Slater Martin
Encyclopedia
Slater Nelson "Dugie" Martin Jr. (born October 22, 1925) is an American
retired professional
basketball
player and coach who played the guard position for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA)
. He was born in El Mina, Texas
and played in seven NBA All-Star Games.
Martin was one of the NBA's best defensive players in the 1950s while playing for the George Mikan
-led Minneapolis Lakers that won four NBA championships between 1950 and 1954. In 1956 he joined Bob Pettit
's St. Louis Hawks
and won another NBA title in 1958.
Martin is an alumnus of Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, where he led his school to two state basketball championships in 1942 and 1943.http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/environmental_justice/documents/cr/02/oc/21/cr21oc02-9.html He is also a graduate of University of Texas at Austin
, where he set a record in 1949 for putting up 49 points playing for the Texas Longhorns
against the opposing Texas Christian University
team. Throughout his career with the Longhorns, Martin averaged 12.7 points per game.http://www.texassports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=16&url_article_id=2794&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2 His former high school now holds an annual funder raiser in his name, the "Slater Martin Golf Tournament", which successfully raises tens of thousands of dollars each year as an aid to high school student clubs and sports teams.
Martin was the head coach of the Houston Mavericks
of the American Basketball Association
in the 1967-68 season and in part of the 1968-1969 season. He led the Mavericks to the 1968 ABA Playoffs
.
Martin was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 3, 1982 in Springfield, Massachusetts
. He is so far the only Longhorn to accomplish the feat. His jersey number 15 was retired by the University of Texas on January 31, 2009, making him only the second Longhorn basketball player to receive this honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
retired professional
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and coach who played the guard position for 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA)
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He was born in El Mina, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
and played in seven NBA All-Star Games.
Martin was one of the NBA's best defensive players in the 1950s while playing for the George Mikan
George Mikan
George Lawrence Mikan, Jr. , nicknamed Mr. Basketball, was an American professional basketball player for the Chicago American Gears of the National Basketball League and the Minneapolis Lakers of the NBL, the Basketball Association of America and the National Basketball Association...
-led Minneapolis Lakers that won four NBA championships between 1950 and 1954. In 1956 he joined Bob Pettit
Bob Pettit
Robert Lee "Bob" Pettit Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. He played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks . He was the first recipient of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1970...
's St. Louis Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
and won another NBA title in 1958.
Martin is an alumnus of Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, where he led his school to two state basketball championships in 1942 and 1943.http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/environmental_justice/documents/cr/02/oc/21/cr21oc02-9.html He is also a graduate of University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, where he set a record in 1949 for putting up 49 points playing for the Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorn Athletics
Texas Longhorns athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of The University of Texas at Austin. These teams are referred to as the Texas Longhorns , taking their name from the Longhorn cattle that were an important part of the development of Texas, and are now the...
against the opposing Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
team. Throughout his career with the Longhorns, Martin averaged 12.7 points per game.http://www.texassports.com/index.php?s=&url_channel_id=16&url_article_id=2794&url_subchannel_id=&change_well_id=2 His former high school now holds an annual funder raiser in his name, the "Slater Martin Golf Tournament", which successfully raises tens of thousands of dollars each year as an aid to high school student clubs and sports teams.
Martin was the head coach of the Houston Mavericks
Houston Mavericks
The Houston Mavericks were a charter member of the American Basketball Association. They played in the upstart league's first two seasons, from 1967 to 1969. Their home arena was the Sam Houston Coliseum...
of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
in the 1967-68 season and in part of the 1968-1969 season. He led the Mavericks to the 1968 ABA Playoffs
1968 ABA Playoffs
The 1968 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament following the American Basketball Association's inaugural 1967-1968 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Pittsburgh Pipers defeating the Western Division champion New Orleans Buccaneers, four games to three in the...
.
Martin was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 3, 1982 in Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
. He is so far the only Longhorn to accomplish the feat. His jersey number 15 was retired by the University of Texas on January 31, 2009, making him only the second Longhorn basketball player to receive this honor.
External links
- Slater Martin Info Page at NBA.com
- Slater Martin Player Statistics at Basketball-Reference.com
- Slater Martin Coach Statistics at Basketball-Reference.com
- Slater Martin biography provided by losangeleslakersonline.com
- Hall of Fame biography at hoophall.com
- Timeline: A history of Texas basketball (free registration may be required)