Expert: Fabio Anderle - 1/11/2011

Question
Hi Fabio,

I was wondering if I could borrow your expertise to clear up a small wager my group of friends has going. Some claim that Larry Bird wore goggles a number of times during his career and some think he could have worn them less than 12 times. Is there anyway you could help a few eccentric adults settle this? Any secret Bird book of facts? I know he got injured in 82 by Harvey Catchings and had to wear goggles (as seen on a SI cover), but I can't find an amount of games.

Thanks,
Dan

Answer
Dan,

I only know of a time when Larry Bird had to wear goggles during his career, and it wasn't in 1982. In fact, when Harvey Catchings hit him in the face with an errant elbow on February 28, 1982, Larry had to sit out four games (including a "Texas Sweep" with wins in Dallas, San Antonio and Houston). When he came back Bill Fitch used him as a "de-luxe sixth man", and Boston went wild belting a total of 19 consecutive wins before being defeated by Philadelphia. But in this span of 1982 games I don't have any information on Bird wearing goggles...

On March 6 1988 Bird was accidentally struck in the face by a Dell Curry elbow and sustained a hairline fracture of the orbital bone on the left side of his face. That's when the Celtics asked him to wear goggles, but since he was refusing, Dennis Johnson told him to wise up and Bird accepted. The Sports Illustrated cover shot was taken then, not after the 1982 injury.

Bird played four games wearing the goggles, the first being a 119-118 win over San Antonio where he shot 15 for 27 from the floor and scored 36 points, and the Celtics needed them all to pull out the win. He wore the dreaded goggles three more times hating every minute of those games. Larry scored 30, 28 and 34 points with his Kareem-like look. "I don't know how those guys who wear 'em all the time do it," he said. "Every shot I took, I didn't know if it would be an air ball or a swish." But there was some magic in those plastic protections: with them Larry shot at a 55% pace, and in his first goggle-less game he went 8 for 19 from the floor.



I hope this helps


Fabio