Elgin Baylor

• Born: September 16, 1934
• Birthplace: Washington, D.C.
• Died: March 22, 2021
• Place of death: Los Angeles California

Basketball player and executive

Best known for his acrobatic jump shots, Baylor was a remarkable scorer and tenacious rebounder throughout his basketball career. After his playing days ended, he became a coach and team executive.

Early Life

Elgin Gay Baylor (EHL-jihn gay BAY-luhr) was born on September 16, 1934, in Washington, D.C. His parents, John and Uzzel Baylor, had two other sons, Sal and Kermit. As a child, Baylor could not use the public playgrounds in Washington, D.C. because of segregation. He did not get a chance to learn how to play basketball until he attended Phelps Vocational High School as a teenager. Baylor spent two years at the school, during which he was selected to the all-city team but became frustrated with his lack of academic progress. After dropping out of school, Baylor played basketball in recreational leagues in the area and worked in a furniture store. After taking a year off, he returned to high school with the encouragement of his mother. He attended a new all-black high school, Spingarn. By this time, Baylor had earned a reputation as a basketball phenom in the neighborhood because of his exploits in the recreational leagues. He was known as “Rabbit” for his fast-paced game on the court.

While attending Spingarn, Baylor became the first African American player named to the All-Metropolitan all-star team. He also set a Washington, D.C., single-game scoring record on February 3, 1954, against his old school, Phelps Vocational. During this spectacular game, Baylor scored a total of 63 points. However, despite his remarkable feats on the court, it was difficult for Baylor—or any black player—to receive much attention from the white-controlled news outlets. He graduated from Spingarn in 1954 but was not highly recruited because of his inadequate academic record. He garnered a scholarship from the College of Idaho, where he was to compete in both football and basketball. After one season at Idaho, Baylor found that the school’s sports program was being scaled down. He was counseled by Ralph Malone, a Seattle car dealer, to transfer to Seattle University.

Life’s Work

Baylor had to sit out a year in order to establish his eligibility at Seattle University. During the time away from college competition, he played for Westside Ford, an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team located in Seattle. In his first season playing for the Seattle University Chieftains, Baylor helped the team win twenty-two games. He also set a National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) record by averaging 23.5 rebounds a game. During his junior year at Seattle, Baylor finished as the second leading scorer in the country, and was named a first-team All-American. He led the Chieftains to the 1958 NCAA championship game against the University of Kentucky. While the Adolph Rupp-coached Kentucky Wildcats won the title game 84-72, Baylor was chosen as most outstanding player of the tournament. Although he had one more year of eligibility remaining, he decided to forgo his final year at Seattle in order to enter the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft.

Baylor was selected by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1958 NBA draft. The Lakers were desperate for a player who could dramatically change the fortunes of the franchise. Baylor exceeded expectations during his rookie season, averaging 24.9 points per game. Although he stood merely 6 feet, 5 inches, Baylor played the forward position and was able to gracefully score and rebound over and around much taller players. He perfected an ability to seemingly hang in the air before taking a shot; indeed, Baylor is credited with taking the game of basketball vertical. Baylor was named NBA rookie of the year for the 1958-1959 season.

The next season, the Lakers moved to Los Angeles and added Jerry West to the team’s roster. Throughout the 1960’s, Baylor and West were one of the preeminent duos in the league. With the two of them on the court, the Lakers consistently were in contention for the championship. During Baylor’s career with the Lakers, the team went to the NBA Finals eight times but never won.

Over his career, Baylor averaged more than 27 points and more than 13 rebounds per game. One of his greatest accomplishments occurred on November 16, 1960, when he scored 71 points in a game against the New York Knicks. At the time, this set an NBA record for points scored in a single game. He battled injuries during the 1960’s but always seemed to bounce back from adversity. A knee injury sidelined him for most of the 1970-1971 season. He attempted to return the next season but decided to retire after only nine games. That year, the Lakers went on to win their first championship in Los Angeles. Baylor was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977.

After retirement, Baylor coached the New Orleans Jazz during the mid-1970’s. In 1986, he was hired by the Los Angeles Clippers as vice president and general manger for basketball operations. He remained in this position until 2008. The following year, he filed racial discrimination and employment discrimination lawsuits against the Clippers and its executives, claiming that he had been underpaid during his tenure and fired because of his age and race. He later dropped the racial discrimination claims, and the employment discrimination lawsuit was dismissed in court in 2011.

Baylor died on March 22, 2021, at the age of eighty-six.

Significance

Baylor was called the “man of a thousand moves” because of his uncanny ability to score no matter who or what got in his way. His leaping ability brought a new and dynamic dimension to the game of basketball as he soared above other players to score and rebound. During his illustrious basketball career, he wowed players and fans alike with the grace and strength that he exhibited on the court. In 1999, Baylor was named one of the twenty greatest NBA players of all time. Growing up amid segregation, Baylor nonetheless found a way to become the best small forward to ever play the game. The Lakers retired his jersey, number 22, in 1983.

Bibliography

Bjarkman, Peter C. The Biographical History of Basketball. Chicago: Masters Press, 1998. Baylor is portrayed as one of the innovators of the game and one of the most important players to emerge in the late 1950’s.

Goldstein, Richard. "Elgin Baylor, Acrobatic Hall of Famer in N.B.A., Dies at 86." The New York Times, 24 Mar. 2021, www.nytimes.com/2021/03/22/sports/basketball/elgin-baylor-dead.html. Accessed 29 Apr. 2021.

Grabowski, John F. The Los Angeles Lakers. Lucent Books, 2002. In this history of the Lakers, Baylor stands out as one of the pillars of the franchise. During his tenure as a Laker, Baylor always could be counted on to make a positive impact on a game and to do it in a way that excited basketball fans.

Hareas, John. NBA’s Greatest. Dorling Kindersley, 2003. Describes Baylor’s ability to impact a game, whether by scoring, rebounding, or passing, and his competitive spirit.

Thomas, Ron. They Cleared the Lane: The NBA’s Black Pioneers. 2d ed., University of Nebraska Press, 2004. Examines the segregation and racism that was rampant throughout Baylor’s childhood and career.