Sports legends honor basketball great John Havlicek

FILE – BOSTON, MA – APRIL 13: Member of the Boston Celtics 1966 and 1976 Championship teams John Havlicek is honored at halftime of the game between the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat at TD Garden on April 13, 2016 in Boston, Massachusetts. Mike Lawrie/Getty Images/AFP

BOSTON — Sports legends were in Boston to honor basketball great John Havlicek.

Former Celtics and Bruins stars gathered at Trinity Church in Boston on Thursday for a memorial service. The Hall of Fame Celtics player died in April at the age of 79.

The Boston Herald reports that Celtics greats Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn and Dave Cowens joined Bruins legend Bobby Orr at the memorial. Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Phil Niekro and former U.S. Senator and New York Knicks player Bill Bradley were among others to pay their respects.

“Hondo” Havlicek played 16 years for the Celtics and is the team’s all-time leading scorer. He was voted one of the 50 greatest players of the league’s first 50 years and is best remembered for his steal to clinch the 1965 Eastern Conference finals.