Memories of
Leon Orlient Grant

The AAAD/USADB lost a giant recently. One of the greatest big man in AAAD/USADB history 1991 AAAD Hall of Famer Leon Grant passed away in early September 2011. His passing marked an ending of an era of one of the greatest 5 year reign in AAAD/USADB history of the Los Angeles Club of the Deaf-LACD. Many people have their own personal memories of the "giant" Leon Grant as he was the Wilt Chamberlain of his era. Here are a few stats of one of the greatest big man to ever play the game during the first 25 years of AAAD/USADB history.

Standing at 6 foot 8 inch Leon Orlient Grant began his AAAD career during the 1965-66 season playing for Los Angeles Club of the Deaf. He lead his team to 5 straight FAAD titles and 5 straight AAAD championships from 1966 through the 1970 season. Leon participated in 12 AAAD tournaments with his LACD team and Carolinas teams winning 7 national titles. Leon was named 1st team AAAD all-star on 10 occasions including 5 Most Valuable Player awards. His total scoring was 833 points in 31 AAAD games and numerous rebounds that stats were not taken during his playing days. Hall of Fame L ACD legendary coach Lou Dyer stated, in the video of the "LACD Story", winning the 5 straight national champions with Leon will never be duplicated again. To this date, no AAAD/USADB teams has ever won more than 3 straight national titles. Coach Dyer was right. To this date, only two teams has won three straight titles-Chicago Club and MWAD. Even though he only played 5 seasons with LACD and 7 seasons for his hometown Carolinas club, the big man is still most thought of for playing with LACD and truly where he left his mark. He is an FAAD Hall of Famer.

A sidebar of how Leon came to Los Angeles. During the 1965 International Games for the Deaf, as it was called before the games were renamed to the Deaflympics, Leon participated in track as a high jumper and then also played basketball at the same time. Lou Dyer, along with Marvin Greenstone met up with a coach from North Carolina at the games and during the conversation, an agreement was made for Leon to move to Los Angeles to play for the LACD team pending Leon getting a job in the LA area. Leon was able to get a job and then the rest is history. During the next few years, several of Leon's buddies from North Carolina moved to the Los Angeles area and played for LACD helping earn 5 national titles.

LACD with Leon, played legendary basketball games twice a year vs EBCD-Oakland with EBCD-Oakland's big man Bob O'Donnell. Veteran observers still remember the battles between these two well known teams in the late 1960's. In fact, once Leon moved back to his home state of North Carolina after his final year with LACD in 1970-the Oakland team won it's first and only AAAD national championship in 1971. Without the big obstacle Leon Grant in the way and no longer playing for LACD, enabled Oakland to finally win one national championship.

According to the official stats recorded by Hall of Fame leader Ira Lerner, Leon tallied 414 points for LACD and 419 points for Carolinas for his total of 833 all time points. He was in the top ten all time for many many years, before several superstar three point shooters and longevity players passed him by.

Leon was also named the 1968 AAAD Athlete of the Year as one of his many awards and accomplishment. He is also an SEAAD Hall of Fame member.

To read more about the history of the giant Leon Grant and the LACD, it is encouraged that readers read the "AAAD Story, the First 35 years" by Ira Lerner to get a grasp of how great a player Leon and his LACD teams were. The stories written by the famed Art Krugar are priceless and historical.

Personally, looking back during my younger days of growing up and watching Leon with the powerhouse LACD teams with several FAAD and AAAD Hall of Famers coaching and playing is a fond memory I have always stored and cherished in my memory bank. One of the most disheartening memory was in 1971, the first year Leon played for his Carolinas club in a game at Gallaudet College when I was a sophomore, my sister Marie and I met up with Leon and had a very pleasant and warm reunion. It was a very strange sight to see Leon in a different uniform other than LACD, even though Leon is from his home state of North Carolina. Yes, other people may have different memories of Leon when he played for the Carolina's club in the SEAAD, but for veteran fans of the FAAD, he will always remain an FAAD'er and LACD.

I know, the giant Leon is now slamming dunks alongside many former AAAD greats in that big gym in the sky.

Myron Greenstone