The Tragic 1975 Death Of Larry Bird's Father

May 2024 ยท 2 minute read

Bird was born to Joe and Georgia Bird in 1956. Fourth in line of six children, Bird was raised in a working-class family in West Baden, Indiana. Georgia worked in restaurants while Joe was employed in construction. Indianapolis Monthly tells us that Bird was close to his father growing up, and the two embarked on countless fishing excursions together. 

Joe Bird was a veteran of the Korean War, and it's speculated that his time in the military may have taken its toll on the father of six. He was a heavy drinker and often unemployed. This put strain on the family's finances, making Bird's mom borrow money for groceries. Bird and his siblings were expected to work, and he toiled away for 40 hours a week when he was 13.

Bird grew into a talented high school basketball player and was sought after by various universities for his abilities on the court. But Bird knew that he couldn't afford to pay the gap between what the scholarships offered and what his tuition bill would be. He took time away to work and save money, with the intention of attending a year later.

It was during this period that Bird began to play for an amateur basketball club in the AAU. It was during his team's championship-winning run that season that he received the devastating news of his father's death.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunB9kGlsbmxhZMGpsYytqZqfmZh6coWWbmSdnZGptW67xWajmqqirnqjtdGdqmaekam1pr6O