Rick Barry
A basketball revolutionary who dominated two rival leagues with a scoring touch so unique his underhand free throws became a signature.
Born 1944 (age 82)·American former basketball player·Birthday: March 28·The Silent Generation
Biography
Rick Barry didn't just play basketball; he conducted a masterclass in offensive ingenuity. Emerging from the University of Miami, the forward brought a fiery competitiveness and an unorthodox but deadly underhand free-throw technique to the pros. His career became a saga of league-hopping excellence, carrying the San Francisco Warriors to an NBA championship in 1975 with a Finals performance for the ages. He then jumped to the ABA, leading the New York Nets to a title and cementing his status as the ABA's ultimate scorer. Barry's game was a blend of sharp elbows, sharper passes, and a scoring intellect that made him a nightmare to defend, leaving a legacy as one of the most complete and willful forwards ever.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Rick was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent 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 Rick Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Rick's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
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
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 60
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 70
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 80
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 82 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the Golden State Warriors to the 1975 NBA championship, averaging a record 36.3 points per game in the Finals.
- Remains the only player to have led the NCAA, ABA, and NBA in scoring for a season.
- Holds the record for the highest career scoring average in ABA history at 33.5 points per game.
- Named to the NBA's 50th and 75th Anniversary All-Time Teams.
Did You Know?
He shot his free throws underhand, or "granny-style," and had a career free-throw percentage of 90%, one of the best ever.
All four of his sons (Scooter, Drew, Jon, and Brent) played Division I college basketball.
He was known for his outspoken and often combative personality, frequently clashing with teammates, coaches, and the media.
“I don't know why more players don't shoot free throws underhand. It's a higher-percentage shot.”
