Bob Feerick
A sharp-shooting cornerstone of the early NBA's first dynasty, who later built winners as a coach and executive.
1920–1976 (age 56)·American basketball player, coach, executive·Birthday: January 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Bob Feerick was a foundational player for the league that would become the NBA. A star at Santa Clara University, he joined the Washington Capitols in 1946 for the inaugural season of the Basketball Association of America. With a deadly two-handed set shot, he led the league in field goal percentage twice and was a First Team All-BAA selection in that first season, helping the Capitols to the best record under coach Red Auerbach. His playing career was shortened by a back injury, but he quickly transitioned to coaching his alma mater. His most lasting impact, however, came as the general manager of the San Francisco Warriors. In a masterstroke, he drafted a local phenom named Rick Barry, a move that propelled the Warriors to the 1964 NBA Finals. Feerick's career arc—from elite player to architect of a contender—spanned the formative years of professional basketball.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Bob was born in 1920, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bob Was Born
The biggest hits of 1920
#1 Movie
Way Down East
Bob's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1920Born
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1925Started school
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1933Became a teenager
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Could drive
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1938Could vote
Kristallnacht and the escalation toward WWII
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $2,850Min wage: $0.25/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Begin the Beguine" — Artie ShawBest Picture: You Can't Take It with You
1941Turned 21
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1950Turned 30
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 40
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 50
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1976Died at 56
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
Key Achievements
- Named to the All-BAA First Team in the league's inaugural 1946-47 season.
- Led the BAA in field goal percentage in both the 1946-47 and 1947-48 seasons.
- As General Manager of the San Francisco Warriors, drafted Hall of Famer Rick Barry in 1965.
- Helped build the Warriors team that reached the 1964 NBA Finals.
Did You Know?
He served as the head basketball coach at his alma mater, Santa Clara University, from 1950 to 1962.
He was known for his exceptional free-throw shooting, with a career average over 80%.
His Washington Capitols team, coached by Red Auerbach, began the 1946-47 season with a 17-game winning streak, a record that stood for decades.
“That two-handed set shot wasn't pretty, but it went in clean.”
