In honor of the late Walt Bellamy, Hall of Famer and former Hawks center, the Gateway Center Arena has named the road outside of the arena Walt Bellamy Way.
The Gateway Center is the home of the College Park Skyhawks, the Hawks’ G League affiliate.
Bellamy, who won Rookie of the Year after averaging 31.6 points and 19 rebounds for the Chicago Packers in the 1961-62 season, played for the Hawks toward the end of his career, from 1969-74. He was a four-time All-Star and played on the 1960 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Rome.
Off the court, Bellamy was a member of the NAACP, a sergeant-at-arms at the Georgia Senate and a mentor at the local YMCA. He also served as commissioner of Atlanta’s Police Athletic League.
The Skyhawks open their season Friday at the Erie BayHawks. Their first home game will be Nov. 21 vs. the Delaware Blue Coats.
