76ers, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission unveil Harvey Pollack state historical marker

By: Matt Rappa, contributor 

PHILADELPHIA — A new state historical marker honoring the life and career of the late Philadelphia 76ers statistician Harvey Pollack was unveiled Thursday morning in between the Wells Fargo Center and Xfinity Live.

Sponsored by the NBA, the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) first approved of Pollack's state historical marker — in addition to 22 others out of 61 total applications for 2016 — on Tuesday, March 22.

Pollack's marker reads:

"Innovator of basketball statistics and player evaluation. NBA statistician from 1946 to 2014 with the Philadelphia Warriors and 76ers. Known as "Super Stat," he revolutionized analysis by creating categories such as rebounds, assists, and turnovers. A Temple graduate, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. His annual NBA statistical guide was in demand worldwide."

"Harvey Pollack was an innovator," said Billy Cunningham, a NBA champion player and coach of the Sixers of nine and eight seasons, respectively. "Think of all of the jobs he created. He created analytics. Before Harvey, there was no such thing as blocked shots. Harvey had an imprint on all of the sports."

Pollack passed away at the age of 93 on June 23, 2015. He was the last original employee from the NBA's inaugural season (1946-47), spending nearly the final three decades of his life as the Sixers' director of statistical information.

Other speakers in attendance at the unveiling included: Heather Hu, executive director of the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation; Sonny Hill, Philadelphia 76ers executive advisor; Rich Wescott, former president of the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association; Pat Williams, former 76ers general manager and current senior vice president of the Orlando Magic; Scott O'Neil, 76ers chief executive officer and Janet Klein, former PHMC chair and friend of Pollack.

"[Pollack was] the maestro of minutiae. He knew the score and more," said Williams. "Blocked shots. Offensive and defensive rebounds. Triple-doubles. He initiated and tabulated."

Pollack was previously honored by the Sixers this past season in a game against the Charlotte Hornets on March 2, the 54-year anniversary of Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game against the New York Knicks. Working then as the Philadelphia Warriors' head of media relations, Pollack scribbled the famous "100" sign that Chamberlain held in the photo most recognized from the game.

"I would place Harvey at the same level as No. 13 (Wilt), that’s what kind of impact Harvey had," said Hill.