mostfamous

From 1974 through 1977, a youngster named Danny Ainge walked the hallways of North Eugene High School. He was a popular three-sport star here, and almost everyone knew him. Twenty years later, that same young man is a 38-year-old first year coach in the NBA, after a hall-of-fame caliber career in the same league.   He is known as the most famous person ever to attend this school.

He played football, basketball, and baseball here at North. He was an all-stater in �75 and �76 in football, and was quarterback for a time. He was a baseball player in the spring, and would later try his hand at that sport in professional leagues.

But the sport at which he excelled was basketball. He was on the all-state team in 1976 and 1977. He was an Adidas All-American in �77, and was a Parade All-American in the same year. He scored an astounding 1,418 points in his three-year high school career.

The North boys, led by Ainge and legendary coach Barney Holland, won the state championship in 1976 and 1977. North won in �76 against Lake Oswego, 52-39, and in �77 against Grant 56-44. Both teams were undefeated at the time, and that�s exactly how North finished. Ainge was first team all-tourney both years.

After that incredible 1977 season, Danny headed to Brigham Young University to play basketball for the Cougars. From 1977-78 through 1980-81, Danny played 118 total games for the Cougars, and scored 2,467 total collegiate points. He made the Sporting News all-america First team in 1981, and won the John Wooden award as the National Collegiate player of the year.

During college, he had an opportunity to play for the Toronto Blue Jays of the American League in Major League Baseball, as well as internationally with Syracuse. He played short stop, second base, and outfield with Syracuse and the Blue Jays. He played 211 Major League games, had 665 at-bats, 57 runs, 146 hits, 2 home runs, and 37 runs-batted-in, all while batting .220.

In 1981, the Cougars made it to the Eastern Regionals of the NCAA Tournament. They lost to the Virginia Cavaliers in that game. One of Ainge�s best collegiate games was the game against Notre Dame, where Ainge drove down the court to score the game winning basket in the same tournament.

He was selected in the second round of the 1981 NBA draft, 31st overall, by the Boston Celtics. There, he would have the best days of his career, winning championships in 1984 and 1986, and playing with such legendary players such as Larry Bird and Kevin McHale.

He played seven and a half seasons in Boston, and played in the 1988 all-star game, where he was 3 for 4 in three pointers. His records include the playoff record for most three-pointers in a career with 143, and holds the single game record of most points in an overtime, with 9. He is second in NBA history for three pointers made. This extraordinary shooting ability has earned him the nickname �long range Ainge�.

He was traded to the Sacramento Kings midway through the 1988-89 season.   After playing the next season in Sacramento, Ainge finally came back home, to play two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers.   Ainge finished his career with the Phoenix Suns, where he became good friends with superstar Charles
Barkley.

After three seasons in Phoenix, he retired and became a broadcaster for a year, and is now the head coach for the Suns. Ainge played 26,381 minutes in the NBA, had 11,393 points, and made 924
three pointers.

Marce Fast, an English teacher at Madison Middle School, taught Danny from 4th grade through 6th grade at Santa Clara Elementary. � He had an athletic ability way beyond anybody I�ve ever taught since,� says Fast.

�He was sometimes misunderstood. People thought of him as cocky, and arrogant, but he wasn�t really like that. He�s a great guy, and I�ve enjoyed watching him play. He always sent autographs or tickets for kids.�

Former North Principal Bob Anderson was Danny�s football coach in High School. �He was always the hardest working kid on the field and in the game,� Anderson says. �He�s earned what he�s got because he�s worked very hard.�

Jerry Newell was Ainge�s teacher on the Tartan staff at North. �I�ve known him since he was a kid,� says Newell. �You knew he had talent. He was a natural athlete. People always thought he was a screw-off, but he wasn�t. I have great memories of him.�

Danny Ainge will be remembered as one of North�s finest, and he certainly represents this school well.

Special thanks to the following Websites:
http://www.nba.com/ontheair/tnt/talent/ainge.html
http://www.nba.com/suns/ bios/coach.html

Thanks also to Jerry Newell, Bob Anderson, Hank Bendix, Marce Fast, and the Register-Guard.