Bob McCurdy facts for kids
McCurdy during his senior year at Richmond
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| Forward | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 26, 1952 Deer Park, New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | (aged 68) Connecticut |
| High school | Deer Park (Long Island, New York) |
| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1975 / Round: 8 / Pick: 132nd overall |
| Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Robert McCurdy (born February 26, 1952 – died July 29, 2020) was a talented American college basketball player. He is best known for his time with the Richmond Spiders from 1973 to 1975. Before that, he started his college career with the Virginia Cavaliers.
McCurdy was an amazing scorer. During his final year in college (1974–75), he was the top scorer in the entire nation. He averaged an incredible 32.9 points per game for the Spiders. After college, McCurdy had a very successful career in radio sales and management.
Contents
Bob McCurdy's Basketball Journey
College Basketball Highlights
Playing for Virginia
Bob McCurdy grew up in Deer Park, New York. He went to Deer Park High School and finished in 1970. He earned a basketball scholarship to the University of Virginia. Back then, first-year college students (freshmen) couldn't play on the main varsity team. So, McCurdy played on Virginia's freshman team.
He was the top scorer for that team. In one game against Maryland, he scored 40 points. After one year on the varsity team, his coach left. McCurdy then decided to move to a different school. He chose the University of Richmond.
Starring at Richmond
Because of college rules, McCurdy had to sit out for a whole year before playing for Richmond. In his junior year (1973–74), he averaged about 24 points per game. He was the second-highest scorer for the Spiders. He was also named to the All-Southern Conference Second Team.
The next year, his senior season, was even better. He boosted his scoring average to 32.9 points per game. This made him the leading scorer in all of NCAA Division I. He scored a total of 855 points that season. On his birthday, February 26, he scored a career-high 53 points against Appalachian State. Both these records are still school records today.
McCurdy was a forward who stood 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 200 pounds. He took many shots, about 35 percent of his team's shots. He was mostly focused on scoring. He was chosen for the All-Southern Conference First Team. The Associated Press also named him to their All-America Third Team. In just two seasons at Richmond, he scored an impressive 1,347 points.
His teammate, Kevin Eastman, was amazed by McCurdy's scoring talent. Eastman later said that McCurdy's success was remarkable. He explained that McCurdy didn't have great speed or dribbling skills. He also couldn't jump very high or run very fast. Eastman believed McCurdy's strong will, excitement, and effort helped him reach a higher level.
NBA Draft Experience
After college, the Milwaukee Bucks picked McCurdy in the eighth round of the 1975 NBA draft. He was the 132nd player chosen overall. However, he never played a game in the NBA. It's thought that constant treatments for his foot during his senior year might have made teams hesitant to sign him.
Life After Basketball
Successful Business Career
Since professional basketball didn't work out, McCurdy focused on becoming a successful businessman. He once joked that he skipped classes in college to practice his jump shot. He said he needed to catch up on business skills after college. He even hired a tutor to help him with statistics.
Within a few years, he became a successful employee at a company called Katz Radio. By 1990, he became the president of that company. Later, when Clear Channel bought Katz Media Group, McCurdy became a regional president for Clear Channel Radio Sales. In 2009, he was named president of Katz Radio's business division, Katz Marketing Solutions. He then worked for Beasley Media Group before retiring in April 2020.
Family Life and Legacy
Bob McCurdy lived in Westport, Connecticut, with his wife, Cindy. They had four children together. One of their sons, Sean, also became a successful basketball player. Sean played for St. Anthony High School under famous coach Bob Hurley. Sean was a starter for the St. Anthony Friars team that won a national championship in 2003–04. He received a scholarship to play basketball at Arkansas. After two seasons, he transferred to William & Mary to finish his college basketball career.
Bob McCurdy faced health challenges later in his life. He passed away at the age of 68 on July 29, 2020, in Connecticut.
