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Sonny Hill speech at Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts

"Thank you very much. I must be dreaming. This can't be a reality. And, if I'm dreaming, I don't want to wake up. I want to thank everybody for just giving me this opportunity to be recognized in this manner. I want to thank the people that have been an integral part of my life. There are so many of them. But there are few people here that I need to identify because I'm on the shoulders. And the people before me who have given me the opportunity to do what I'm doing. There's Earl Lloyd. All of you know what Earl has done over the years. Took me under tow when I was a youngster. Nurtured me. When I was a young person growing up, the biggest basketball in the world was the Globetrotters. I always wanted to be like Marcus Haynes. Marcus is here. He's a dear friend. I had the chance to play against him. I want to thank my organization that's here - the Philadelphia 76ers - and our leader Ed Snider who broke up all of his plans and said "Sonny I'm gonna be there for you." I want thank the 76ers organization for the things that they give me. And last, for people who don't know this, in 1960, I created some of professional basketball in this country. It's known as the Baker League. Well, Mr Baker League is here, but you know him as Earl "The Pearl" Monroe. Earl, I love you. Thank you very much."