Washington legend, Olympic gold medalists visits E.C. HOF

EAST CHICAGO | Forlorn NBA fans are in the need for some good news, or at least a half-court shot of hope.

Vince Boryla does his best to relieve the addled masses.

"Of course they're going to play," the former NBA All-Star said. "If I had to put odds on there being a season, I would say 100 to one in favor.

"I believe all the stuff we've been hearing and seeing in the media about the season being cancelled is garbage. In the end they'll do whatever it takes to get this (lockout) resolved."

On Sept. 16, the East Chicago Washington legend made a formal and first-time visit to the East Chicago Sports Hall of Fame's new home within the John A. Baratto Center at E.C. Central High School, where he is enshrined. He was met with longtime friends, former colleagues and several city dignitaries, many of whom Boryla treated to lunch afterwards at Teibel's Restaurant in Schererville.

Upon graduating from Washington, Boryla continued his basketball career at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Denver, where he was a consensus All-American. He also was a member of the USA men's basketball team, which won the gold medal at the 1948 London Olympics.

Incidentally, the Olympics return to London next summer.

"But the Olympics then were not what they are today," Boryla said. "They've gotten so much bigger. Back then, they were lucky to get a couple of inches in the paper.

"That (the 1948 Games) was the first one since World War II. The world was just starting to put itself back together."

The forward went on to play for the New York Knicks, where he was an NBA All-Star for the 1950-51 season while averaging a career-best 14.9 points per game. He later coached the Knicks for two seasons before becoming the general manager for the Denver Larks, which later became the Denver Nuggets, and the Utah Stars. Both franchises were part of the defunct American Basketball Association.

Boryla later returned to the Nuggets when they joined the NBA. A relatively hands-on GM, he once left his executive box shortly before tipoff to confront Nuggets guard Michael Evans, who was hot-doggin' during a pre-game layup drill. Evans had missed a crucial layup in a loss the game before.

In 1984, he was awarded the NBA's "Executive of the Year."

Boryla still follows basketball and his former teams.

"But when you get to be my age (84), you don't get as crazy about things as you did before," said Boryla, who made the trip from Colorado with his wife, Mary Jo.