In the modern era, professional basketball is pretty standard almost anywhere in the world. That wasn’t always the case though, as the sport went through a lot of growing pains and advancement in the 1940s. Al Cervi was one of basketball’s first stars and had the full respect of anyone he ever played with or against. He didn’t have anyone to look up to in a sport that was still very much in its infancy, but he earned a special place in basketball history by having his own distinctive style that others would look to mimic in the decades that followed.
Al Cervi – Pre-NBA Life
The story of Alfred Nicholas Cervi starts on February 12, 1917, in Buffalo, New York. Despite growing up in a frigid climate, Cervi was not the type of person who would be content staying indoors most of the year. He was extremely active as an athlete growing up, as he was the captain of both the baseball and basketball team at East High School. In addition to the notable leadership the young man provided, Cervi excelled on the playing field, earning All-City honors in each sport.
Feeling confident in his athletic prowess, the multisport star decided not to go to college after graduating from high school. Cervi pieced things together for a couple of years, playing on private teams based in the northeastern part of the United States.
His big break would come in 1937, with the advent of a league that would set him up for the rest of his basketball life. Al Cervi joined the Buffalo Bisons of the National Basketball League and was reportedly paid 15 US dollars per game in his professional basketball debut. He was named the most valuable player on the team in his second season with the Bison.
The beginning of the 1940s proved to be an interesting time for Cervi personally. He would balance his duties to the United States Army during World War II with trying to continue a promising basketball career. If he was stationed near a city that had an independent team, Cervi would play as many games as possible in order to keep his rhythm.
Once he was liberated from his responsibilities with the armed forces, the former East High School star came back to upstate New York, this time to play for the Rochester Royals, who had joined the NBL. It was at this point that Cervi really made a name for himself, securing three straight All-NBL first-team honors. He would be one of basketball’s most prolific scorers early on and led the Royals to multiple NBL Finals appearances. Unfortunately, Rochester ran into a couple of George Mikan-led teams, who was a dominant post player in that era. They were not able to win the title and get over the hump.
Al Cervi – Syracuse Nationals
During Rochester’s final season in the NBL(before the league merged with the BAA to become the National Basketball Association), an interesting thing happened. Cervi got into an argument with Royals head coach Lester Hamilton and left the team in storyline fans often see in today’s NBA. He would end up joining the Syracuse Nationals and served a dual role as player-coach. Juggling both responsibilities, Cervi did a great job, leading the team to a 40-23 mark in the league’s final year.
Al Cervi and the Nationals certainly made their presence felt in the NBA’s first season. With Cervi still serving as player-coach, they breezed through the regular season, as he and Bill Gabor brought Syracuse to the cusp of an NBA title. Waiting for them at the end of their journey was Mikan and the Minneapolis Lakers, and Mikan once again got the best of a Cervi-led team. The Nationals would once again be thwarted by the Lakers in the 1954 NBA Finals, making it seem like their ultimate goal was going to forever be elusive.
Al Cervi – Winning An NBA Championship
After several years of getting to the pinnacle of the sport but ultimately falling short, Al Cervi and the Syracuse Nationals finally broke through in the 1954-1955 season. Team executive, Danny Biasone, and Cervi doubled down on their ability to control the paint, which proved to be a winning strategy. Dolph Schayes had turned into a double-double machine, averaging over 18 points and 12 rebounds per game that season. The team also received notable contributions from Red Rocha and 22-year-old Johnny “Red” Kerr. The Nationals truly epitomized team play, as they had five players average double figures in scoring that season.
Syracuse squared off with the Fort Wayne Pistons in the NBA Finals, in what proved to be a thrilling series. It went the full seven games, and no contest was decided by more than seven points. The Nationals were down 3-2 in the series but courageously won Game 6 to force a Game 7. Syracuse ended up winning Game 7 92-91, thanks to a clutch George King free throw.
The victory would cement Cervi’s legacy as one of the greatest early players and coaches in basketball history.
Al Cervi – Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Cervi would continue to coach the Nationals for two more years and would end up coaching the Philadelphia Warriors the year before the drafted Wilt Chamberlain.
He would go on to receive a couple of tremendous honors later in his life for his athletic achievements. His hometown inducted him into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.
Al Cervi was also enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1984 and was introduced by legendary American sports broadcaster Curt Gowdy. In his speech, Cervi thanked his family and the upstate New York community for supporting his dreams as a young man.
Al Cervi – Net Worth
Al Cervi is an NBA Hall of Famer who was a part of the Syracuse Nationals championship team in 1955. His net worth is estimated to be between $1 million and $5 million dollars. He was a 3-time All-Star and was named one of the NBA’s 50 Greatest Players in 1996.
Why was Al Cervi nicknamed Digger?
He will go down as one of the league’s first two-way stars, who affected games on both offense and defense. Cervi was known for his strength and converting three-point plays, where the basket would go in, plus the foul. His nickname “Digger” was appropriate for the amount that he wanted to win.
