy a ticket).


bob


.

If you behave yourself, WE may let you in.

Just this week I made a statement regarding Havlicek and Hayward. NY Celt told me I had a high opinion of Hayward.

I watched Halicek from college on, was thrilled when the Browns cut him!! As I am sure Red was. I drove my friends nuts with the talk of John, but, I just loved watching him run and run and score and run. When he hit that running leaner shot against Phoenix in 1976, I was in the second balcony, right in front of that basket. I had stood in line for hours and hours waiting to get those tickets. That was a monumental year for me, I had brought home my son from the hospital after spending 75 days there, born 3 months too soon, weighing 1lb 10 oz. I was determined to see that game, and what a memory it was. I will never forget it and Havlicek was a hero again .

This world is a lesser place today with him gone and I am sad that this generation will not get to know him. What he could have told them about Celtic pride. So Danny should box up a stack of videos of John, hand them to Gordon and say, "you are next". He will never take his place, but in my opinion, he could be damn good

Grew up with the early 70s Celtic teams buying $5 obstructed view seats in the mezzanine (last rows under the balcony) and would sneak down to the lodge seats. I have some photos I took of Hondo warming up pre game, as at that time they let fans mill around and watch warmups right next to the floor. If anybody wants to email me how to get a photo on this site, I'll post my Hondo photo. Seems like a long time ago. RIP Hondo.

BingBang! wrote:Grew up with the early 70s Celtic teams buying $5 obstructed view seats in the mezzanine (last rows under the balcony) and would sneak down to the lodge seats. I have some photos I took of Hondo warming up pre game, as at that time they let fans mill around and watch warmups right next to the floor. If anybody wants to email me how to get a photo on this site, I'll post my Hondo photo. Seems like a long time ago. RIP 

Would love to see them....