[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 21, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2128-S2129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 169--HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF WILLIAM ROBERT 
                      ``BOBBY'' ``SLICK'' LEONARD

  Mr. BRAUN (for himself and Mr. Young) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 169

       Whereas William Robert ``Bobby'' ``Slick'' Leonard was born 
     on July 17, 1932, in Terre Haute, Indiana;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard was a stand-out basketball player while 
     attending Gerstmeyer Technical High School in Terre Haute, 
     Indiana;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard went on to play basketball for the 
     Indiana University Hoosiers men's basketball team (referred 
     to in this preamble as the ``Hoosiers'') in Bloomington, 
     where he--
       (1) helped lead the Hoosiers to 2 Big Ten titles in 1953 
     and 1954; and
       (2) hit the game winning free throw in the championship 
     game to clinch the 1953 National Collegiate Athletic 
     Association Division I men's basketball championship title 
     for the Hoosiers;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard was named a third-team All-American in 
     1953 and a second-team All-American in 1952;
       Whereas, in 1952, Mr. Leonard was named the Most Valuable 
     Player of the Hoosiers;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard was captain of the Hoosiers during the 
     1953-1954 season;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard served in the United States Army from 
     1954 to 1956;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard was selected by the Baltimore Bullets 
     with the first pick of the second round, the tenth overall 
     pick, of the 1954 National Basketball Association (referred 
     to in this preamble as the ``NBA'') draft;
       Whereas, after being drafted in 1954, Mr. Leonard went on 
     to play 7 years of professional basketball in the NBA, 5 
     years for the Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers and 2

[[Page S2129]]

     years for the Chicago Packers, who were renamed the Zephyrs 
     in 1962;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard led the NBA in games played (72) during 
     the 1956-57 season, and finished sixth in the NBA in assists 
     per game (5.4) during the 1961-62 season;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard was named an NBA All-Star in 1963;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard coached the Chicago Zephyrs and 
     Baltimore Bullets from 1962 to 1964;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard became the head coach of the Indiana 
     Pacers, who were then part of the American Basketball 
     Association (referred to in this preamble as the ``ABA''), in 
     1968, holding the position for nearly 12 years, the last 4 
     years of which the franchise was in the NBA;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard led the Pacers to ABA championships in 
     the 1969-70, 1971-72, and 1972-73 seasons, in addition to 2 
     other championship appearances, all prior to the ABA-NBA 
     merger in June 1976;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard had a total of 529 wins as head coach 
     of the Pacers;
       Whereas, as a head coach in the ABA, Mr. Leonard--
       (1) won 69 playoff games, a league record; and
       (2) was the winningest coach in the history of the league;
       Whereas, when the State known as the basketball capital of 
     the world was close to losing the Indiana Pacers due to 
     financial problems, Mr. Leonard and his wife Nancy held a 
     telethon and, through small contributions from fans, were 
     able to raise the funds to save the team and keep the Pacers 
     in Indiana;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard was selected as the greatest coach in 
     the history of the ABA;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard returned to the Pacers in 1985 as a 
     color commentator, first for television and then on radio 
     with Mark Boyle;
       Whereas the trademark phrase of Mr. Leonard was ``Boom, 
     Baby!'', which--
       (1) Mr. Leonard said when a member of the Pacers made a 3-
     point shot; and
       (2) inspired the hearts of basketball fans in the Hoosier 
     State and across the United States;
       Whereas, in 1982, Mr. Leonard became the first individual 
     to be inducted into the Indiana University Sports Hall of 
     Fame;
       Whereas Mr. Leonard was also inducted into the Indiana 
     Basketball Hall of Fame and the Indiana Sports Writers and 
     Broadcasters Hall of Fame;
       Whereas, in 2014, Mr. Leonard was inducted into the 
     Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach;
       Whereas, on April 13, 2021, Mr. Leonard passed away at the 
     age of 88;
       Whereas Pacers fans will remember Mr. Leonard as--
       (1) the ``spirit of the Pacers franchise'', as aptly put by 
     Herb Simon, the owner of the Pacers; and
       (2) the ``embodiment of basketball'' and an ``Indiana 
     icon'', as aptly put by Eric Holcomb, the Governor of 
     Indiana; and
       Whereas Mr. Leonard is survived by his wife, their 5 
     children, 12 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) honors the life and legacy of William Robert ``Bobby'' 
     ``Slick'' Leonard, including the dedication of Mr. Leonard--
       (A) to the game of basketball, including the promotion of 
     the game across the United States; and
       (B) in particular, to the game of basketball, the players, 
     and the fans in the Hoosier State;
       (2) recognizes--
       (A) the historical, economical, and cultural significance 
     and impact Mr. Leonard had on the City of Indianapolis 
     (referred to in this resolution as the ``City'') and the 
     State of Indiana (referred to in this resolution as the 
     ``State'');
       (B) that without the dedication and contributions to sports 
     and entertainment throughout the City and the State that Mr. 
     Leonard and his wife were able to give, the City nor State 
     would not have such a wonderful reputation or ability to 
     attract the largest sporting events in the world, including--
       (i) the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament 
     and Final Four;
       (ii) the National Basketball Association All-Star Game; and
       (iii) the Super Bowl; and
       (3) shows gratitude and thankfulness--
       (A) to the lifetime of sporting memories Mr. Leonard helped 
     provide to the City and the State; and
       (B) to the impact Mr. Leonard had on the development and 
     growth of the City.

                          ____________________