7'3" Swede Halbrook was actually a very athletic giant and was a high jump champion, clearing the bar at 6'2" at the Portland Interscholastic League for track and field.
Swede only played two seasons in the NBA, both for Syracuse Nats. His very first game was against Wilt's Warriors on 10/22/60. Wilt scored 42 pts, and Swede (coming off the bench) had 6. Red Kerr was the starting center for the Nats in those days. One of his best regular season games against Wilt occurred on 1/18/61 when Swede scored 19 points on 8-18 shooting and grabbed 18 rebounds in the Nats win. Wilt had 48/18. Later that year, Swede had a 16/18 game against Wilt in another Nats win, while Wilt went for 30/17 and shot a poor 9-25 from the field. These were some of Swede's best regular season games of the year. He only averaged 4.9ppg his rookie year.
And then came the 1960-61 playoffs were Wilt's Warriors were matched up against the Nats in the first round in a 5 game series. The Nats swept the Warriors! During the regular season, the Warriors had a better record, so this was an upset. For the 3 game series, Swede ave. a very impressive 11.3ppg/12.7rpg. Wilt was good for 37.0/23.0
In the 1961-62 season, Wilt destroyed the Nats and every other team as he had his incredible 50.4ppg season. And once again, the Warriors met the Nats in the first round of the playoffs (this time the Warriors won, needing the full five games). But this time, there was no Swede Halbrook. He was cut by the Nats after he had played in 63 games that year, and that was the end of his NBA career.
There's a video on youtube of Swede squaring off against Bill Russell in an NCAA tournament game. In 1955, Swede's Oregon State team met Bill's U of SF team, and played a very close game, with USF winning. Russell had 29 points and 16 rebounds and Swede 18/18. Swede left Oregon after just 2 seasons, and - instead of going to the NBA - he opted to join an AAU team. This wasn't as uncommon as it may sound. He played in the AAU for 5 years before turning pro.
@@VictorLionsTV That's an interesting coincidence. So Hannum coached Swede in the AAU and then again when he played for the Nats. He somehow ended up coaching the AAU team in 1958-59 and 59-60 after he successfully coaching the St Louis Hawks. In fact, he won the NBA Championship with the Hawks in the 1957-58 season. How did he go from NBA championship to AAU the following season? He resigned from the Hawks job because he had a dispute with the Hawks owner Ben Kerner. He had an impressive coaching career. In addition to leading the Hawks to their victory over the Celtics in 1957-58 season, he led the 76ers (Wilt) in 1966-67 to playoff win over the Celtic dynasty and won another NBA championship. Later he hopped to the ABA and won a championship with Oakland Oaks (Rick Barry)
@@VictorLionsTV Yes, AAU is amateur. In Olympic games, in the old days (i think up to and including the 1972 games), the US would select a few players from AAU teams. For example, in the 1964 Olympic games Jerry Shipp - an AAU player with the powerhouse Phillips 66ers - actually led the US team in scoring! Yes, Hannum liked to jump around. And Ben Kerner, the Hawks owner, apparently didn't like to keep coaches for very long. In the 10 years between Hannum leaving after 1958 and the time Kerner sold the team after the 1967-68 seaspm. the Hawks had 5 coaches (6 if you count Pettit who was an interim coach for 6 games during the 1961-62 season after Paul Seymour was fired)
7'3" Swede Halbrook was actually a very athletic giant and was a high jump champion, clearing the bar at 6'2" at the Portland Interscholastic League for track and field.
Almost as good as Wilt's high jump PB of 6'6"..
Could he shut down Wilt like how Rudy Gobert shut down Giannis? lol
@@irishneilers8066 and that's with bad technique 👀
@@irishneilers8066 I believe he got up to 6'11"
@@RR-ik9cg No one could ever shut down Wilt, not even Shaq....
THE GOAT!!!! PERIOD...
When they gotta change the game so you can’t dominate as much says everything
Swede is my great grampa
Could i dm you?
Id like to get information on him for a video im doing on him on my channel
How tall are you ?
I'm 11 and I'm 5,6
Swede only played two seasons in the NBA, both for Syracuse Nats. His very first game was against Wilt's Warriors on 10/22/60. Wilt scored 42 pts, and Swede (coming off the bench) had 6. Red Kerr was the starting center for the Nats in those days. One of his best regular season games against Wilt occurred on 1/18/61 when Swede scored 19 points on 8-18 shooting and grabbed 18 rebounds in the Nats win. Wilt had 48/18. Later that year, Swede had a 16/18 game against Wilt in another Nats win, while Wilt went for 30/17 and shot a poor 9-25 from the field. These were some of Swede's best regular season games of the year. He only averaged 4.9ppg his rookie year.
And then came the 1960-61 playoffs were Wilt's Warriors were matched up against the Nats in the first round in a 5 game series. The Nats swept the Warriors! During the regular season, the Warriors had a better record, so this was an upset. For the 3 game series, Swede ave. a very impressive 11.3ppg/12.7rpg. Wilt was good for 37.0/23.0
In the 1961-62 season, Wilt destroyed the Nats and every other team as he had his incredible 50.4ppg season. And once again, the Warriors met the Nats in the first round of the playoffs (this time the Warriors won, needing the full five games). But this time, there was no Swede Halbrook. He was cut by the Nats after he had played in 63 games that year, and that was the end of his NBA career.
There's a video on youtube of Swede squaring off against Bill Russell in an NCAA tournament game. In 1955, Swede's Oregon State team met Bill's U of SF team, and played a very close game, with USF winning. Russell had 29 points and 16 rebounds and Swede 18/18. Swede left Oregon after just 2 seasons, and - instead of going to the NBA - he opted to join an AAU team. This wasn't as uncommon as it may sound. He played in the AAU for 5 years before turning pro.
@@VictorLionsTV That's an interesting coincidence. So Hannum coached Swede in the AAU and then again when he played for the Nats. He somehow ended up coaching the AAU team in 1958-59 and 59-60 after he successfully coaching the St Louis Hawks. In fact, he won the NBA Championship with the Hawks in the 1957-58 season. How did he go from NBA championship to AAU the following season? He resigned from the Hawks job because he had a dispute with the Hawks owner Ben Kerner. He had an impressive coaching career. In addition to leading the Hawks to their victory over the Celtics in 1957-58 season, he led the 76ers (Wilt) in 1966-67 to playoff win over the Celtic dynasty and won another NBA championship. Later he hopped to the ABA and won a championship with Oakland Oaks (Rick Barry)
@@VictorLionsTV Yes, AAU is amateur. In Olympic games, in the old days (i think up to and including the 1972 games), the US would select a few players from AAU teams. For example, in the 1964 Olympic games Jerry Shipp - an AAU player with the powerhouse Phillips 66ers - actually led the US team in scoring!
Yes, Hannum liked to jump around. And Ben Kerner, the Hawks owner, apparently didn't like to keep coaches for very long. In the 10 years between Hannum leaving after 1958 and the time Kerner sold the team after the 1967-68 seaspm. the Hawks had 5 coaches (6 if you count Pettit who was an interim coach for 6 games during the 1961-62 season after Paul Seymour was fired)
Incredible story!
From where can I see the full interview, sir?
Where the full interview