Bobby Speight
|
Speight with the Phillips 66ers. | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 7, 1930 |
| Died |
March 1, 2007 (aged 76) Richmond, Virginia |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 185 lb (84 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | NC State (1950–1953) |
| Position | Forward |
| Number | 80 |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Robert Wilton "Bobby" Speight, Sr. (October 7, 1930 – March 1, 2007) was an American college basketball standout and, later, successful businessman. A native of Raleigh, North Carolina, Speight chose to stay close to home to play college basketball and decided on NC State.[1] He would play from 1950–51 to 1952–53 under the future-Hall of Famer Everett Case.[2] During Speight's three-year varsity career he scored 1,430 points and grabbed 1,057 rebounds, and his rebound total still ranks fourth all-time.[2] He was named an NCAA All-American in his senior year and was then drafted by the Baltimore Bullets in the 1953 NBA Draft, although he ultimately never played a game in the league.[2] For two years after college, Speight played basketball for the Phillips 66ers of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), which was a popular alternative to the National Basketball Association (NBA) during that era. He then enlisted in the United States Army. After his military service he co-founded the trucking company E&S Contract Carrier which he worked for up until his retirement in 2006. Speight died on March 1, 2007, after losing his fight with cancer.[1] He is survived by his grandson, University of Michigan quarterback Wilton Speight.
References
- 1 2 "Bobby Speight Sr. 1930–2007". NCSU Alumni Association. RichmondWolfpack.com. March 3, 2007. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2010.
- 1 2 3 Peeler, Tim (2007). "NC State Legend Bobby Speight, 76, Passes Away". gopack.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved September 30, 2010.