The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Mourns the Loss of Hall of Famer Slater Martin
Friday, October 19, 2012 Hall of Famer Slater Martin has passed away at the age of 87.
“We are very saddened by news of Slater’s death and the game of basketball lost one of the greatest legends,” said John Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “He was one of the best defenders in the game, a fantastic point guard and an even better person. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends.”
While the five-foot-ten, Slater "Dugie" Martin was diminutive in stature, his presence on the court was huge. A colorful, scrappy guard at the University of Texas, Martin was named to the 1949 Helms Athletic Foundation All-America team as a senior, the year he averaged 16 points a game. His 49 points against Texas Christian was a Southwestern Conference record. Considered one of the smallest super players in NBA history, Martin was a forerunner of the modern point guard with the Minneapolis Lakers and St. Louis Hawks and was an excellent play maker. He retired with five NBA championships and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.