Last Flight Of a Legend

It wasn't exhaustion from grappling with opposing forwards that finally caused Larry Bird, 35, to retire from basketball. Rather, it was the strain of stuffing all 6 ft. 9 in. of himself into airline seats and team buses every night. Citing chronic back pain, the National Basketball Association's 11th- leading all-time scorer and three-time Most Valuable Player has called it quits. "I'm excited to be going to a new life," said Bird, who will move to the Boston Celtics' front office. "But I'm going to miss this life." Celtics' fans were in mourning; during the reign of Bird, they had been treated to three world championships.

Bird's electrifying performances on the courts of the N.B.A. were always built on the unexpected. He seemed stone-footed and awkward of movement, yet he invariably surprised both fans and opponents with his effectiveness. His fleshy face, spiky hair and bargain-basement mustache looked decidedly unathletic. Yet he was one of the game's greatest playmakers and shot nearly 50% from the field.

He leaves behind splendid memories. In 1984 he led the Celtics to an N.B.A. championship that included two tense overtime victories over the Lakers and his friend Magic Johnson. In the 1987 eastern conference finals, with one second left and the Celtics down 107-106, Bird intercepted a Detroit ball and passed off for the winning basket. Said he: "I could take my game to the next level just on the roar of the crowd." In the constellation of athletes who helped propel the N.B.A. to record popularity and profitability in the past decade, Bird will be linked with his Dream Team comrades Magic and Michael Jordan as the brightest stars of what may soon be remembered as the N.B.A.'s golden age.