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Maurice Stokes - The Glory and Tragedy of the NBA's First Black Superstar August 25, 2006 by Tim Adams Most casual basketball fans these days are unfamiliar with the name Maurice Stokes. Even many avid fans of the NBA are unaware of the legacy of Stokes' short pro career. He only played three years in the NBA, from 1955 to 1958, but he was at the head of a wave of talented black players who transformed the game. Stokes was a versatile player at 6'7" and 240 pounds, whose combination of brawn and athleticism was years ahead of the curve. Stokes was born in Pittsburgh in 1933, and played his high school basketball at Westinghouse high, where his older role model and friend, Chuck Cooper (who was to become the first African-American to be drafted by an NBA team) had played a few years earlier. One of Stokes future Royals teammates, Jack Twyman was also playing his high school basketball in Pittsburgh at that time. Stokes headed off to St. Francis University after high school, while Twyman played his college ball at the University of Cincinnati. After a terrific college career, Stokes was drafted by the Rochester Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) as the second overall pick in the 1955 draft. Twyman was also drafted by the Royals, in the second round. Stokes and Twyman proved to be excellent pickups for the Royals. Twyman proved to be a second round steal in his rookie season while Stokes took the league by storm, averaging over 16 points and rebounds per game while also doling out a shade under five assists per game. His 16.3 rebounding average led the league. Stokes was selected to the All-Star game and All-NBA 2nd team, and walked away with the Rookie of the Year Award. In the next two seasons Stokes upped his rebounding average to 17.4 and 18.1, capturing the league record for rebounds in a season along the way. Amazingly, he also finished third in the league in assists in his second and third season, behind point guards Bob Cousy and Jack McMahon. Stokes was selected to the All Star and All-NBA 2nd team in each of his three seasons. By Stokes' third season the Royals record had greatly improved and the team, which had moved to Cincinnati in the off season, had made it into the Western Division Playoffs. Unfortunately for the Royals, Stokes was to only ever play in one playoff game. During the last game of the regular season against the Minneapolis Lakers, Stokes got tangled up in mid-air with Vern Mikkelson and landed on his head. Stokes was knocked unconscious for several minutes. He was however able to come back and finish the game. He also managed to play in the first playoff game, but didn't feel his usual self and played poorly. A few days later, as the team was taking off for a flight for game two of the series, Stokes became terribly ill and passed out. By the time the plane was able to land again Stokes was in a coma. Since his violent fall, his brain had begun to swell and it was the change in cabin air pressure in the plane that had caused the onset of encephalitis. He was operated on the next day, and regained consciousness, but he had lost almost all motor skills. At just twenty five years old, Stokes' basketball career came to a tragic end, and as a quadrapiligic, his life would never be the same. The NBA was not the big money league it is today. Many players held jobs in the off season, and virtually all contracts were on a season by season basis. Stokes, was also without medical insurance or, like all NBA players of his day, a pension. Stokes' teammate and friend Twyman lent his support. He helped with Stokes' hospitalization and became his legal guardian. Twyman organized a benefit exhibition game for Stokes at the Kushter Country Club in the Catskills which became an annual game for many years, and which brought together many of the top players from around the NBA. Twyman would spend much time with Stokes as he tried to rehabilitate. At first Stokes communicated to Twyman and others through blinking. Slowly he regained minimal use of his limbs, eventually learning how to type. In a few short years following Stokes tragic departure from basketball, superstars such as Bill Russell, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson had emerged on the NBA scene and proceeded to revolutionize the way the game was played. These stars and many others showed up annually at Kushter Country Club to play in the benefit game and pay their respects to Stokes. Twyman over the years became a perennial All-Star, and was the league's third leading scorer in '59 and finished second in '60 having averaged over 31 points. Twyman played 11 seasons with the Royals, retiring in 1966. In 1970, at the age of 36. Maurice Stokes died of a heart attack. Twyman was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1983. Following his induction, Twyman for many years lobbied for his teammate and friend to join him in the Hall. In 2004, Twyman got his wish as Stokes was elected into the Hall of Fame, a full 34 years after his death. Tim Adams
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