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Butch Beard
Alfred "Butch" Beard Jr. (born May 5, 1947) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He was the starting point guard with the 1975 NBA champion Golden State Warriors. He played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals, where he was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection. In high school, he was Kentucky Mr. Basketball. He coached for over 20 seasons at the collegiate and professional levels.
Beard was born on May 4, 1947, in Hardinsburg, Kentucky, a community of about 1,000 people. Beard played high school basketball at Breckinridge County High School. As a junior, he missed nine games with a broken wrist, but still led the Bearcats to the 1964 state championship game. Breckinridge lost to a Wes Unseld-led Louisville Seneca High School team, 66–56. Beard averaged 14.8 points per game in the tournament, and was named to the 1964 Kentucky state high school basketball tournament's All-Tournament Team. Overall in 1964, he averaged 17.3 points and 19 rebounds per game, with a .573 field goal percentage; and was named All-State. Beard and future Naismith Hall of Fame center Unseld would later become roommates at the University of Louisville.
As a senior in 1965, the 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79.4 kg) Beard played center for Breckinridge. He was named Kentucky Mr. Basketball. He led the Bearcats back to the Kentucky high school state tournament title game, winning the state championship, 95–73. In four tournament games Beard scored 113 points (28.3 points per game), including 30 points in the championship game. He was again named to the All-Tournament Team.
He was a second-team Parade All-American in 1965. Overall in 1965, he averaged 26 points and 17.5 rebounds per game, with a .580 field goal percentage. The 1965 Kentucky championship was Breckinridge's first and only state basketball title. Breckinridge merged into Irvington High School the following school year.
Academically, Beard was an honor student in high school, and a member of the National Honor Society. In addition to basketball, he pitched on the school's baseball team and was a member of the track team.
Beard was pursued by more than 50 colleges. He was recruited by future Hall of Fame coach Adolph Rupp to attend the University of Kentucky. Beard narrowed his college choices to Kentucky, Louisville, Murray State University and Western Kentucky University, ultimately attending Louisville. He originally signed a letter of intent to attend Louisville, but ten days later a Beard family attorney announced Beard instead would be attending Kentucky; and would seek to nullify any agreements with Louisville. This would have made him the first African American to receive an athletic scholarship at Kentucky. However, documentation first signed by Beard and his father with Louisville and the Missouri Valley Conference, before any letter of intent was signed with Kentucky, would have limited Beard's eligibility to play basketball at Kentucky to two years, if enforceable. In early June 1965, the family instructed the attorney not to take any further steps in seeking to nullify the Louisville documents and Beard attended Louisville.
In his sophomore year at Louisville (1966–67), playing guard, Beard averaged 20.5 points and eight rebounds per game. He led the team in scoring and was second in rebounding to Wes Unseld's 19 rebounds per game average. The Cardinals were 23–5 that season, and ended the year ranked No. 2 by the Associated Press (AP). Beard was third in the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring average. They were Missouri Valley Conference champions, but lost in the first round of the 1967 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in the Midwest Regional semifinal to Southern Methodist University, 83–81. Beard scored 14 points in that game. They lost the Midwest Regional game for third place to the University of Kansas, 70–68, with Beard scoring 17 points. Beard was named All-Missouri Valley Conference, along with Unseld.
As a junior (1967–68), Beard averaged 16 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He was again selected All-Missouri Valley Conference. The Cardinals had a 21–7 record, and again won the Missouri Valley Conference title. They finished ranked No. 9 in the final AP poll that season. Louisville lost in the NCAA tournament's Midwest Regional semifinal to the No. 1 ranked University of Houston, 91–75, with Beard scoring 21 points. They defeated Kansas State University in the third-place game, 93–63, with Beard again scoring 21 points. Beard was selected to the All-Midwest Regional Team.
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Butch Beard
Alfred "Butch" Beard Jr. (born May 5, 1947) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He was the starting point guard with the 1975 NBA champion Golden State Warriors. He played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals, where he was a three-time All-Missouri Valley Conference selection. In high school, he was Kentucky Mr. Basketball. He coached for over 20 seasons at the collegiate and professional levels.
Beard was born on May 4, 1947, in Hardinsburg, Kentucky, a community of about 1,000 people. Beard played high school basketball at Breckinridge County High School. As a junior, he missed nine games with a broken wrist, but still led the Bearcats to the 1964 state championship game. Breckinridge lost to a Wes Unseld-led Louisville Seneca High School team, 66–56. Beard averaged 14.8 points per game in the tournament, and was named to the 1964 Kentucky state high school basketball tournament's All-Tournament Team. Overall in 1964, he averaged 17.3 points and 19 rebounds per game, with a .573 field goal percentage; and was named All-State. Beard and future Naismith Hall of Fame center Unseld would later become roommates at the University of Louisville.
As a senior in 1965, the 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 175 lb (79.4 kg) Beard played center for Breckinridge. He was named Kentucky Mr. Basketball. He led the Bearcats back to the Kentucky high school state tournament title game, winning the state championship, 95–73. In four tournament games Beard scored 113 points (28.3 points per game), including 30 points in the championship game. He was again named to the All-Tournament Team.
He was a second-team Parade All-American in 1965. Overall in 1965, he averaged 26 points and 17.5 rebounds per game, with a .580 field goal percentage. The 1965 Kentucky championship was Breckinridge's first and only state basketball title. Breckinridge merged into Irvington High School the following school year.
Academically, Beard was an honor student in high school, and a member of the National Honor Society. In addition to basketball, he pitched on the school's baseball team and was a member of the track team.
Beard was pursued by more than 50 colleges. He was recruited by future Hall of Fame coach Adolph Rupp to attend the University of Kentucky. Beard narrowed his college choices to Kentucky, Louisville, Murray State University and Western Kentucky University, ultimately attending Louisville. He originally signed a letter of intent to attend Louisville, but ten days later a Beard family attorney announced Beard instead would be attending Kentucky; and would seek to nullify any agreements with Louisville. This would have made him the first African American to receive an athletic scholarship at Kentucky. However, documentation first signed by Beard and his father with Louisville and the Missouri Valley Conference, before any letter of intent was signed with Kentucky, would have limited Beard's eligibility to play basketball at Kentucky to two years, if enforceable. In early June 1965, the family instructed the attorney not to take any further steps in seeking to nullify the Louisville documents and Beard attended Louisville.
In his sophomore year at Louisville (1966–67), playing guard, Beard averaged 20.5 points and eight rebounds per game. He led the team in scoring and was second in rebounding to Wes Unseld's 19 rebounds per game average. The Cardinals were 23–5 that season, and ended the year ranked No. 2 by the Associated Press (AP). Beard was third in the Missouri Valley Conference in scoring average. They were Missouri Valley Conference champions, but lost in the first round of the 1967 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in the Midwest Regional semifinal to Southern Methodist University, 83–81. Beard scored 14 points in that game. They lost the Midwest Regional game for third place to the University of Kansas, 70–68, with Beard scoring 17 points. Beard was named All-Missouri Valley Conference, along with Unseld.
As a junior (1967–68), Beard averaged 16 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. He was again selected All-Missouri Valley Conference. The Cardinals had a 21–7 record, and again won the Missouri Valley Conference title. They finished ranked No. 9 in the final AP poll that season. Louisville lost in the NCAA tournament's Midwest Regional semifinal to the No. 1 ranked University of Houston, 91–75, with Beard scoring 21 points. They defeated Kansas State University in the third-place game, 93–63, with Beard again scoring 21 points. Beard was selected to the All-Midwest Regional Team.