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2016 SESSION

16101583D
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 16
Offered January 13, 2016
Prefiled December 29, 2015
Celebrating the life of Moses Malone.
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Patrons-- Dance and Deeds; Delegate: Lindsey
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WHEREAS, Moses Malone, an accomplished professional basketball player who was named as one of the greatest players in the history of the National Basketball Association and who was a beloved sports icon in the Petersburg community, died on September 13, 2015; and

WHEREAS, a native of Petersburg, Moses Malone grew up in the Delectable Heights community and was a standout athlete from a young age; at Petersburg High School, he led the Crimson Wave to 50 consecutive wins and back-to-back state titles in 1974 and 1975; and

WHEREAS, making history as the first player to enter a professional basketball league directly after high school, Moses Malone joined the Utah Stars in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and quickly earned a reputation as an agile and tenacious center, despite his relatively short height for the position; and

WHEREAS, in his first season, Moses Malone averaged 18 points and 14 rebounds per game; he played for the Spirits of St. Louis before joining the Buffalo Braves in the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the league’s merger with the ABA; and

WHEREAS, Moses Malone went on to play for the Houston Rockets, the Philadelphia 76ers, the Washington Bullets, the Atlanta Hawks, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the San Antonio Spurs, earning three NBA Most Valuable Player awards in 1979, 1982, and 1983; and

WHEREAS, in 1983, Moses Malone joined the Philadelphia 76ers and led the team to its first championship in 16 years; the team finished the regular season with a 67–15 record and only lost one game in the playoffs, with Moses Malone leading the league in rebounding for the third consecutive year; and

WHEREAS, over the course of his 20-season career, Moses Malone averaged 20.6 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, becoming known as the “Chairman of the Boards” for his rebounding skills; he ranks fifth on the NBA’s all-time rebounding list with 16,212 rebounds, and eighth on the NBA’s all-time points list with 27,409 points; and

WHEREAS, Moses Malone was named as one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players of all time in 1996 and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001; in addition, the Houston Rockets retired his number 24 jersey; and

WHEREAS, after his well-earned retirement from professional basketball in 1995, Moses Malone returned to the Petersburg area to seek new opportunities to serve the community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Moses Malone, a highly admired professional athlete and a proud member of the Petersburg community; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Moses Malone as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.