Born on October 16, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan, Dave DeBusschere (David Albert DeBusschere) played for the Chicago White Sox for his entire 2 year career. DeBusschere broke into the bigs on April 22, 1962 with the Chicago White Sox, and put up a 3.09 ERA in 84.1 innings pitched in 1963, his rookie year.
DeBusschere was the son of a first-generation Belgian immigrant who was a beer distributor in the greater Detroit area. His father impressed him with a strong work ethic and solid values which rarely failed him in life. DeBuscchere went to a Catholic high school locally and starred in both baseball and basketball. The 6' 7 230-pounder led his team to state championships.
Attending the University of Detroit, DeBusschere reached 2nd team All-American status in a great era of future NBA stars. Baseball looked like a surer bet in 1962 as the NBA was still unsteady with just nine teams at that time.
DeBusschere moved ahead as a pitcher, but had ties locally as the Detroit Pistons moved to try and win him. They offered him the head coaching job in 1964 to get him to commit to the NBA. It was considered a huge offer at the time that stunned some. DeBusschere, very respected and very bright, did a fair job with an under-staffed roster.
In 1968, the NBA was trying to build a champion in New York City and had settled on fan favorite Willis Reed as their center star. Coach Red Holzman tabbed Double-D , renowned for his defense and rebounding, to help Reed and the Knicks inside. The move elevated the Knicks immediately to the 1970 NBA title, one of the league's most historic.
DeBusschere and Walt Frazier were the All-NBA defenders who were the core of the club's outstanding defense in the early 1970s. The limping Reed and Jerry Lucas were the team's centers during these years, and DeBusschere backed the two up mightily, often guarding the opposing center. Many rate DeBusschere as still the greatest defensive forward to ever play in the NBA. His smarts and remarkable intensity drew respect league-wide.
In 1973, DeBusschere helped key New York's 1973 world championship, the city's last NBA title. He retired as a player in 1974.
A stock broker in the off-season, DeBusschere had the background for NBA upper management and soon was elevated by the Knicks. A year later, he was tabbed to be the ABA's league president seemingly with a sole mission: to set up a NBA-ABA merger, which did take place in 1976.
DeBusschere came from an era of players with remarkable character. Rarely, if ever, was there a bad word said about him. He was not selfish, or greedy, but a great natural athlete who worked well with others and did not seek the limelight.
He was inducted into the Springfield Basketball Hall Of Fame in 1980 and named
one of NBA's 50 Greatest Players Ever in 1996. He passed away in 1999.
Statistics[]
Pitching Stats[]
Year
Team
G
GS
W
L
ERA
K
R
ER
CG
SHO
SV
IP
H
HR
BB
IB
WP
HBP
1962
CHI
A
12
0
0
0
2.00
8
7
4
0
0
0
18
5
1
23
1
2
1
1963
CHI
A
24
10
3
4
3.09
53
35
29
1
1
0
84.1
80
9
34
1
6
4
Total
36
10
3
4
2.90
61
42
33
1
1
0
102.1
85
10
57
2
8
5
Fielding Stats[]
Year
Team
POS
G
GS
INN
PO
A
ERR
DP
TP
PB
SB
CS
PkO
AVG
1962
CHI
A
P
12
0
18
1
3
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
1.000
1963
CHI
A
P
24
10
84.1
8
13
1
2
0
0
5
2
0
.955
Total
P
36
10
102.1
9
16
1
2
0
0
7
2
0
.962
Batting Stats[]
Year
Team
G
AB
R
H
HR
RBI
AVG
OBP
SLG
2B
3B
BB
SO
HBP
SH
SB
IBB
GDP
1962
CHI
A
12
0
0
0
0
0
.000
.000
.000
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1963
CHI
A
24
22
1
1
0
0
.045
.087
.045
0
0
1
9
0
2
0
0
0
Total
36
22
1
1
0
0
.045
.087
.045
0
0
1
9
0
2
0
0
0
Transactions[]
Signed as an amateur free agent by Chicago White Sox (1962).