Boom, Baby!
My Basketball Life in Indiana
Bobby "Slick" Leonard has etched his name forever on the Mount Rushmore of Indiana basketball, and in Boom, Baby! he shares memories from his storied career. Leonard takes readers inside the Indiana locker room with legendary head coach Branch McCracken and onto the court when he hit the deciding free throws as the "Hurrying Hoosiers" topped Phog Allen's Kansas Jayhawks. He recalls the NBA's early years, including being drafted by a Baltimore Bullets team that folded soon after selecting him. He tells of his time as the winningest coach in the ABA's nine-year history, securing three championships in his first five seasons with the Indianapolis Pacers. In his final act, "Slick" endeared himself to new generations of Hoosier hoops fans as the longtime Pacers radio voice, with his trademark call "Boom, Baby!" for a successful three-point shot.
Bobby “Slick” Leonard has been a broadcaster for the Indiana Pacers since 1985. He coached the Indiana Pacers to three ABA championships in the late 1960s and early 1970s and played seven seasons in the NBA. He was a star player on Indiana University’s NCAA champion “Hurrying Hoosiers” team in 1953. He lives in Carmel, Indiana. Lew Freedman is an award-winning journalist and the sports editor at the Republic newspaper in Columbus, Indiana. He has previously worked for the Anchorage Daily News, the Chicago Tribune, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is the author of more than 50 books, including The 50 Greatest Plays in Chicago Bears Football History, Cubs Essential,“Then Ozzie Said to Harold . . .”, The Best Chicago White Sox Stories Ever Told, White Sox Essential, and Fergie: My Life from the Cubs to Cooperstown with Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins. He lives in Columbus, Indiana. One of basketball's all-time greats, Larry Bird led Indiana State to the 1979 NCAA championship game. The Hall of Famer was a 12-time All-Star in 13 NBA seasons with the Boston Celtics. He led the Celtics to three NBA championships and was named the league's Most Valuable Player three times. Bird later coached the Indiana Pacers for three seasons and later served as team president. He is the only person in NBA history to be named Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, and Executive of the Year. He lives in Naples, Florida.
