Benefit Planned for Brain-Damaged Maurice Stokes

Feb. 8, 1965 - A special all-star game between NBA players will be staged May 27 at Memorial Sports Arena for the benefit of Maurice Stokes (right), a former Cincinnati Royal center.

Stokes has been incapacitated since he suffered brain damage in an on-court incident five years ago.

On March 12, 1958, in the last game of the regular season, Stokes was knocked unconscious after he drove to the basket, drew contact, and struck his head as he fell to the court. He was revived with smelling salts and returned to the game.

Three days later, after recording 12 points and 15 rebounds in an opening-round playoff game against the Detroit Pistons, he became ill on the team’s flight back to Cincinnati and lapsed into unconsciousness. 

Stokes later suffered a seizure and was left permanently paralyzed. He was diagnosed with post-traumatic encephalopathy, a brain injury that damaged his motor-control center.

Jack Twyman (left), a Cincinnati star who personally assumed responsibility for the care of Stokes, estimated the total cost of the athlete’s care at $400,000. That includes hospitalization and special treatment.

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