BOARD GAMER

Former Laker forward Harold “Happy” Hairston, on the court a key force in the greatest winning streak in pro sports history and off the court an unsung humanitarian, died early Tuesday of respiratory complications from cancer. Hairston, who passed away at the UCLA Medical Center, was 58.

“He was a champion who fought to the very end and slipped away graciously,” family spokeswoman Joyce Black said.

“He did make his impact and does have a legacy,” said Tommy Hawkins, who visited Hairston on Sunday, the last former teammate to see him. That was fitting because Hawkins had served as a mentor to Hairston when he came out of New York University and joined the Cincinnati Royals as a fourth-round draft choice for the 1964-65 season.

What first impressed Hawkins about the rookie and continued to impress all who watched Hairston over his 11-year-old pro career was his dominating rebounding, even though, at 6 feet 7 and 225 pounds, he was often smaller and slighter than those he was banging shoulders with.

Hairston had a habit of pursuing wild shots at the end of a quarter, hoping to grab the ball off the backboard as the buzzer sounded.

Once asked why he did that, Hairston replied with a smile, “That can be four free rebounds a game.”

Hairston was always looking for a rebounding edge, but most of what he got came through sweat, muscle and determination.

And he got plenty. In each of the last seven years of his career, Hairston averaged double figures in rebounds.

Impressive? Even more so, considering that, in three of those seasons, he was not only going up against the opposition, but a teammate who wasn’t a bad rebounder himself--Wilt Chamberlain.

Chamberlain led the league in rebounding in each of the years he played with Hairston.

In the 1971-72 season, a season in which the Lakers won a record 33 consecutive games, a then-record 69 regular-season games and their first NBA title in Los Angeles, Hairston averaged 13.1 rebounds playing alongside Chamberlain, who averaged 19.2.

“Hap was a big part of that championship team,” said its coach, Bill Sharman. “His rebounding that year would have been great if he was playing with a regular center. But considering all the area Wilt covered, to have somebody else get that many rebounds was remarkable.

“Hap was the quintessential role player. You need superstars to win championships, but you also need great role players. If you’re talking about him as a role player, use all the good adjectives you can think of.”

Opposing players didn’t always use good adjectives when describing Hairston. Small players with visions of big-time rebounding numbers aren’t going to get them by being meek or self-effacing.

“Along with his strength, he was confident and aggressive,” Hawkins said, “sometimes to the point of almost being cocky. But that was Happy. He had confidence. That’s the way he pictured himself and that’s the way he acted. He wasn’t always the most agreeable and pleasant guy out on the court.”

Hairston spent four seasons in Cincinnati before being traded to the Detroit Pistons. Two and a half years later, in November 1969, the trade was made that assured Hairston a place in basketball history and supplied the Lakers with a critical part of their championship unit. Hairston was traded to the Lakers for Bill Hewitt, who would never average more than 7.3 rebounds in a season.

There was little for Hairston to celebrate in the season after the championship, a knee injury limiting him to only 28 games.

Gone, along with Hairston’s playing time, was that confidence Hawkins had so admired.

Returning for the 1973-74 season, Chamberlain no longer at his side, Hairston wondered whether he would still have his old touch under the backboard.

Not to worry.

He came back to average 13.5 rebounds, a career high and the league-leading total that season among forwards.

Hairston retired after the 1974-75 season, having averaged 10.3 rebounds and 14.8 points in 776 games. In 69 playoff games, he averaged 8.1 rebounds and 11.6 points.

But although his rebounding days in basketball were over, his other passion, helping needy kids rebound from a harsh existence, went on for the rest of Hairston’s life. The Happy Hairston Youth Foundation continues to thrive today.

“We [professional players] all take, take, take from the game,” Hairston once said when asked why he devoted so much time to kids. “I feel this is a chance to give a little back. After all, where would we all be without basketball?”

Hairston would take kids to Dodger Stadium and Disneyland. But he would also take them on a tour of a jail.

“I want to show these kids the other side, what can happen to them if they go wrong,” he said.

“I remember this one kid had never been to the beach before. He wanted to know how much it cost.”

Toward the end, Hairston had the admiration of many of his teammates, as he persevered through 14 operations for a rectal infection, which was soon followed by prostate cancer.

Said Jerry West, another member of that championship team, “Happy was a longtime teammate and a longtime friend. He put up a valiant and courageous fight during this period of illness, just like he did on the court as a player. I’ll miss him.”

Plans are underway for a memorial service, expected to be held next week.

In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer expressions of condolence or contributions to the Happy Hairston Youth Foundation, 1801 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 535, Los Angeles 90067.

Hawkins forever will be grateful that he was able to express his feelings to Hairston directly in their final meeting Sunday.

“We sat and talked about the good old days,” said Hawkins, now a Dodger vice president. “He could respond. He was coherent and smiled. Finally, he said to me, ‘Hawk, I’m very tired. I have to go to sleep.’ I reached out and held his hand for a moment.”

When Hawkins quietly left the room, the Laker playoff game was still beaming down on Hairston from the TV set above his bed.