Slick Leonard is beloved by the basketball community in Indiana.
The premiere of Indy filmmaker Ted Green’s latest documentary, “Slick Leonard: Heart of Hoosier,” made its world premiere Tuesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The crowd of about 1,000 were some of the first to see this film on a very special man to the basketball community in Indiana. Mayor Greg Ballard, Pacers President Larry Bird, Donnie Walsh, Slick’s radio partner Mark Boyle, five members of the Branch McCraken family, Terre Haute folks, members of the ABA Pacers, and Leonard’s family were among those in attendance for the showing.
I was fortunate to watch it on Bankers Life Fieldhouse’s giant video board. I knew of Slick, a Terre Haute native, from leading Indiana to the 1954 NCAA Title and being the color analyst on the Pacers Radio Network. There were all kinds of stories told on the night, with many from his difficult childhood standing out. There was a fun play on “Boom Baby!” and tales basketball fans in this state will want to hear.
Click here to read my write-up with filmmaker Ted Green prior to the premiere.
The documentary, Green’s fifth, will air on television for the first time on WFYI at 9 p.m. on August 7th, the night before Leonard’s induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. I’m told that plans are being made to then sell it on DVD shortly thereafter.
(For a great video recap of the night with interviews, watch this video from my friend Eddie White of the Pacers.)
Enjoy the photo gallery from the premiere below:
