Who was Al Cervi and why is he in the Basketball Hall of Fame?
Al Cervi was a professional basketball player and coach who played in the National Basketball League and NBA from the late 1930s through the early 1950s. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985 in recognition of his career as one of the top defensive backcourt players of the 1940s and 1950s, and for coaching the Syracuse Nationals to eight postseason appearances in nine seasons, including the 1955 NBA championship.
How did Al Cervi earn the nickname Digger?
Al Cervi earned the nickname "Digger" because of his hard-nosed style of defense. He was consistently assigned to guard the opposing team's best scoring threat.
Why did Al Cervi leave the Rochester Royals for the Syracuse Nationals?
Cervi discovered that teammates were being paid more than his $7,500 annual salary and requested a raise of $3,500. Team owner Les Harrison denied the request, so Cervi left Rochester and joined the Syracuse Nationals, who met his salary demands and made him player-coach in 1948.
When did the Syracuse Nationals win the NBA championship under Al Cervi?
The Syracuse Nationals won the NBA championship in 1955, defeating the Fort Wayne Pistons in Game 7. It was the franchise's first NBA title and the pinnacle of Cervi's coaching career.
Why did Al Cervi stop coaching after leaving the Syracuse Nationals?
Cervi left the Philadelphia Warriors after one season in 1958 to take a more lucrative job as area manager for Eastern Freightways, Inc. in Rochester, New York. He also turned down a two-year offer to coach the Lakers in 1960 because his wife was reluctant to leave the Rochester area.
When was Al Cervi born and when did he die?
Al Cervi was born on the 12th of February 1917 in Buffalo, New York. He died on the 9th of November 2009 in Rochester, New York, at the age of 92.