Eric Crawford | WDRB | Tumblr

Opposing teams never knew what the Bellarmine University basketball team was up to during the starting lineup introductions in its national championship season of 2010-11.

The Knights’ players would hear their names, run out, then sprint to an old guy in the stands and touch his tan “BU” hat, shake his hand or say a word to him.

To know the story behind it, you have to turn the pages back quite a few years and you have to get to know that man, Jim Spalding, who died last week at the age of 79 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease.

Sports heroes are easy to find. You can see them praised on any edition of SportsCenter or on the cover any sports magazine.

But sometimes the biggest heroes rarely make the front page. Take a few minutes and get to know one of them.

READ MORE at WDRB.com.