Frazier, Walt "Clyde" (1945—)
Frazier, Walt "Clyde" (1945—)
Walt Frazier was the epitome of "cool" in a basketball era that worshiped the style that the flamboyant "Clyde" came to symbolize. Frazier was an All-American at Southern Illinois University, and led his team to the 1967 National Invitational Tournament (NIT) Championship, coincidentally in New York's Madison Square Garden, where he would continue his career as a professional. Frazier was an All-Star guard for the New York Knicks from 1967-1977, and was the undisputed floor leader of two Knick teams that won National Basketball Association (NBA) titles in 1970 and 1973. Combined with his smooth and explosive offensive talents, he was also one of the league's premier defensive players, always assigned to control the opponents' primary outside offensive threat. Frazier is most remembered, however, for his resplendent wardrobe, as well as his calm and dignified demeanor that earned him the nickname "Clyde." Frazier was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987.
—G. Allen Finchum
Further Reading:
Dickey, Glenn. The History of Professional Basketball. Briarcliff Manor, New York, Stein and Day, 1982.
Sachare, Alex. 100 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time. New York, Pocket Books, 1997.