Randy Smith (basketball)
He set an NBA ironman record by playing 906 consecutive games, a testament to durability that stood for over a decade.
1948–2009 (age 61)·American basketball player·Birthday: December 12·Baby Boomers
Biography
Randy Smith emerged from the small town of Bellport, New York, as a multi-sport dynamo at Buffalo State College, earning All-American honors not just in basketball but also in soccer and track. His athletic versatility translated into a unique NBA career defined by relentless availability. Drafted by the Buffalo Braves in 1971, Smith became the league's ultimate constant, appearing in every single regular season game for ten straight seasons. This 906-game streak, a record that would last until 1997, was powered by explosive speed that made him a potent scorer and a fan favorite. After his playing days, he remained a visible and beloved figure in the Buffalo community, his legacy one of unwavering reliability and underrated athletic brilliance.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Randy was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Randy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Randy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2009Died at 61
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
Key Achievements
- Set the NBA record for consecutive games played (906), a mark that stood from 1983 to 1997.
- Named a Division II All-American in basketball, soccer, and track while at Buffalo State College.
- Averaged a career-high 24.6 points per game for the Buffalo Braves during the 1977-78 season.
- Won the NBA All-Star Game MVP award in 1978.
Did You Know?
He was a seventh-round draft pick (104th overall) by the Buffalo Braves in the 1971 NBA Draft.
His college jersey number (12) was retired by Buffalo State College.
He won the NBA All-Star Weekend's first-ever Slam Dunk Contest in 1976, though it was a non-televised event.
He played professional basketball in Italy for a season after his NBA career ended.
“I just showed up ready to play, every single night, for 906 games in a row.”
