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The Hall of Fame basketball player and coach died Sunday at age 81.

Philadelphia basketball great Tom Gola dies

(I'll let Melly fill in the details the next time she's here.)

Thanks, jarnon.

Tom Gola is one of a handful of players who won an NIT, NCAA and NBA title (back when the NIT title meant something). He REMAINS the NCAA Division I career rebounds leader with 2,201. His college career was over in 1955.

I had the pleasure of meeting him at a couple of Philadelphia Sports Writers Association dinners over the the years - a very nice gentleman (as you can see in the stories from philly.com).

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/col ... _star.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/col ... _Gola.html

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/col ... sport.html

Boonie worked at Tom Gola's golf place (driving range, putting green, miniature golf) for a couple of summers. Whenever Mr. Gola would drop by, Boonie said, he would treat the kids who worked there with absolute respect. No one was ever small to Tom Gola.

One more Gola thing ...

http://www.nba.com/2014/news/01/26/tom- ... alle-obit/

When I was growing up, you whispered the name Tom Gola, because he was like a saint," late Warriors teammate Wilt Chamberlain once said.