Barry, NBA Hall of Famer, will speak at 50th OAA dinner

The 50th Outstanding Athlete Awards dinner will be celebrated with a guest appearance by a former NBA superstar.

Rick Barry, a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer who was voted one of the 50 best players in league history in 1996, will be the guest speaker for the OAA’s golden anniversary event April 26 at the Sportsmen of Stanislaus Club.

Barry, 72, is best remembered in Northern California as the star of the 1975 NBA-champion Golden State Warriors. Since his retirement in 1980, he’s been active on TV and radio, and remains an important voice in the game. He is the only player to have led the NCAA, ABA and NBA in scoring for a single season.

Barry’s appearance will accent a special night. The 50th OAA dinner will be the last at the SOS, the event’s home since its inception. The SOS, the sports and recreation facility founded in 1957, was sold in September. It eventually will become a charter school sponsored by tennis champion Andre Agassi. If plans go on schedule, the club will close in August.

The OAA hopes to continue the dinner, which honors Stanislaus County’s best athletes plus other award winners, elsewhere after this year.

All former OAA award winners will be invited to the 50th dinner. Also to be honored are the Oakdale High School Mustangs, the OAA’s Team of the Year after their 2016 state Division III-A football title.

Other awards presented that night are to include: Hall of Fame; the Darell Phillips coaches award; and the Jay Pattee award for contributions to the sports community.

Tickets, $40 for adults and $25 for students, are on sale. Call the SOS, 209-578-5801.

This story was originally published March 10, 2017 at 11:57 PM with the headline "Barry, NBA Hall of Famer, will speak at 50th OAA dinner."