Black History Moments

Charles B. Brooks (1865–?) was an inventor responsible for the street sweeping truck. Born in Virginia in 1865, by the 1890s he was a resident of Newark, New Jersey. Besides inventing, Brooks was a porter for the Pullman Palace Car Company. Unlike other sweepers at that time (1890s), Brooks’ sweeper was the first self-propelled street sweeping truck. His design had revolving brushes attached to the front fender, and the brushes were interchangeable so that when snow fell, scrapers could be attached for snow removal. He received a patent for his invention on March 17, 1896 (US Patent #556,711). A few months later, on May 12, 1896, he patented a dust-proof collection bag for the street sweeper (US Patent #560,154). Although little information is available about his life, funding for the production for his sweeper was provided by George M. Hallstead and Plummer S. Page. The production took place in Scranton, Pennsylvania, where each sweeper was priced at around $2,000. It proved to be so successful that the Pennsylvania state government gave a $100,000 contract to the manufacturing company. The maintenance superintendent of Buffalo, New York, was so impressed with Brook's design that he adopted the model for his city. Brooks also received a third patent for what he called a "ticket punch" on October 31, 1893 (US Patent #507,672), an early example of a paper punch, unique for its time because unlike hole punchers of today, his had a built-in receptacle to catch the round pieces of waste paper there and prevent littering. Black history is awesome! Not just in the month of February, but all year round!

Let's take the time out to wish long time music executive, entrepreneur, and DAM (Dina Andrews Management), Inc. President and General Manager Dina Andrews a happy birthday today! Dina Ruth Andrews (born 02/28/1959) was born in Senatobia, Mississippi. She is one of three children born to Mrs. Vera Jackson Andrews and no information on her biological father is known at this time. She graduated from William Workman High School in the City of Industry, California from the 11th Grade, and began college at 16 years old. Beginning her career in the Music Industry in her Junior year of college took her full attention, but she went on to graduate from Azusa Pacific University where she acquired her BS in Business with an emphasis in Organizational Leadership. Andrews began her music career at the age of 19 under the tutelage of Dick Griffey the CEO of Solar Records. Under the Solar (Sound of Los Angeles Records) banner she worked with artists such as the following:

The Whispers
Shalamar
Lakeside
Dynasty
Carrie Lucas
Midnight Starr with the Calloway's
The Deele with L.A. Reid
Babyface
Bobby Womack
Klymaxx
Atlantic Starr

Dina Andrews has been a Record Company Executive, Artist Manager, Associate Manager and General Manager. She has Executive Produced several projects, and has spent an equal amount of time working in Urban Music and Gospel/Christian Music. Dina Andrews has worked with several major labels such as RCA, BMG, Verity, Sony, Capitol, Elektra, East-West/Atlantic, EMI Gospel, Warner Bros, Benson, Word, and Gospo-Centric, in addition to start-ups. After four years at Solar Records she was pursued by the now multi-platinum record producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis to help them with their careers as songwriter/producers. In 1982 Ms. Andrews began managing the careers of the duo who were then with "The Time" a Minneapolis musical group signed to Prince's Paisley Park Records (a Warner's Bros Joint Venture). Under the management and direction of Ms. Andrews, the duo began building their reputation as great songwriter/producers outside of their work with Prince. Andrews introduced the duos music to Tabu Records Founder/CEO Clarence Avant who gave Andrews an opportunity to do a deal with him for Jam and Lewis to produce SOS Band. Thus, the start of Flyte Tyme Productions. Under Dina Andrews Management, Andrews negotiated deals for Jam & Lewis to write and produce not only for SOS Band, but Cheryl Lynn (Encore), Change (Change of Heart), Cherrelle, and Alexander O'Neil. She entered negotiations with Warner Chappell Music for a multimillion-dollar co-publishing deal, and with Clive Davis and Gerry Griffeth at Arista Records in the early 80's. Through Andrews relationships on the West Coast and East Coast, she was the first person to introduce the pair to John McClain, Brenda Andrews, Dick Griffey, Neil Portnow, and Hank Caldwell (most who originally passed on them as songwriter/producers). After the split with Jam and Lewis, Andrews contracted with Perry Williams Entertainment, Production Company to Leon Sylvers, Keith Washington, Robert Daniels, Troy Johnson, and Luscious Daim. She was later approached by Motown Productions Burl Hecthman, to join Motown Productions with Suzanne dePasse, Burl Hechtman and Suzanne Coston to work in television. She began her career Hechtman's temporary Executive Assistant with the promise of a position being created for her as soon as he sold his show "Nightlife (featuring David Brenner and Billy Preston) to King World. After the show was sold, Hecthman promoted her to West Coast Project Manager. As her career continued to blossom continued to grow, she moved her offices into the historic Taft Building in Hollywood,CA. During that time she managed CCM artist Leon Patillo, Vincent Brantley, Lisa Roche and several other clients. Andrews signed guy group "Fresh Attraction" to her production company. Having done several deals with Capitol Records through then VP of A & R Scott Folks, Andrews entered into a development deal for Artist Development and Production for "Fresh Attraction". Upon expiration of the Development Deal with Capitol Records, Andrews was approached by entertainment attorney Ron Sweeney (her former attorney) who'd become President of Tabu Records. Sweeney offered her a Production Deal to record under the Tabu umbrella. In 1992, Dina accepted the role as General Manager for Pebbles PT Entertainment which managed the group TLC. At the time, Andrews was U.S. Manager of hit songwriter/producer Derek Bramble (Heatwave, David Bowie, Dave Koz, Vanessa Williams, Alton "Wokie" Stewart, Stephanie Mills, Keith Sweat, Madonna, Toni Braxton and numerous other artists). In 1994, Ms. Andrews began representing Gospel and Christian songwriter/producers and recording artist. Namely, "Virtue" on Verity Records. Percy Bady, songwriter/producer on Full Gospel Fellowship Choir "Bow Down and Worship" (Gospo-Centric); Marvin Sapp (Word Records) ; Trin-i-tee 5:7 (Gospo-Cenric) ; Rev. Milton Brunson & The Thompson Comm. Singers (Word Records); Gary Oliver (Sony Music Group); Kelli Williams (Word Records) ”It’s Gonna Be Alright” and “I Get Lifted”; Angelo & Veronica (Benson Music Group) ”Not Enough”; Benson Christmas (Benson Music Group) ; Hezekiah Walker (Benson Music Group); GMWA (Benson Music Group); DeLeon Richards (Intersound Records); Nu City Mass Choir (New Haven Records) 1998 recording; Virtue (Verity/Zomba) Verity Christmas project. In 2000 Andrews was introduced to Bishop Gilbert Thompson and his family by his Youth Minister of Music Leroy Hampton. Andrews was hired as a Music Consultant to build their record label Axiom Entertainment. Andrews worked for New Covenant (now Jubilee) in Boston, Mass as their Consultant & Acting President for three years until she founded Knew Beginnings Entertainment. Dina R. Andrews is among one the first black female American music industry executives to represent songwriter/producers. Dina was nominated as an African-American History Maker in Entertainment by The History Makers in February 2006 for her long list of accomplishments. Andrews is currently working on a film, Confidence or Love and two books. One book chronicles her life story, and the second is a practical look inside the music industry. She has been a voting member of NARAS-Grammy for over twenty years, received numerous gold and platinum awards, is active in building Stand 4 Agape Youth Entertainment and serves on several of the Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs Steering Committees. Happy birthday once again, Dina Andrews! Today, she's officially a senior citizen at 65!

Ben Montgomery (1819–1877) was an influential African-American inventor, landowner, and freedman in Mississippi. He was taught to read and write, and became manager of supply and shipping for Joseph Emory Davis at Hurricane Plantation at Davis Bend. Benjamin Thornton Montgomery was born into slavery in Loudoun County, Virginia. In 1837, he was sold south, and purchased in Natchez, Mississippi by Joseph Emory Davis. His younger brother, Jefferson Davis, later became the President of the Confederate States of America. Montgomery escaped but was recaptured. Davis reportedly "inquired closely into the cause of his dissatisfaction", whereby the two men reached a "mutual understanding" about Montgomery's situation. Davis assigned Montgomery to run the general store of his plantation at Davis Bend. It was unusual for a slave to serve in this position. Impressed with his knowledge and abilities to run the store, Davis placed Montgomery in charge of overseeing the entirety of his purchasing and shipping operations on the plantation. The Davis family also taught him many other skills including land surveying, flood control, and architecture. On May 21, 1847, Montgomery's son, Isaiah Montgomery, was born. Due to Ben's favored position among the Davis Bend slaves by the Davis family, Isaiah was also given the opportunity of receiving an education. Montgomery maintained a close relationship with his son up until his death. Montgomery learned a variety of skills, including reading, writing, land surveying, flood control, architectural design, machine repair, and steamboat navigation. "Montgomery developed proficiencies in many areas; he became a skilled mechanic, not only repairing the advanced agricultural machinery acquired by the Davis brothers, but eventually applied for a patent for his design of a steam-operated propeller to provide propulsion to boats in shallow water. Montgomery created a propeller that could cut into the water at different angles, thus allowing the boat to navigate more easily through shallow water. This was not a new invention, but an improvement on similar designs invented by John Stevens in 1804 and John Ericsson in 1838 (U.S. Patent 588). On June 10, 1858, on the basis that Ben, as a slave, was not a citizen of the United States, and thus could not apply for a patent in his name, he was denied this patent application in a ruling by the United States Attorney General's office. It ruled that neither slaves nor their owners could receive patents on inventions devised by slaves. Joseph Davis allowed captive Africans on his plantation to retain money earned commercially, so long as they paid him for the labor they would have done as farmworkers. Thus, Montgomery was able to accumulate wealth, run a business, and create a personal library. Later, both Joseph and Jefferson Davis attempted to patent the device in their names but were denied because they were not the "true inventor." After Jefferson Davis later was selected as President of the Confederacy, he signed into law the legislation that would allow a slaves to receive patent protection for their inventions. On June 28, 1864, Montgomery, no longer a slave, filed a patent application for his device, but the patent office again rejected his application. The Davis family left Davis Bend in 1862, ahead of oncoming troops from the Union Army. Montgomery assumed control of the plantation. Farming continued despite difficulties created by the war, such as attacks from the military forces of both sides. Following the end of the American Civil War, Joseph Davis sold his plantation and property to Montgomery, in 1866, for the sum of $300,000 as part of a long-term loan. In September, 1867, Montgomery became the first Afro-American official in Mississippi when he was elected Justice of the Peace of Davis Bend. Under his supervision, the plantation produced cotton adjudged to be the best in the world at an International Exposition in 1870. With his son Isaiah, Montgomery established a general store known as Montgomery & Sons. Montgomery worked towards his lifelong dream of establishing a community for freed slaves. He never lived to see his dream come to fruition. Catastrophic floods ruined the crops, and, when Montgomery failed to make a payment on the loan in 1876, Davis Bend automatically reverted to the Davis family as per the terms of the original contract. Heartbroken, Montgomery died the next year. However, after his father's death, Montgomery's son Isaiah purchased 840 acres (3.4 km2) between the Vicksburg and Memphis railroad lines for the purpose of establishing the community of freed slaves his father dreamed of. Along with other former slaves, Isaiah Montgomery established the town of Mound Bayou, Mississippi in 1887.

Sarah Boone (1832-1904) was born in Craven County, North Carolina, near the town of New Bern. Along with her three siblings, she was born into slavery and barred from formal education. Sarah was educated by her grandfather at home. Boone was an African American inventor who on April 26, 1892, obtained United States patent rights for her improvements to the ironing board. Boone's ironing board was designed to improve the quality of ironing sleeves and the bodies of women's garments. The board was very narrow, curved, and made of wood. The shape and structure allowed it to fit a sleeve and it was reversible, so one could iron both sides of the sleeve. Boone was born Sarah Marshall in Craven County, North Carolina near the town of New Bern in February 1832. On November 25, 1847, in New Bern, she married a freedman named James Boone (or Boon); they would have eight children. The Boone family left North Carolina for New Haven, Connecticut before the outbreak of the American Civil War; they settled into a house at 30 Winter Street. James Boone worked as a brick mason until his death in 1874 while his wife was listed in New Haven directories as a dressmaker. Sarah Marshall Boone died in 1904 and is buried in a family plot in Evergreen Cemetery in New Haven.

On this day in 1894, Baseball Hall of Famer Jud Wilson was born! Ernest Judson Wilson (02/28/1894-06/24/1963) was born in Re*****on, Virginia. As a teenager, he moved to Foggy Bottom in Washington, D.C. He served in World War I. During his career played primarily for the Baltimore Black Sox (1922–30), Homestead Grays (1931–32, 1940–45), and Philadelphia Stars (1933–39). Wilson was nicknamed "Boojum" after the noise his line drives made after striking the outfield fences. One of the Negro leagues' most powerful hitters, his career batting average of .351 ranks him among the top five players. He also enjoyed remarkable success in the Cuban Winter League in the 1920s. Pitcher Satchel Paige claimed that Wilson and Chino Smith were the two toughest outs he ever faced (Wilson hit .375 against Paige). Catcher Josh Gibson said that Wilson was the best hitter in baseball. He had an unusual physique, standing 5'8" and weighing 195 pounds with a large torso, a small waist, bowed legs and pigeon toe. Wilson was known for a bad temper and a willingness to get into physical altercations. His friend Jake Stephens said, "The minute he saw an umpire, he became a maniac." A well-circulated story involved Wilson holding Stephens out of a 16th story window by one leg after Stephens came in late and woke him. Others, including Judy Johnson and Ted Page, described him as different off the field. "He'd do anything in the world for you," Johnson said. Late in his career, Wilson developed epilepsy. During a Negro World Series game, Wilson began to draw circles in the dirt and was said to be unaware of his surroundings. After retiring, he worked on a road construction crew in Washington, D.C. He had to be institutionalized late in life. Wilson died at age 69 in Washington, D.C. and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Wilson was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Negro Leagues Committee in 2006. Wilson was elected in a class of 17 Negro league and black pre-Negro league inductees, the largest such group inducted in Hall of Fame history. Hall of Fame officials did not think that Wilson had any living relatives, but a great-niece heard about his scheduled induction and was able to attend the ceremony on his behalf. In 2010, the Washington Nationals honored Wilson and five other Homestead Grays in the Hall of Fame by including them in a Hall of Fame Ring of Honor at Nationals Park. Happy birthday once again and continue to rest in peace, Jud Wilson!

Let's take the time out to wish former football player-turned-actor Bubba Smith a happy birthday today! Charles Aaron Smith (02/28/1945–08/03/2011) was born in Orange, Texas, and raised in nearby Beaumont. His father was Willie Ray Smith Sr., a football coach who accumulated 235 victories in a career spent at three high schools in the Beaumont area. It was at Charlton-Pollard High School in Beaumont where the son got to play for the father. The younger Smith developed into one of the state's best-ever high school football players. Smith originally had hopes of playing college football at the University of Texas. Even though Longhorns head coach Darrell Royal was willing to offer him an athletic scholarship, he was prohibited from doing so because of the prevalent racial segregation throughout the Southern United States. At the time, Texas was a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC), which finally integrated in 1967. The university's football program did not do likewise until three years later in 1970. The situation motivated Smith to become a much better player. Smith played college football at Michigan State University. He was awarded with All-America honors in 1965 and 1966. Smith was a popular athlete at Michigan State, with the popular fan chant of "Kill, Bubba, Kill." His final game at Michigan State was a 10–10 draw with Notre Dame at Spartan Stadium on November 19, 1966. It was hyped as "The Game of the Century" because both teams were undefeated, untied and ranked atop the national polls entering the contest (Notre Dame was #1 at 8–0–0, Michigan State #2 at 9–0–0). Early in the first quarter, Smith tackled Fighting Irish starting quarterback Terry Hanratty, who suffered a separated left shoulder on the play. Hanratty was replaced for the remainder of the match by Coley O'Brien. Smith, who admitted that Hanratty's injury actually backfired on the Spartans, stated, "That didn't help us any. It just let them put in that O'Brien who's slippery and faster and gave us more trouble. The other guy just sits there and waits, and that's what we wanted." Michigan State finished second behind Notre Dame in the voting for the National Championship. In 1988, Smith was enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame. Michigan State retired his number 95 jersey on September 23, 2006, prior to the Spartans' home game against Notre Dame, amid repeated cheers of his old slogan from the student section. This game also celebrated the 40th anniversary of the "Game of the Century." Smith spent nine seasons in the NFL as a defensive end. He was the first overall selection in the 1967 NFL draft, chosen by the Baltimore Colts. The Colts won Super Bowl V at the end of the 1970 season, earning Smith his only Super Bowl ring. However, in interviews, Smith stated that he would never wear the ring, out of a sense of disapointment that he and his teammates were unable to win Super Bowl III. He was traded to the Oakland Raiders before the 1972 season, and finished his career with the Houston Oilers. He was selected All-Pro one year, All-Conference two years, and went to two Pro Bowls. After leaving professional football, Smith began his acting career in small movie and television roles in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He is perhaps best known for his role as Moses Hightower in the Police Academy movie series, a role he reprised in all but one of the Police Academy sequels. Bubba appeared in the 1982 TV film Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story. He was Arnold the driver in the 1983 movie Stroker Ace that cast stars such as Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, Jim Nabors, and Loni Anderson. He was a supporting character in the 1981 - 1982 flop Open All Night. He appeared in two episodes of the hit television series Married... with Children, once as the character "Spare Tire" Dixon and in a later episode as himself. He was the longtime spokesman of Baltimore-area law firm Cohen, Snyder, Eisenberg & Katzenberg. Smith starred in the short-lived television series Blue Thunder, partnering with Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive star Dick Butkus, with whom he frequently costarred in advertisements for Miller Lite beer. Smith also appeared in Tales of the Gold Monkey, in the episode called "God Save the Queen", along with fellow actor James Avery. He appeared on Good Times as Claude, a bodyguard/thug working for Marion "Sweet Daddy" Williams. He also appeared on an episode of The Odd Couple;when asked by Oscar Madison what his most embarrassing moment was, he replied, "When my mother named me 'Bubba'". Smith appeared in a 1982 Episode of Taxi (Season 4 Episode 19) where Smith's character played a football player trying to get back into the NFL after being cut. He inspired Tony, played by Tony Danza to train hard enough to earn his license back as a boxer. He also appeared on Macgyver (Season 7, Episode 10). Bubba also played a character named "Bones" in the October 22, 1993 episode of "Family Matters" where he played an enforcer to get his boss's money from Eddie Winslow. At the end he teams up with Steve Urkel to play the accordion. Smith was found dead in his Los Angeles home by his caretaker on August 3, 2011. He died from acute drug intoxication and heart disease. Phentermine, a weight-loss drug was found in his system. His heart weighed more than twice that of an average human heart. He was 66 years old. Happy birthday once again and continue to rest in peace, Bubba Smith! Today would've been his 79th birthday!

On this day in 1984, the King of Pop Michael Jackson (08/29/1958-06/25/2009) won an unprecedented eight Grammy awards at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards. This is a record for most awards won in one show at the Grammys. This record breaking moment took place at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California. He won Album Of The Year for Thriller. He beat Billy Joel - An Innocent Man, David Bowie - Let's Dance, Original Soundtrack - Flashdance, and The Police – Sychronicity. So far today, Thriller remains the highest selling album of all-time! He won Best Engineered Recording for Thriller. He beat out Michael Sembello - Bossa Nova, Hotel Al Jarreau - Jarreau, Styx - Kilroy Was Here, and Tom Scott – Target. He won Best Rhythm & Blues Song for Billie Jean. He beat out Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue, Hawk Wolinski - Ain't Nobody, James Ingram, Quincy Jones - P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing), and his own song, Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'. He won Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance - Male. He beat out Prince - International Lover, Marvin Gaye - Midnight Love, James Ingram - Party Animal, and Jeffrey Osborne - Stay With Me Tonight. Sadly, that was Marvin Gaye's final appearance on the Grammys. He won an award for Pop Male Vocalist for Thriller. He beat out Prince - 1999, Lionel Richie - All Night Long, Michael Sembello - Maniac, and Billy Joel - Uptown Girl. He shared the Producer Of The Year award with Quincy Jones. They beat out The nominees were James Anthony Carmichael, Lionel Richie; Phil Ramone; Quincy Jones (solo); and Jay Graydon. He won Record Of The Year for Beat It. He beat out Irene Cara - Flashdance - What A Feeling, Lionel Richie - All Night Long, Michael Sembello - Maniac, and The Police - Every Breath You Take. He won an award for Rock Male Vocalist for Beat It. He beat out Rick Springfield - Affair Of The Heart, David Bowie - Cat People (Putting Out Fire), Phil Collins - I Don't Care Anymore, and Bob Seger - The Distance. This will probably never be duplicated as long as the Grammy Awards are going! Hate him or love him. Michael Jackson is someone who may be imitated but will NEVER be duplicated!

Let's take the time out to wish Basketball Hall of Famer James Worthy a happy birthday today! James Ager Worthy (born 02/27/1961) was born in Gastonia, North Carolina, the youngest son of Ervin and Gladys Worthy. He was also raised in Gastonia, North Carolina, where his father was a Baptist minister. Worthy started playing basketball around the age of four, though he acknowledged during his Basketball Hall of Fame acceptance speech, "I just hated the sport," according to Newsday. His parents inadvertently changed his mind. The Worthy family believed in hard work and hard study and it was expected that their children would go to college. However, on a minister's salary that was not so easy to accomplish. Worthy saw his parents struggling to pay college tuition for his brothers and decided to get a scholarship to help out. "[That] was the only reason I wanted to play ball," Worthy continued. By ninth grade Worthy was making local headlines. By tenth grade colleges were after him. Already nearing his full height of six feet, nine inches, Worthy was very big, very fast, and very good. As he led Ashbrook High to victory after victory, even his opponents cheered for him. By his senior year he had played on five All-American teams, earned Conference Player of the Year, and amassed an incredible average of 21.5 points per game (ppg) and 12.5 rebounds per game (rpg). Scholarship offers poured in. Worthy stayed close to home, choosing the University of North Carolina (UNC). His decision again was influenced by his family. An immediate standout, his freshman year was cut short near mid-season by a broken ankle. As a sophomore, he was a key member of that school's 1981 NCAA runner-up team, starring alongside Al Wood and Sam Perkins. As a junior power forward, Worthy was the leading scorer (15.6 points per game) of a Tar Heels NCAA championship team that featured one of the greatest collections of talent in collegiate basketball history, including future NBA stars Sam Perkins and freshman Michael Jordan. A consensus first team All-American, Worthy shared College Player of the Year honors with Virginia Cavalier Ralph Sampson. He dominated the 1982 championship game against the Georgetown Hoyas, sealing the Tarheels' 63–62 victory by intercepting an inadvertent pass thrown by Hoya point guard Fred Brown with just seconds remaining. His 13–17 shooting, 28 point, 4 rebound finale capped a standout performance throughout the NCAA tournament, earning him its Most Outstanding Player award. A tip dunk in front of Patrick Ewing captioned "James Worthy slams the door on Georgetown" made the cover of Sports Illustrated. In the wake of this success Worthy elected to forgo his senior year and enter the NBA draft. He completed his degree later, via summer school. He is one of eight UNC players to have their numbers retired. The Los Angeles Lakers had received the Cleveland Cavaliers' 1982 first-round draft pick in a 1979 exchange for Don Ford. The Cavaliers finished with the NBA's worst record in the 1981–82 season, leaving a coin toss to decide whether they or the worst record runner-up San Diego Clippers would get the number one pick in the upcoming draft. The Lakers won the flip, the first and only time for a reigning league champion. They chose Worthy. The lanky small forward immediately made an impact as a rookie, averaging 13.4 points per game and shooting a Laker rookie record .579 field goal percentage. With his speed, dynamic ability to score with either hand, and dazzling play above the rim, Worthy thrived in the Lakers' high-octane "Showtime" offense. When not finishing fast breaks with his trademark Statue of Liberty dunks or swooping finger rolls, Worthy was also one of the best post players at his position, with a quick spin move and a deadly turnaround jumpshot. His rookie year ended just when he was hitting his stride, breaking his leg on April 10, 1983, while landing improperly after trying to tap in a missed shot against the Phoenix Suns. He was still named to the 1983 All-Rookie First Team but missed the rest of the season and playoffs. Back and healthy for the opening of the 1983–84 season, Worthy's effective play soon had him replacing All-Star and fan favorite Jamaal Wilkes in the starting line-up. The Lakers dominated throughout the Western Conference Playoffs and faced the Boston Celtics in the Finals. Late in Game 2 Worthy made an errant cross-court pass that was picked off and taken in for the game-tying score. The Lakers dropped the game in overtime, but pushed the series to the limit before being bested in seven games. With hard driving coach Pat Riley demanding nothing but a championship ring, the Lakers were on a mission of redemption in 1985. Once again they met the Celtics in the Finals, this time decided in LA's favor on the famed parquet floor of the Boston Garden. During the play-off run to title Worthy emerged as a feared clutch performer. He averaged 21.5 points per game on 62.2% shooting in the playoffs, and his play and 23.7 points per game against the Celtics in the Finals confirmed him as one of the league's premier players. A scratched cornea in a March game against the Utah Jazz forced Worthy to wear goggles the rest of his career. The 1985–86 season held tremendous promise for the Lakers, which all disappeared in a preternatural tip in 1986 NBA Playoffs by 7' 4" Houston Rockets star Ralph Sampson. Worthy, however, continued to improve, averaging 20 points per game on 58% shooting and was named to the first of seven consecutive All-Star appearances. It was during the 1986 offseason that rumors were floated about a Worthy trade to the Mavericks for Roy Tarpley. Lakers GM Jerry West held his ground in favor of keeping Worthy and the trade never materialized. However the Lakers knew that they needed to address the aging Kareem's need for frontcourt support. During the 1986–1987 regular season the Lakers added Mychal Thompson to address this need for frontcourt help. The team also transitioned from Kareem's team to Magic and the result was a 65-17 record and what many regard as one of the NBA's all-time great teams sprinting to another NBA title over the Celtics. Worthy was at the top of his game, averaging 23.6 points per game in the playoffs. Once again Riley drove the Lakers hard in 1987–88, and once again they celebrated a championship, the first back-to-back titles in the NBA since '68-'69 Celtics. During the regular season Worthy averaged 19.7 points and scored a career-high 38 points against the Atlanta Hawks. During the Finals against the Pistons Worthy once again excelled, picking up the slack for an aging Jabbar and averaged 22 ppg, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in the series. A 28-point, 9 rebound Game 6 and explosive 36/16/10 triple double that sealed victory in Game 7 of the Finals earned him the NBA Finals MVP award. A fourth ring beckoned in 1988–89, but it was not to be. With Riley clamoring for a "Three-peat", the Lakers marched through the regular season and met the Pistons for an encore in the Finals. With Abdul-Jabbar playing his last games and Magic Johnson and Byron Scott missing three due to injuries even Worthy at his playoff best was not nearly enough. In spite of averaging a career Finals high 25.5 ppg, including a career high 40 points trying to stave off elimination in Game 4, the Lakers were swept in four. Even on Lakers teams dominated by fellow Hall of Fame and NBA Top 50 teammates Jabbar and Magic Johnson, Worthy stood out during their years together. Unmatched on the fast break, he electrified "Showtime"-era audiences with his dunks, and his lightning-quick first step in the paint was the Lakers' #2 offensive option. His highlight reel contributions to the team's 1985, 1987, and 1988 championships were an exclamation point on LA's 1980s basketball dynasty. The Lakers ran hot again in 1989–90, their 63-19 record the NBA's best. In spite of stepped up performances by both Johnson (25.2 ppg) and Worthy (24.2 ppg) in the play-offs, LA fell in the Conference semifinals to a hot Phoenix Suns. It was back to the Finals again 1991, thanks to Worthy's team-leading and career high 21.4 ppg and the addition of former Tarheel star Sam Perkins. Worthy suffered a high ankle sprain in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals against the Blazers and was very limited heading into the Finals against the Bulls. Despite LA pulling out a Game 1 victory in Chicago, it ultimately wasn't enough against a hot Chicago Bulls squad led by Michael Jordan. The Lakers fell in five games. Worthy sat out Game 5 after re-injuring the ankle in Game 4. It would be Worthy's last chance at a fourth ring. Magic Johnson's sudden retirement in November 1991 threw the Lakers franchise for a loop. Injuries and high mileage spelled the end for Worthy. The high ankle injury during the 1991 playoffs and season-ending knee surgery in 1992 had robbed much of his quickness and leaping ability. After struggling with knee pain in the 1994–95 preseason, Worthy announced his retirement in November 1994, after 12 seasons in the NBA. Worthy played in 926 NBA regular season games, averaging 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds and three assists per game. He played in 143 playoff games and averaged 21.1 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game and had a 54.4 field goal percentage. In 34 NBA Finals games he averaged 22.2 pts per game on 53% shooting. Worthy played in 4 Game 7s in his career and averaged 27 pts 8.2 rebs on 60% shooting in these contests. He ranks sixth all-time in Lakers team scoring (16,320), third all-time in team steals (1,041) and seventh all-time in team field goal percentage (.521). Voted one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, Worthy was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. His jersey No. 42 was retired by the Lakers. Worthy was a studio analyst for Time Warner Cable SportsNet and Time Warner Cable Deportes and co-host of Access SportsNet, the networks' pregame and postgame show for Lakers game telecasts on in Los Angeles; he also served as an NBA analyst for KCBS-TV in Los Angeles. Worthy has acted in several television shows. He portrayed the Klingon Koral in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Gambit, Part II". He also guest starred as himself on Everybody Loves Raymond and Webster. On September 28, 2015, Worthy was hired to work with the Lakers coaching staff with a focus on the team's big men. Worthy is the founder of the James Worthy Foundation, and dedicates a substantial amount of his time and resources to support non-profit community organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs, Big Brothers of America, YMCA, and others. Just recently, Worthy was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Happy birthday once again, James Worthy! Today is his 63rd birthday!