Larry Bird led the Boston Celtics by example more than anything during his career, winning three championships in the 1980s with the team. He wasn’t someone that didn’t know how to have fun, though.
The 1980s were a different time, and players getting drunk during the season was far from unheard of. The Celtics were more professional than other teams, but Cedric Maxwell once shared the story of how Bird got all his teammates drunk on Christmas.
“We had a game in Kansas City on December 26,” Maxwell wrote in his book ‘If These Walls Could Talk.’ “You’d think as defending champions, we’d play on Christmas, but for some reason, that wasn’t the case. Much to our chagrin, Bill Fitch decided that we needed to fly out on Christmas Day. Suffice to say, we were not happy.
“On the flight — remember, we were flying commercial back in those days — Bird, (Kevin) McHale and a couple of other guys got the flight attendant to get all the alcohol that was supposed to be reserved for first class.
“From there, Bird turned into a bartender and mixed everything together, creating a concoction they call jungle juice. It was potent, and guys were feeling it pretty hard. Hey, it was Christmas.”
By 1982, Bird had been an All-Star twice already, and the Celtics had won the first championship of that era in 1981. He was yet to enter his prime, but he had still averaged 21.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game in his first few seasons. As the main man on the team already, it’s hilarious that he was joining his teams in a rebellion of this sort.
Larry Bird Got Cedric Maxwell Drunk On Another Occasion
This wasn’t the only time Cedric Maxwell was on the receiving end of drinks made by Larry Bird. He once shared the story of how Bird mixed a mini bottle of vodka into his water.
“Larry, myself, and Kevin McHale went out one time. I’m trying to drink with Larry who’s a two-fisted drinker. So, I drink until I couldn’t drink anymore. We went out to eat in a restaurant and I remember feeling bad.
“I put my head in the seat and said, ‘I need some water.’ So I drank this big gulp of water and what Larry had done was put a whole bottle of mini vodka in the bottle.”
Larry Bird was as serious as they come on the floor, that’s what led to three championships, three MVPs, and three Finals MVPs. But he also knew how to have fun, and these are some truly legendary stories.
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