 Boerwinkle with theChicago Bulls in 1969 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1945-08-23)August 23, 1945 Independence, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | March 26, 2013(2013-03-26) (aged 67) Willowbrook, Illinois, U.S. |
| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) |
| Listed weight | 265 lb (120 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Millersburg Military Institute (Millersburg, Kentucky) |
| College | Tennessee (1965–1968) |
| NBA draft | 1968: 1st round, 4th overall pick |
| Drafted by | Chicago Bulls |
| Playing career | 1968–1978 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 18 |
| Career history | |
| 1968–1978 | Chicago Bulls |
| Career highlights | |
| |
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 4,596 (7.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 5,745 (9.0 rpg) |
| Assists | 2,007 (3.2 apg) |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Thomas F. Boerwinkle (August 23, 1945 – March 26, 2013) was an AmericanNational Basketball Association (NBA)center who spent his entire career with theChicago Bulls.
Tom Boerwinkle was born inIndependence, Ohio, one of three children of John and Katherine Boerwinkle.[1] John Boerwinkle, an engineer for an oil refinery,[2] was a native of Cleveland and the son ofDutch immigrants who had come to the United States in 1890.[3]
He attended high school atMillersburg Military Institute, a now-defunct prep school inMillersburg, Kentucky, later known as Forest Hill Military Academy.[4]
Boerwinkle played for theUniversity of Tennessee and helped the team win the 1967 Southeastern Conference championship. The next year, he was named a Helms Foundation first-team all-American.[5]
In his junior and senior seasons, he averaged a double-double each season—10.2 points and 12.2 rebounds his junior season and 11.3 points and 15.2 rebounds his senior season.[6]
Boerwinkle was drafted as the fourth pick of the1968 NBA draft and played with the Bulls until 1978. Although largely unappreciated during his playing days, Boerwinkle was a very efficient player, using his brawny seven-foot frame to grab rebounds and set picks while teammates likeJerry Sloan,Chet Walker andBob Love did most of the scoring.
On January 8, 1970, Boerwinkle set a Bulls record by grabbing 37 rebounds against thePhoenix Suns. He retired with career totals of 4,596 points, 5,745 rebounds, and 2,007 assists. Boerwinkle also had fivetriple doubles in his career.[7]
Boerwinkle later served as a radio color analyst for the Bulls.[8] He was a longtime co-owner of the Olympic Oil Co. inStickney, Illinois.[9]
Boerwinkle died on March 26, 2013, inWillowbrook, Illinois, after struggling withmyelodysplastic syndrome, a form of leukemia.[10]
Upon his death, longtime Bulls teammateBob Love said, "He was a great teammate with a heart of gold. And I always tell people: Half of my baskets came from him. He's one of the best-passing big men of all-time." Hall of Fame center and Bulls teammateArtis Gilmore said, "He understood his role extremely well. He had a very big body and he absorbed a lot of space. With those behind-the-back and over-the-head passes, he was very good. He understood the game and he played intelligent basketball."[11]
He was survived by his wife of 41 years,[1] Linda, son Jeff and daughter Gretchen.[11]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968–69 | Chicago | 80 | 29.6 | .383 | .653 | 11.1 | 2.2 | – | – | 9.8 |
| 1969–70 | Chicago | 81 | 28.8 | .449 | .664 | 12.5 | 2.8 | – | – | 10.4 |
| 1970–71 | Chicago | 82 | 28.9 | .485 | .724 | 13.8 | 4.8 | – | – | 10.8 |
| 1971–72 | Chicago | 80 | 25.3 | .438 | .656 | 11.2 | 3.5 | – | – | 7.0 |
| 1972–73 | Chicago | 8 | 22.0 | .375 | .600 | 6.8 | 5.0 | – | – | 3.8 |
| 1973–74 | Chicago | 46 | 13.1 | .487 | .700 | 4.6 | 2.0 | .3 | .4 | 3.4 |
| 1974–75 | Chicago | 80 | 14.7 | .487 | .768 | 4.8 | 3.4 | .4 | .6 | 4.2 |
| 1975–76 | Chicago | 74 | 27.6 | .500 | .667 | 10.7 | 3.8 | .6 | .7 | 8.8 |
| 1976–77 | Chicago | 82 | 13.0 | .491 | .540 | 3.8 | 2.3 | .2 | .2 | 3.7 |
| 1977–78 | Chicago | 22 | 10.3 | .460 | .769 | 2.7 | 2.0 | .1 | .2 | 2.5 |
| Career | 635 | 22.7 | .453 | .675 | 9.0 | 3.2 | .4 | .5 | 7.2 | |
| Year | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Chicago | 5 | 35.4 | .506 | .615 | 14.4 | 3.2 | – | – | 17.6 |
| 1971 | Chicago | 7 | 24.1 | .463 | .714 | 9.6 | 4.4 | – | – | 6.1 |
| 1972 | Chicago | 1 | 8.0 | .000 | – | 6.0 | 3.0 | – | – | .0 |
| 1973 | Chicago | 4 | 7.5 | .667 | 1.000 | 2.3 | 2.8 | – | – | 2.3 |
| 1974 | Chicago | 2 | 3.5 | .000 | 1.000 | .5 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 1.0 |
| 1975 | Chicago | 13 | 29.0 | .439 | .800 | 12.7 | 4.2 | .3 | .8 | 8.2 |
| 1977 | Chicago | 3 | 5.7 | .200 | – | 3.3 | 2.3 | .0 | .3 | .7 |
| Career | 35 | 22.4 | .459 | .750 | 9.4 | 3.5 | .2 | .6 | 7.1 | |
· Basketball Reference