Although years have faded the picture, a strong case can be made that the events of April 12, 1958, at Kiel Auditorium are the most remarkable in St. Louis sports history.
The St. Louis Hawks had made it to the NBA finals against Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics the previous year, only to suffer a crushing, double-overtime, Game 7 loss in Boston.
This time, Hawks star Bob Pettit was not going to let that happen. The Hawks won a critical Game 5 at Boston to take a 3-2 series lead and come back to St. Louis with a chance to clinch. With 10,218 excited hoop heads at Kiel, Pettit produced an extraordinary performance.
Pettit scored 19 points to help stake the Hawks to 57-52 halftime lead, as he was just warming up. Six straight points from Pettit boosted the lead to 10 early in the third quarter, but the champion Celtics weren't going away. As guard Bob Cousy directed the show, the Celtics went ahead 86-84 early in the final period.
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The Kiel crowd was dumbfounded, as the Celtics snatched the momentum and threatened to create a Game 7 replay in Boston. "Big Blue" had other ideas.
Although he was being double- and triple-teamed, the 6-foot-9 Pettit drained shot after shot, keeping the Hawks solvent. With a little more than 20 seconds to play, Pettit drove the lane, stopped and scored over the outstretched hand of Russell, giving the Hawks a 108-105 lead.
Two Tom Heinsohn free throws made it a one-point game and the Celtics swarmed the Hawks to get the ball back. Sure enough, Slater Martin fired a shot off the mark, but Pettit fought his way to the basket and tapped in the rebound, rendering a final Boston basket irrelevant.
Pettit finished with 50 points, including 18 of his team's final 21, as the Hawks defeated the Celtics 110-109 and captured the NBA title. It was the first championship for St. Louis in any sport other than baseball.
1958 NBA playoffs
Bob Pettit and Tommy Heinsohn
Tommy Heinsohn, (15) of the Boston Celtics leaps to score as Bob Pettit, left, of the St. Louis Hawks attempts to block the play in their National Basketball Association playoff game at Boston Garden on April 10, 1958. Watching the play is Jack McMahon (21) of the Hawks. (AP Photo/J. Walter Green)
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Cliff Hagan
Cliff Hagan (16) of the St. Louis Hawks goes up for a shot in the first quarter of game of the final playoffs for the NBA championship, April 2, 1958, St. Louis, Mo. He is guarded by Boston Celtics Bill Russell, left, and Tommy Heinsohn (15), right. (AP Photo)
Slater Martin
Slater Martin (22) of the St. Louis Hawks lets ball roll off the tips of his fingers as he goes up for a layup shot in NBA Final, April 5, 1958. At left is Bob Cousy (14) of Celtics. (AP Photo)
Bill Sharman
FILE - In this March 30, 1958, file photo, Boston Celtics' Bill Sharman holds the ball as St. Louis Hawks' Cliff Hagan (16), defends, during the second half of an NBA Finals basketball game in Boston. (AP Photo/J. Walter Green, File)
In today’s 10 a.m. “Ten Hochman” video — brought to you by — Ben Hochman discusses the rise of NBA star Tyrese Haliburton, a name to know. Also, a happy birthday shoutout to Red Berenson! And as always, Hochman picks a random St. Louis Cards card!
