Kevin McHale squares off against Dwight Evans in the first round of Boston’s Biggest Sports Legend tournament.
Long before Banner No. 17 could ever be imagined, Kevin McHale was part of the original “Big Three” that helped bring three NBA championships to Boston. McHale joined the Celtics the same year they acquired Robert Parish. Those two, combined with Larry Bird, brought basketball back to the forefront of Boston sports fans’ lives. McHale himself was a seven-time All-Star, three-time NBA All-Defensive First Team and two-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year. He spent his entire 13-year career with the Celtics, registering 17,335 points, 1,690 blocks and 7,122 rebounds. After his Hall of Fame career, he wasn’t done helping the Celtics. As Minnesota Timberwolves GM, McHale orchestrated a trade that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston, once again reinvigorating Boston sports fans’ passion for basketball.
Eight Gold Gloves? Check. Part of one of the greatest outfields in the history of Major League Baseball? Check. Three-time All-Star? Check. Two Silver Sluggers? Check. Dwight Evans is absolutely one of the greatest outfielders in the history of the Red Sox and in the history of the game itself. The legend played 18 full seasons with the Red Sox and one with the Orioles, compiling a .272 average, 385 home runs and 2,446 hits. His best year came in 1987 when, at the age of 35, he hit .305 with 34 homers and 123 RBIs, all career highs. He was elected to the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2000, and he’s still around to provide Boston with a little bit of the magic he produced during his career, serving as a player development consultant.
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