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You Tube Gold: Clifford Ray’s Finest Moment May Have Come Off Court

The dolphin story.

Boston Celtics vs Golden State Warriors
OAKLAND - 1975: Clifford Ray #44 of the Golden State Warriors watches the freethrow and waits the rebound against Henry Finkel #29 of the Boston Celtics during a game played in 1975 at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California. 
Photo by Dick Raphael/NBAE via Getty Images

Clifford Ray was a tough player for the Golden State Warriors from 1974-1981 (after being traded by the Chicago Bulls).

He was an average scorer and helped lead the Warriors to the 1975 NBA championship. He was mostly known as a rebounder though - he averaged more boards than points - and was never really known as a passer.

However he had one tremendous assist which defies belief.

Ray has exceptionally long arms and in 1978, Marine World had a dolphin that had swallowed a bolt.

Rather than committing surgery, they called Ray and asked if he would mind trying to retrieve the bolt.

The whole thing is mind boggling: he had to reach past the dolphin’s first stomach - they have two - and pull the bolt from the second, all while the dolphin’s great was being timed.

Obviously they can go some time between breaths and he did retrieve it, but what a very strange experience that must have been.

He also says that the dolphin seemed to remember him when he came to visit. How cool is that?