Larry Birds Life

Larry Joe Bird was born on December 6,1956. He grew up in French Lick, a small resort town located in the southern hills of Indiana. Like most kids neighborhood, Larry loved playing basketball. It was, and still is the most popular sport in Indiana. Almost every body dreams about being professional basketball player. Very few children were able to hold onto this dream. Larry is one of the few who did.
	Even as a child, Larry Bird knew the value of effort. As a basketball player, he didn't have great natural skills. There were others who could run faster, and jump higher. He used to practice in the gym in high school. Then on the way home they would stop and play until eight o'clock. He played when his body was aching caused he loved the game.
As a teenager Larry never stopped thinking about was he could improve his game. Each time he stepped on the court he found a new lesson to learn. But he knew the value of his lessons off the court too. In school the only thing he thought about was basketball. In high school at the age of 17 Larry was the star player on the Springs Valley High School basketball team in French Lick. But when he joined the team, Larry wasn't even the best player.

	Larry's first league game with the Indiana Stat Sycamores took place in November of 1976. The Sycamores who were 13-12 without Larry who won their first game be twenty-one points. Bird had 31 points and 18 rebounds.
Larry led the Sycamores to ta season record of 25-2. This was Indiana States best in history. Bird averaged 32.8 points per game. By time Larry was a junior, the world about "The Bird" was spreading all across America. Over 250,000 fans turned out to watch the Sycamores play. Indiana stat finished the season at 23-9. Larry averaged 30 points and 11 rebounds a game.
	In 1977, the Sycamores again the season fast. They won eighteen games in a row. Before each home game, fans waited in the arena aisles. When Bird came out to warm up, they went wild with cheers. Anew record called, "Indiana Has New State Bird" came out on the radio. Meanwhile, Bird began piling up records of another sort. In the final game of the season Larry had 49 points and 19 rebound. This was the most points ever scored be Indiana State player in a single season.