1916-
Basketball Star

Basketball Youth.

Born bowlegged, young Angelo Joseph "Hank" Luisetti of San Francisco had to wear leg braces. It did not stop him from playing schoolyard basketball. Shorter than most other kids, Luisetti compensated by learning to shoot with one hand from farther out. He played high-school basketball and earned a scholarship to Stanford.

The Modern Game.

Basketball began rather primitively at the turn of the century as a passing game. By the beginning of the 1930s national individual scoring leaders averaged about 10 points a game, and most players still used a two-hand set shot. The game was still evolving into its modern form. Luisetti helped. He had many natural abilities: he could pass behind his back; he moved well around the court; and he carved out defensive as well as offensive strategies as he played. Though he was recognized as an offensive star...