Sure the 90's were great, and historically the Bulls will always be known for their Michael Jordan Era. To be a true Chicago Bulls Superfan, you have to respect, honor and learn about your past. Historical Bulls are often over-looked and information on them is hard to come by. BullsWeekly will now be doing historical Chicago Bulls posts to help us and you learn about our history.
The first is non-other then Artis Gilmore... He spent 6 seasons in Chicago 77-82, averaging about 18-23 ppg and avg 10+ rebounds every season with the Chicago Bulls along with 2+ blocks.
-The following is from NBA.com-
"He was an During his long career that spanned 12 seasons in the NBA and five in the American Basketball Association, Gilmore was known as a workhorse, playing 670 consecutive games at one stretch. He barely spoke above a whisper and rarely got in fights or argued with referees. Instead of lashing out verbally, the media-shy Gilmore responded to critics who called him lazy and uninspired by staging comeback after comeback and by remaining a potent force until the end of his career.
Gilmore was an All-Star in 11 of his 17 years as a pro, his last selection coming at age 36. Scoring most of his more than 15,000 NBA points with dunks, finger-rolls and baby hook shots, the lefthanded Gilmore posted a career .599 field-goal percentage, the highest ever in the league."
-End of NBA.com history article-
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Historical Chicago Bull #1 Artis Gilmore
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Thanks for the column focused on Artis Gilmore.
I respectfully propose that all persons with influence in the world of professional basketball encourage the Chicago Bulls to retire jersey number 53 in honor of contributions made by Artis Gilmore to both the Bulls and the game.
Artis Gilmore is the most prominent eligible player missing from the Basketball Hall of Fame. The retirement of his number would be a key step in progress toward correcting that omission, and would be a positive reflection on the Chicago Bulls for recognizing his role in their successful history.
The 2006-2007 season also marks the 30th anniversary of the “Miracle On Madison” 1976-1977 season during which the outstanding professional efforts of Artis Gilmore fueled the Bulls during a 20-4 run into an exciting post season.
The significant accomplishments of Artis Gilmore simply deserve additional attention. Now is the time to counter the impression that the impressive career of the “A-Train” has been overlooked because it was divided between the ABA and NBA. Moreover, Mr. Gilmore’s achievements have not received the limelight they deserve because he is a reserved, modest individual who does not boast about his feats and does not possess (to his credit) a self-promoting, self-serving personality.
In considering the retirement of jersey number 53 please note the following, partial career summary of Artis Gilmore that puts the meritorious aspects of this issue into perspective.
JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY
• Led Jacksonville University to the NCAA championship final game vs UCLA in 1970.
• All-time NCAA Division I career rebounding average leader (22.7 rebounds per game)
• NCAA All-Tournament Team (1970)
• One of only eight players in college history to average 20 points and 20 rebounds per game over a career
• NCAA rebounding champion in 1970 and 1971
• National Association of Basketball Coaches All-American Team (1970-1971)
• Number retired in 1992.
AMERICAN BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
• ABA Championship, Kentucky Colonels (1975)
• ABA Most Valuable Player and Rookie, 1971-72
• One of seven unanimous selections to the 1997 ABA
All-Time Team
• Regular season ABA numbers: 22.3 points and 17.1 rebounds. Playoff averages: 22.0 points and 16.1 rebounds.
• Four-time ABA rebounding champion (1972-74, 76)
• Two-time ABA field goal percentage champion (1972-73)
• Two-time ABA shot blocking champion (1972-73)
• 1974 ABA All-Star Game MVP
• 1975 ABA Playoff MVP
• Five-time All-ABA 1st Team selection (1972-76)
• Four-time ABA All-Defensive Team selection (1973-76)
• ABA single-season record for the most blocked shots (422)
• ABA regular season single game record of 40 rebounds versus New York, February 3, 1974
• During a five-year ABA career played in all 420 games.
• Finished in the top 10 in scoring all five seasons.
NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION
• Career .599 field-goal percentage - highest in NBA history.
• Four-time NBA field goal percentage champion (1981-84)
• .600 or better field goal percentage in six different seasons,
• Six-time NBA All-Star (1978, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986).
• Regular season NBA numbers: 17.1 points and 10.1 rebounds.
• All-Defensive Second Team (1978)
• Chicago Bulls club record field goal pecentage (.587).
• Led Chicago Bulls in scoring, rebounding, field goal shooting and blocked shots in three consecutive seasons and four overall (1976-78, and 1981).
• Led Chicago Bulls in field goal shooting and blocked shots
in 1980.
COMBINED ABA/NBA ACHIEVEMENTS
• Ranks first in career ABA/NBA regular season field goal percentage (.582); also holds the NBA (.599) and ABA (.558) career records
• 3rd highest shot blocker in pro basketball (ABA/NBA) history (3,178)
• 5th highest rebounder in pro basketball (ABA/NBA) history (16,330)
• 18th of all time pro basketball (ABA/NBA) scorers (24,941)
• One of only 24 players to score a total of 20,000 or more points (ABA and NBA combined).
• Leading left-handed scorer in professional basketball (ABA/NBA) history
• All Star in 11 of 17 years as a pro
• 5th best all-time for pro (ABA/NBA) minutes played (43,836)
• Appeared in 670 consecutive ABA/NBA games
• Ranked in the top ten in rebounding in 12 of 17
ABA/NBA seasons
• Ranked in the top ten in blocked shots in 13 of 17
ABA/NBA seasons
• Ranked in the top ten in field goal percentage in
15 of 17 ABA/NBA seasons
ITALIAN LEAGUE
• Made the European All-Star Team playng with Bologna
Arimo (1988-89).
OTHER HONORS
• Named to Sporting News’ Top 50 of the first 50 Years of
the NBA
• Named to Athlon’s Top 50 of the first 50 Years of the NBA
• Top of ESPN’s list of “Players Missing From The Hall Of Fame”
• Kentucky Sports Hall Of Fame (inducted with entire Kentucky
Colonels 1975 ABA championship team in 2005)
• Florida Sports Hall Of Fame (1974).
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