Walt Bellamy

One collector is trying to find a single signature from every man who ever played for the Jazz — all 370 of them, from the 1974 New Orleans team to today. For many of them, this page is the only one on the internet. Here is Walt Bellamy: what he did on the floor, a few things most people never knew, and every card that carries his name. If you have a better example of his signature, or a story about it, the note at the foot of this page still stands.

Before one final NBA game with the 1974-75 New Orleans Jazz, Bellamy had already built a Hall of Fame resume: starting center on the undefeated 1960 Olympic gold-medal team, first overall pick in 1961, and author of one of the greatest rookie seasons ever — 31.6 points and 19 rebounds a game for the Chicago Packers. A four-time All-Star, he became just the second player after Wilt Chamberlain to total 20,000 points and 14,000 rebounds.

Raised in New Bern, North Carolina, where money was tight and a street now bears his name, Bellamy was enshrined in Springfield twice — in 1993 for his career and in 2010 with the entire 1960 Olympic team. He died on November 2, 2013, at 74.

HOW HE CAME & WENTThe Hall of Fame centre closed his career with the Jazz in 1974-75. The club waived him after what proved to be his final NBA game.

Full name

Walter Jones Bellamy

New Orleans Jazz tenure

1974–75

Position

Center

Born

1939, New Bern, North Carolina

Died

2013

Height

6′11″ (211 cm)

Weight

225 lb (102 kg)

College

Indiana

Drafted

1961, 1st round (No. 1), Chicago