Former Lynn Trade great marks 50 years of basketball
A half century ago Jeff Byrd was winding down one of the greatest careers ever in Lynn high school basketball. The 1971 Lynn Trade graduate finished as the school’s all-time leading scorer and still tops the list at what is now Lynn Tech.
“I was in the last graduating class out of Lynn Trade,” said Byrd during a break in last week’s finals in the Summer Basketball League that he has directed for 30 years. “I graduated from Lynn Trade in June. They opened up Lynn Tech in September.”
Byrd specialized in the machine shop at Lynn Trade and planned to begin his career after graduation, but when he started getting letters from colleges, he sat down with his family to talk about his future.
“I said to my mother, ‘you know what, I think I’m going to jump on this’,” recalled Byrd. “My mother said, “What do you mean? You’re all set to go into General Electric in the apprentice program’. I told her I had basketball scholarships and said to her, ‘Shouldn’t I give it a shot?’”
A brief stop in Miami, then on to Washington
Byrd took his big-time game to Miami Dade Community College in August, 1971 – for a very brief stint. “I had a problem. I had my own car and I was partying. By the end of August, I realized I hadn’t even been to class. I told the basketball coach I’m going back home.”
Byrd hopped into his car for the long trip back to Lynn. When he stopped in Virginia, his mother called to tell him that “there was a guy that keeps calling you from Washington. I said, ‘please give me the number, I’m in Virginia. She said, ‘no this is Washington state,’ and I said to my mother to tell him that I’ll call when I get home.’’
Byrd made the call and it was the head coach at Columbia Basin Junior College offering him a full ride in the basketball program.
Byrd and other out-of-state recruits turned the program around in a hurry. As a freshman forward, Byrd averaged a triple-double, 23 points a game, 14 rebounds, and 12 blocked shots – as Columbia went 29-2 and won the Northwest Junior College championship.
Byrd received scholarship offers, but declined them all and spent another year at Columbia in a gesture of loyalty to the coach.
“That’s when I buckled down and learned what it was all about,” said Byrd. “You hit the books, you play ball. We won the conference, and I received some more offers.”
Providence College, a powerhouse at that time with Ernie DiGregorio, Marvin Barnes, and Kevin Stacom, corresponded with Byrd about an opportunity to join the Friars’ program.
But Byrd returned to the state of Washington and played at Pacific Lutheran University, reuniting with three of his former Columbian Basin teammates. “I learned that we were the first Black players in the history of the school,” said Byrd.
He set records at Pacific Luthern, where he averaged 25 points a game and made the NAIA All-American Team.
“We went to Alaska, Hawaii – I saw America playing basketball and getting an education,” said Byrd.
An NBA tryout with the Jazz
Byrd’s college basketball exploits earned him a tryout with the New Orleans Jazz.
“I was in training camp with [Pistol] Pete Maravich and I was one of the last guys to get cut,” said Byrd. “When I got back to Boston, Red Auerbach invited me to his office and the Celtics wanted me to go play pro ball in Europe. I decided to play with a Boston-based team called Blue Magic with guys like Bill Carrington (BC) and Steve Strothers (Providence). We made some good runs and had some fun.”
Taking a teaching post in the Lynn school system
After his dream of playing in the NBA fell just short, Byrd took a teaching position in the Lynn school system.
“I started teaching at the Washington Community School in 1975 and then I went over to Callahan Elementary,” said Byrd. “I left Callahan and went to Harrington and then to Ingalls. I stayed at Ingalls for 15 years and moved on to Marshall Middle School where I became the basketball coach.”
Byrd had tremendous success at Marshall, coaching such great, future high school players as Paul Becklens, Derek Coleman, Andre Robinson, the Rocker twins, and Calvin Johnson. “Everybody who came through my program made the varsity,” said Byrd, who once coached the Marshall Middle School and Lynn Classical freshman teams in the same season.
Another Byrd-inspired invention was an outdoor basketball exhibition game that was played on the courts at the old Manning Bowl right before the Harry Agganis All-Star Football Game.
Helping young players develop their skills
Byrd has always taken pride in giving back to his community. Thirty years ago he began his association with the Lynn Summer Evening Youth Basketball League. Last Thursday, the king of the court was reigning over the playoff competition at the Marshall Middle School. The respect he commands from the elementary, middle, and high school-age players was real. He walked majestically through the gymnasium greeting families, giving out basketball tips to the players, and ultimately presenting some beautiful trophies and T-shirts – with all the sponsors names on the back – to the players. The league, under the leadership of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Lisa Nerich and Director Jeff Byrd, completed a successful season with 24 teams from East Lynn and West Lynn playing their games four nights a week at the Bowzer Complex (Breed) and Lynn English.
Byrd’s son, Jarell, who played college basketball at Wofford College and West Alabama, was on hand to referee the games and assist his father. Three-year-old Javian Byrd, son of Jarell and Geanni Byrd, stayed close to his grandfather in the stands.
Mayor Thomas McGee, on the eve of his 83-mile Pan-Mass ride for charity, came to the Marshall Middle School Thursday night to personally thank Mr. Byrd for his work in the community, especially with basketball players.
“I’m turning the fabulous 70 [years old] this month,” said Byrd, who is now leading a two-week Skills and Drills Basketball Program for boys and girls. “The players in Lynn enjoy basketball, they respect the game, and they have fun.”
And the good news is that Mr. Byrd will be back next summer helping Lynn players advance their skills and pursue their dreams of playing college basketball.