Larry Bird's Beer Habits: A Basketball Legend's Drinking Tales

Larry Bird is one of the biggest legends in the history of the NBA. Across his career, he earned $24 million, making him one of the best-paid players in the league during his time. However, despite his financial success, Bird was a simple man who enjoyed the basics in life. In an interview after his retirement, Bird mentioned that as long as he had the essentials, he could live a happy and satisfying life. One of these essentials was beer. Bird's love for beer has been well documented, with a famous picture of him drinking beer while Michael Jordan played ping pong going viral. Charles Barkley, a fellow NBA player, recounted a hilarious story of drinking beer with Bird, saying that his head hurt for two days afterward. Bird's preference for beer was specific, as he refused to drink out of green bottles due to an incident in college involving cigarette butts.

Larry Bird's love for beer

Larry Bird, one of the biggest legends in the history of the NBA, was known for his love for beer. In an interview after his retirement, Bird spoke about how he enjoyed the simple things in life and didn't care for extravagance. All he needed was a clean, comfortable place to live, some Coke, some beer, and something to eat.

Bird's love for beer was well-known and well-documented. There is a famous picture of him from 1992, sitting on the floor and drinking beer while Michael Jordan played ping pong. Charles Barkley, a fellow NBA legend, also recounted a hilarious story of drinking beer with Bird. According to Barkley, Bird drinks Budweiser, which he humorously (and incorrectly) claimed was the strongest beer in the world. Barkley said that he regretted drinking with Bird because he had a headache for two days afterward.

Bird's preference for beer was also noted by Dan Shaughnessy in his book, "Wish It Lasted Forever: Life With The Larry Bird Celtics." Shaughnessy revealed that Bird refused to drink out of green bottles due to an incident in college involving cigarette butts. As a result, Bird avoided beers like Heineken and Molson.

Charles Barkley's regret drinking with Bird

Charles Barkley learned the hard way that drinking with Larry Bird was a challenge. During the 1992 Olympic Games, Barkley and Bird were part of the Dream Team, which travelled to Monte Carlo for a training camp. It was here that Barkley discovered Bird's tolerance for beer.

Barkley recalled that he tried to keep up with Bird, but it was a mistake, as he was hungover for a couple of days after. He said:

> "One thing you don't wanna do is drink beer with Larry Bird. He drinks Budweiser, but Budweiser is the strongest beer in the world. And my head hurt for like two days."

Barkley's interpretation of Budweiser's ABV (alcohol by volume) may explain his hangover, but it is not, in fact, the strongest beer in the world. Barkley also likely had a lower alcohol tolerance than Bird, which would have contributed to his hangover.

Barkley's experience drinking with Bird is a humorous anecdote that showcases the camaraderie and friendly competition among the Dream Team members. It also highlights the team's ability to enjoy themselves off the court while still performing on it.

Barkley and Bird's drinking story is just one example of the strong friendships and bonds formed during that summer in Europe. The Dream Team went on to dominate the competition in the Barcelona Olympics, with Barkley leading Team USA in scoring with 18.0 points per game.

Bird's preference for Budweiser

It is well-documented that NBA legend Larry Bird enjoyed drinking beer. In an interview after his retirement, Bird revealed that he didn't need much to be content, and that as long as he had "some Coke, some beer, something to eat, and a nice place to live," he could live a happy and satisfying life.

Barkley's recollection of the incident provides insight into Bird's impressive drinking capacity. He stated that he regretted trying to keep up with Bird at the bar, as he ended up with a headache that lasted for two days. This experience led Barkley to the conclusion that drinking with Bird was not something he wanted to repeat.

Bird's refusal to drink from green bottles

Larry Bird, the NBA legend, was known for his love of beer. However, one peculiar aspect of his drinking habits was his refusal to drink from green bottles. This preference was revealed by author Dan Shaughnessy in his book "Wish It Lasted Forever: Life With The Larry Bird Celtics".

According to Shaughnessy, Bird had a specific reason for avoiding green bottles. The basketball star recalled an incident from his college days: "You had those college parties where you pick up those green bottles, started chugging it and he said, 'When that third cigarette butt went down, that was the end of green bottles for me. He could never look at them after that. You will not see a Heineken or Molson in Larry’s hand."

Bird's aversion to green bottles was likely due to an unpleasant association with cigarette butts, which are commonly found in beer bottles at parties. This experience left such an impression on Bird that he avoided green bottles for the rest of his life.

While Bird enjoyed drinking beer, he was also known for his simple lifestyle. Despite earning $24 million during his NBA career, Bird was content with the basics: a comfortable place to live, some Coke, beer, and food. This contrasts with the lavish lifestyles often associated with successful athletes.

Bird's drinking prowess was also noted by his teammate Charles Barkley, who recalled a night of drinking with Bird during the 1992 Dream Team Olympics in Barcelona. Barkley, who was not a regular drinker, regretted trying to match Bird's pace and suffered from a two-day headache afterward. Barkley humorously claimed that Bird's preferred beer, Budweiser, was "the strongest beer in the world," showcasing Bird's high tolerance for alcohol.

Bird's simple life and essentials

Larry Bird, one of the biggest legends in the history of the NBA, had a simple approach to life despite his success and financial gains. In his own words, he stated that he didn't need much beyond the basics and essentials. This included a clean and comfortable place to live, some Coke, beer, and food. This sentiment was echoed in an interview he gave after his retirement, where he expressed his contentment with having his fundamental needs met.

Bird's love for beer is well-known and has been documented through stories and anecdotes. One famous incident involves Charles Barkley, who recounted the hilarious experience of drinking beer with Bird during the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Barkley, who was a member of the Dream Team along with Bird, recalled how he instantly regretted trying to keep up with Bird's drinking chops. He described his headache for two days after the incident, even mischaracterizing Budweiser as the strongest beer in the world.

Bird's drinking abilities were also on display in an iconic photo from his time with the 1992 Dream Team in Barcelona. The picture captures him sitting on the floor, drinking beers while Michael Jordan played ping pong. This image went viral, further cementing Bird's reputation as a beer lover.

In addition to his beer preferences, Bird had a unique drinking habit—he refused to drink from green bottles. This was revealed by author Dan Shaughnessy in his book, "Wish It Lasted Forever: Life With The Larry Bird Celtics." Shaughnessy shared that Bird had an odd preference when it came to drinking beer and avoided bottles of Molson and Heineken. Bird explained that this preference stemmed from a college party experience where he started chugging from a green bottle and saw a third cigarette butt fall into it. After that, he could never bring himself to drink from green bottles again.

Larry Bird's simple life and essentials included his love for beer, a comfortable place to live, and some Coke and food. He found happiness in these basic necessities, showcasing a humble and down-to-earth attitude despite his success in the NBA.

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