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Pat Riley

Selected Writings By Riley:

Show Time: Inside the Lakers'Breakthrough Season. New York: Warner Books, 1988.

Related Biography: Baseball Player Leon "Lee" Riley

Pat Riley's father, Lee Riley, was a professional baseball player who played for 22 years in the minor leagues for 21 different teams. He also played one season in the major leagues. This was in 1944, when he played for the Philadelphia Blue Jays. He was 38 years old when he began and ended his major league career. He went on to become a minor league manager.

Leon Francis Riley was born on August 20, 1906, in Princeton, Nebraska. As an outfielder in the minor leagues, he led his league in batting at one time, once in triples, twice in homers, and twice in batting average. His minor league career batting average was .314, with 2,418 hits, including 248 home runs.

Lee Riley died in Schenectady, New York on September 13, 1970. This was the same year that his son Pat Riley became a basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Awards and Accomplishments

1963-67	Wins University of Kentucky basketball team Most Valuable Player award three times
1982, 1985, 1987-88	As head coach, leads Lakers to NBA championship
1990, 1993, 1997	Wins Coach of the Year Award
1992	Wins Miami Project Sports Legend Award
1997	Wins Coach of the Month Award
1998	Wins Boys and Girls Clubs Miami Person of the Year Award
2001	Becomes fastest coach or manager in any professional team sport in North America to reach 1,000 wins

The Winner Within: A Life Plan for Team Players. New York: Putnam's Sons, 1993.

Additional topics

Famous Sports StarsBasketballPat Riley Biography - A Family Of Athletes, From Basketball Player To Coach, Chronology, A Winning Philosophy, Active Beyond Baseball