Sonny Dove facts for kids
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| Small forward | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | August 16, 1945 Hyannis, Massachusetts |
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| Nationality | American | |||||||||||||
| Died | February 14, 1983 (aged 37) Brooklyn, New York |
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| High school | St. Francis Preparatory (Brooklyn, New York) |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 198 lb (90 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | St. John's (1964–1967) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 1967 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Detroit Pistons | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1967–1978 | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 1967–1969 | Detroit Pistons | |||||||||||||
| 1969 | Scranton Miners | |||||||||||||
| 1969–1972 | New York Nets | |||||||||||||
| 1972–1973 | Allentown Jets | |||||||||||||
| 1977–1978 | Brooklyn Dodgers | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA/ABA statistics | ||||||||||||||
| Points | 2,458 (11.1 ppg) | |||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 1,334 (6.0 rpg) | |||||||||||||
| Assists | 219 (1.0 apg) | |||||||||||||
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Medals
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Lloyd "Sonny" Dove (born August 16, 1945 – died February 14, 1983) was a Native American professional basketball player. He was a star player at St. John's University in New York. In his last college season in 1967, Dove won the Haggerty Award.
That same year, he was part of the United States basketball team. They won the gold medal at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg. Sonny Dove is still considered one of the best players ever at St. John's. In 2005, he was one of the first ten men chosen for "Basketball Legacy Honors" at the university. In 2011, Dove was added to the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and School
Lloyd Leslie Dove Jr. was born in 1945 in Hyannis, Massachusetts. He was given the nickname "Sonny." His mother, Adeline B. Dove, was from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. This means Sonny was also part of the Mashpee Wampanoag people.
Sonny graduated from St. Francis Preparatory School in Brooklyn. His amazing basketball skills were noticed there. He was recruited to play for St. John's University by the assistant basketball coach, Lou Carnesecca.
College Basketball Career
Sonny Dove played as a forward for three seasons at St. John's University. He started playing under the famous coach Joe Lapchick. People nicknamed him the "Big Indian" because the team was called the Redmen.
At St. John's, Sonny Dove became one of the top players. By 1983, he was the fifth-highest scorer and second-best rebounder in the university's basketball history. In his final college season (1966–67), he was the captain of a team that won 23 games and lost only 5.
In 2008, Sonny Dove was chosen for St. John's "All-Century Team." He was one of only two players in the university's history to have over 1,000 career points and over 1,000 career rebounds. He scored 1,576 points and had 1,036 rebounds.
Professional Career and Passing
The Detroit Pistons picked Sonny Dove as the fourth player in the 1967 NBA draft. He played with the Pistons for two years. After that, he joined the New York Nets of the ABA. He stayed with the Nets until 1972.
During his professional career in the NBA and ABA, Dove scored an average of 11.1 points per game. He also grabbed 6.0 rebounds per game. His professional playing career ended when he seriously injured his leg in a bicycle accident.
After his pro career, Sonny Dove went back to St. John's University. He finished his college degree there. He then started working in sports radio, often talking about basketball games with other former pro players.
Sonny Dove also worked as a taxi driver. He died at age 37 in February 1983 after an accident involving his taxi in Brooklyn. A memorial service was held for him at St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church.
Family Life
Sonny Dove was married to Patricia. They had two children, Zaynid and Kimberly. He also had another child, Leslie.
Achievements and Recognition
- 1967: Won the Haggerty Award
- 1967: Named to the Consensus NCAA All-American Second Team
- 1967: Won a gold medal with the basketball team at the Pan American Games in Winnipeg
- 2005: Chosen as one of the first 10 men for "Basketball Legacy Honors" at St. John's University
- 2008: Named to St. John's University "All-Century Team"
- 2011: Inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame
See also
In Spanish: Sonny Dove para niños
