WOAY – Huntington native and former Marshall men’s basketball standout Hal Greer passed away this weekend at the age of 81.
Greer attended Douglass High School in Huntington, before joining the Thundering Herd in 1955, where he averaged more than 19 points and 10 rebounds a game. Marshall won the Mid-American Conference championship in 1956, with Greer receiving All-Conference honors each of the next two seasons.
In 1958, Greer was selected 13th overall in the NBA Draft by the Syracuse Nationals. He spent his entire playing career with the franchise, which became the Philadelphia 76ers in 1963. Greer was a 10-time NBA All-Star, earning All-Star Game MVP honors in 1968, and helped lead the 76ers to the 1967 NBA championship. After retiring in 1973, he was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982.
Both Marshall University and the 76ers have retired Greer’s jersey numbers. The 76ers have said they plan to celebrate Greer’s life and legacy at Monday’s playoff game with the Miami Heat.
