Jack McCloskey facts for kids
McCloskey in 2013
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 19, 1925 Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania |
| Died | June 1, 2017 (aged 91) Savannah, Georgia |
| Listed height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Listed weight | 190 lb (86 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Penn (1943–1944) |
| Pro career | 1947–1954 |
| Coaching career | 1956–1974 |
| Career history | |
| As player: | |
| 1947–1948 | Lancaster Red Roses |
| 1948–1951 | Pottsville Packers |
| 1951–1954 | Sunbury Mercuries |
| 1953 | Philadelphia Warriors |
| As coach: | |
| 1956–1966 | Penn |
| 1966–1972 | Wake Forest |
| 1972–1974 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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John William McCloskey (September 19, 1925 – June 1, 2017) was an American basketball player, coach, and executive. He was the head coach for the Portland Trail Blazers. He also worked as the general manager for the Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves. As the general manager of the Pistons, McCloskey put together the famous "Bad Boys" team. This team won two NBA championships in 1989 and 1990.
Contents
Jack McCloskey's Life Story
His Early Years
Jack McCloskey was born in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania, on September 19, 1925. His parents were Buelah and Eddie McCloskey. After high school, he went to the University of Pittsburgh and played football there.
He left college to serve in World War II. He was a lieutenant in the Marines. He commanded a landing ship during the war. After the war, McCloskey went to the University of Pennsylvania. There, he played three different sports for the school teams.
Playing Basketball
McCloskey played one game in the NBA. This was for the Philadelphia Warriors during the 1953 season. He scored 6 points in that game.
He also played in the Eastern Professional Basketball League (EPBL). He played for teams like the Sunbury Mercuries. He was named the EPBL Most Valuable Player in both 1953 and 1954. He was also chosen for the All-EPBL First Team four times (1950, 1952–1954).
Coaching Basketball Teams
Jack McCloskey coached college basketball for many years. He was the head coach for the University of Pennsylvania from 1956 to 1966. Then, he coached Wake Forest from 1966 to 1972.
After his college coaching, he became the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA. He coached them from 1972 to 1974. Later, he worked as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Becoming "Trader Jack"
In 1979, McCloskey became the general manager of the Detroit Pistons. Over the next 13 years, he earned the nickname "Trader Jack." This was because he made more than 30 trades to improve his team. He wanted to make the Pistons strong enough to challenge the Boston Celtics, who were a top team in the NBA.
Some of his best moves included:
- Drafting future Hall-Of-Famer Joe Dumars.
- Drafting rebounding star Dennis Rodman.
- Trading three players to get the important center Bill Laimbeer.
- Trading superstar Adrian Dantley for Mark Aguirre during the 1988–89 season. This trade helped the Pistons win the NBA championship in 1989 and 1990.
After the Pistons lost to the Chicago Bulls in 1991, McCloskey made his last big moves. He tried to make the team younger by acquiring new players. The team still won 48 games that season, but they lost in the first round of the playoffs. After this, McCloskey left the Pistons. He later worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves (1992–1995) and the Toronto Raptors (2004) for a short time.
Jack's Personal Life
On March 29, 2008, Jack McCloskey was honored in Auburn Hills, Michigan. A special banner was raised at The Palace of Auburn Hills, which was the home arena for the Detroit Pistons.
McCloskey had six children. His daughter, Molly McCloskey, is a writer. Her book, Circles Around the Sun, tells the story of their family. In May 2017, it was announced that McCloskey had Alzheimer's disease. He passed away on June 1, 2017.
See also
In Spanish: Jack McCloskey para niños
