Suns' Van Arsdale suffers severe stroke

[Espo]

Suns' Van Arsdale suffers severe stroke
By Jerry Brown, Tribune
November 20, 2005

Dick Van Arsdale, "The Original Sun" and the team's current senior executive vice president, suffered a severe stroke Saturday night and is recuperating at a Scottsdale hospital.
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Sources said Van Arsdale was able to walk around a bit in his room on Sunday but was having difficulty with his speech. The family was expected to have a more formal announcement later in the day.

The 62-year-old Van Arsdale has been with the club since its inception in 1968, when he was taken from the New York Knicks Phoenix's first selection in the Expansion Draft. "The Flying Dutchman" scored the first point in franchise history and 12,059 more in a Suns uniform — he still ranks third on the all-time franchise scoring list — before retiring after the 1976-77 season. His No. 5 jersey was retired on Nov. 13, 1977 — against Indiana, the team from the state where he and his twin brother Tom were born, raised and starred at Manual High School in Indianapolis and all-Americans at Indiana University.

Van Arsdale served as an interim coach for the final 26 games of the 1986-87 season, leading Phoenix to a 14-12 record and 12 wins in their final 15 games.

He served 15 years ad a color analyst beside Al McCoy and was named the team's vice president of player personnel in 1987. He was one of the charter members of the Suns "Ring of Honor," along with Alvan Adams, Connie Hawkins and Paul Westphal in 1999.


My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

 

[greensborohill]

prayers

Dick Van Arsdale

Let's hope he has a speedy recovery.

 

[arthurracoon]

I hope all goes well.

 

[Diamondback Jay]

To Mr. Van Arsdale and family (should you be reading this),

Upon reading this, my heart dropped. It's not often I consider people friends, however through our discussions of past, and your appearance on my radio show, I have you all in that high regard.

I pray for you all in this time of recovery, of repair and of difficulty. I pray that you're up and running as normal soon Dutch. You can and will beat this. In the meantime, your friend in PA is pulling for you. If there is ANYTHING I can do, ANYTHING at all, let me know. You know my address and number.

I'm a fan, but before that I'm a friend.

Regards and God Bless,

Jason

 

[Forrestham]

I am 43 years ol. I started following the Suns when I was in the 3rd grade. I remember there was some writing on the back of a portable chalk bod so I wrote "Number 5 Dick Van Arsdale". Van was my very 1st favorit player. Can't belive he is now 62 years old.My heart goes out to his family and pray that he will have a speedy recovery

 

[scotsman13]

man i am really starting to wonder about this year. is the year 2005 a curse for the suns, we lost cotton this year, jj left, amare out, lb injuried right when he was starting to come into his own, now van arsdale.