Tom Boswell (basketball)
A versatile forward who carved out a solid professional career after starring for the powerhouse UCLA Bruins in the 1970s.
Born 1953 (age 73)·American basketball player·Birthday: October 2·Baby Boomers
Biography
Tom Boswell's basketball story is intertwined with one of the sport's greatest dynasties. As a key member of the UCLA Bruins under legendary coach John Wooden, he played during a period of sustained excellence, contributing to teams that were perennial national contenders. His game was built on fundamentals and consistency, qualities honed in the disciplined UCLA system. After college, he took his skills to the professional ranks, being selected in the first round of the NBA draft. While his professional journey saw him play for multiple teams, his steady presence and rebounding ability made him a reliable contributor. Boswell's career exemplifies the player who may not always grab headlines but whose work ethic and understanding of the game allow him to succeed at the highest levels, first in the collegiate spotlight and then as a professional.
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.
Tom was born in 1953, 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 Tom Was Born
The biggest hits of 1953
#1 Movie
Peter Pan
Best Picture
From Here to Eternity
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Tom's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1953Born
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
1958Started school
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1966Became a teenager
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
1969Could drive
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
1971Could vote
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1974Turned 21
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
1983Turned 30
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 40
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 50
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 60
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 70
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 73 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an NCAA championship with the UCLA Bruins in 1975 under coach John Wooden.
- Selected in the first round (17th overall) of the 1976 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics.
- Played six seasons in the NBA for the Celtics, San Diego Clippers, and Utah Jazz.
- Averaged a career-high 8.7 points per game during the 1978-79 season with the San Diego Clippers.
Did You Know?
He was a teammate of NBA Hall of Famer Marques Johnson at UCLA.
After his playing career, he worked in the financial services industry.
His son, Tom Boswell Jr., also played college basketball at the University of San Diego.
“I was just a piece of the UCLA machine, doing my job.”
