Konstantinas Savickas

Konstantinas Savickas (Americanized his name as Connie Savickas; October 14, 1908,

Punsk – 1992, Chicago) was an American lawyer and Lithuanian basketball

coach. He is often regarded as the father of Lithuanian basketball.

Biography

In 1909, he emigrated to the United States with his parents. In Chicago, he achieved secondary education and graduated Northwestern University in 1929 by achieving Bachelor of Laws. As a student he actively exercised, in 1933-1935 he was editing Lithuanian youth newspaper "Vytis".

In 1935-1936, he lived in

Lithuanian-American basketball players Pranas Talzūnas, Feliksas Kriaučiūnas, Juozas Žukas and B.Budrikas to Lithuania. In Kaunas, 1936, he published his book "Krepšinis" (English: "Basketball"), wrote various articles about physical education. In 1937, Lithuania lost to Latvia again but only with score of 29:41, which was a huge improvement. Just before EuroBasket 1937, he transferred his head coach post to Feliksas Kriaučiūnas. Lithuania won EuroBasket for the first time during that competition in Latvia

.

After the end of

Lithuanian-Americans, Frank Lubin (5-times All-American) games in USA clubs and after many decades admire Sabonis, Marčiulionis, Chomičius, Kurtinaitis

game play.

He returned to Lithuania only in 1991, just one year before his death, to participate in IV Lithuanian World Sports Games. Giving interview to daily newspaper Lietuvos rytas he said:

"Tikiu, kad išaugs nauji saboniai ir marčiulioniai, ir vėl susiburs nauja gera komanda" (English: I believe that new Sabonis and Marčiulions will grow up and will create a new superb team again)

He said that by observing future and without knowing that he will not have a chance to see future

Baltic States) during the Olympic bronze game.^[1]^[2]

References

^ Lithuanian basketball pioneer. (Biography), archived punskas.pl article (in Lithuanian)
^ Basketball road to Lithuania^{[permanent dead link]}, sviesa.lt (in Lithuanian)

Jungtinių Amerikos Valstijų lietuviai. (II t.) – Mokslo ir enciklopedijų leidybos centras, Vilnius, 1998
Vidas Mačiulis, Vytautas Gudelis. Halė, kurioje žaidė Lubinas ir Sabonis. 1939–1989. – Respublikinis sporto kombinatas, Kaunas, 1989

[1] Lithuanian basketball pioneer. (Biography), archived punskas.pl article (in Lithuanian)

[2] Basketball road to Lithuania^{[permanent dead link]}, sviesa.lt (in Lithuanian)

[1]

[2]