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09/10/2004
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| Jack Twyman (center) hugs Oscar Robertson (left) and Bob Pettit (right) after accepting on behalf of Stokes | |
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SPRINGFIELD, MA -- Former Saint Francis University All-American Maurice Stokes was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, September 10, 2004. He was joined in the Class of 2004 by former National Basketball Association All-Star Clyde Drexler, Phoenix Suns owner Jerry Colangelo, NBA star player and coach Bill Sharman, legendary women’s basketball player Lynette Woodard and international star Drazen Dalipagic.
Stokes had his life and a promising basketball career cut short by a tragic accident during an NBA game in 1958, when he fell to the floor, hit his head and was knocked unconscious. The accident sent him into a coma for six weeks and then paralyzed him. Stokes spent the next 12 years under hospitalization, which included grueling physical therapy each day, before he died at age 36 on April 6, 1970.
The 6-7, 235-pound Stokes was nearing the end of 
his third NBA season when the tragedy took place. The second overall draft choice of the Rochester Royals in 1955, Stokes was named the NBA Rookie-of-the-Year following his first season, was a three-time NBA All-Star, and led the Royals in scoring and rebounding in each of his three professional seasons. In 1956-57, he set the NBA rebounding record for a season (1,256 rebounds - 17.4 rpg). Stokes averaged 16.4 ppg and 17.3 rpg in his NBA career.
As a collegian, Stokes averaged 22.4 ppg during his standout career at Saint Francis from 1951-55. In 1955, he was named Most Valuable Player of the National Invitational Tournament (NIT), becoming the only player in basketball history to earn such distinction from a fourth-place team. Voted an All-American as a senior in 1954-55, he currently ranks first all-time at SFU in rebounding (1,819) and second in scoring (2,282 points). During his four seasons at Saint Francis, the Red Flash posted a composite record of 79-30 and made two appearances in the NIT. Stokes was inducted into the Saint Francis University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1996 and his uniform number 26 was retired by the school in 2000.
Former Cincinnati Royals’ teammate Jack Twyman remained a lifelong friend to Stokes and became Stokes’ legal guardian after the accident. He and his wife, Carole, will always be remembered as great humanitarians for everything they did for Maurice, which included raising money to cover Stokes’ medical expenses. Twyman, who was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 1983 after an 11-year NBA playing career with the Rochester (1955-57) and Cincinnati (1957-66) Royals, annually organized an all-star game from which all proceeds helped pay for Maurice’s hospital care.
Following Stokes’ death, the Maurice Stokes Memorial Basketball Game was played annually, with funds going to needy former players from the league’s early years. A graduate of the University of Cincinnati, Twyman and Stokes faced one another as opponents in the 1955 NIT before spending three seasons as teammates with the Royals. Twyman accepted on Stokes’ behalf at the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies. Stokes was presented for induction by previous Naismith Hall of Fame inductees Oscar Robertson and Bob Pettit.
“"Whatever I may have done for Maurice, he gave 10 times more back to me,” said Twyman. “I was privileged to be associated with such a great individual. It isn't often that someone goes through life and has the chance to be involved with someone as special as Maurice.
"His accident presented a set of circumstances, where, if the roles were reversed, I believe Maurice would have done the same thing for me. I guarantee you one thing, though - me and my family benefited more from Maurice Stokes than he benefited from us.
"Maurice was part of our family."
Twyman was presented with Stokes’ Hall of Fame jacket, ring and trophy at the enshrinement ceremonies. Following the Hall of Fame Induction program, he gave these items to Saint Francis to be put on permanent display at the Maurice Stokes Athletics Center.
"It is important to remember that while Maurice is obviously very important to Saint Francis, Saint Francis was very important to Maurice. He talked about his years at the College all the time,” said Twyman.
"He certainly belongs right here among the greatest of all time. This is a big deal. This is really the final and deserving tribute to an outstanding basketball player and a remarkable individual. It is fitting that he was inducted with such a fine class.”
Stokes becomes just the second individual from a Northeast Conference school to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Former Long Island University basketball coach Clair Bee was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1967.
