“I’ve Been Hiding”: Larry Bird Goes Against Nature as Special Duty Draws Him Out of His Sanctum

It can’t be easy going unnoticed when you’re a 6’9″ living legend. Yet Larry Bird has managed to do that successfully. It’s rare to spot him in public, giving an interview, or making a statement. However, his old college town of Terre Haute lured him out for a special occasion. The Larry Bird Museum officially opened in Indiana on May 31 and the namesake was present for the same. The introverted NBA legend played into his persona to emphasize how celebrating a larger-than-life honor for himself is out of character for him.

“I’ve been hiding and I’ve been living a good life,” he told the media at the event. According to local outlets, the 3x NBA champion sat with his face on his hands and didn’t look at the video they played of his accomplishments from Indiana State through the NBA even once. When it came time to address the audience in different versions of Bird’s jerseys, he remained surprised at how everyone hung on to his every word.

“I’m a shy introvert. How the heck I keep getting up here on stage talking to thousands of people, it’s always been amazing to me,” he told the audience gathered at the eponymous museum. He proceeded to answer his query himself. “But it’s because of the love and respect that I’ve always had for my fans and the love and respect that they’ve shown me back. And today is a special day for me, because you’re here. If you were not here, it means nothing.”

Terre Haute has a 15-foot bronze statue of the NBA icon at Indiana State, the school he led to its first NCAA championship. The museum at Terre Haute Convention Center is filled with Bird’s memorabilia from his time as a college athlete thrust into the national spotlight through his dominant NBA era in Boston.

Though it would be difficult for the shy Bird to look at his own legacy without blushing, he’s hoping young visitors to this place will be inspired to pursue their dreams. If even one of them is a future NBA star, he’d say mission accomplished.

Larry Bird returns to old stomping grounds

The city pulled out all the stops to make this a Larry Bird festival. A plane made #33 in skywriting. His famous Sports Illustrated cover was depicted in a giant mural. There was no shortage of Indiana State jerseys among Larry Bird merch.

Along with pictures and jerseys, Birds’ most inspiring quotes are displayed throughout the museum. Excerpts of his never-before-seen interviews are part of the presentations. The highlight is probably the special feature of Bird giving advice to visitors to improve their shooting skills. There are also activities to test out your basketball trivia.

The legend from French Lick now ‘hides’ in Naples, Florida after selling his Indianapolis mega-mansion in 2019. He did make the trip for this special honor and, as a rep for the city, conveyed, “We are forever grateful that you chose the heart of downtown Terre Haute to tell your story.”

Stay tuned for more such updates. And to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.