Dinah Mattingly: The Woman Behind Larry Bird’s Legendary Journey

If you are a basketball fan, chances are that you know about the popular team, Boston Celtics. While the players of the team have a dedicated fanbase, their coach is no different. Larry Bird was the power forward and is now the coach of the Boston Celtics and has gained immense popularity throughout his career.

Besides being quite quick and strategic on the field, Larry seems to be a family man behind the scenes. He has been married to Dinah Mattingly and has raised a lot of questions in people’s minds regarding their relationship.

This article will further venture into exploring more about Dinah Mattingly and her marriage to Larry Bird.

Who is Dinah Mattingly?

Besides being the wife of Larry Bird, it seems like Dinah has a popular identity of her own as well. She is reportedly the daughter of a renowned former FBI agent.

Dinah was born on November 16, 1954, in New York primarily. There are reports that she was raised in a specific part of Indiana, which hasn’t been confirmed yet.

Since FBI agents are often undercover, there’s not much we know about Dinah’s family and her life growing up. She was raised alongside a brother named Doug. As for her education, she graduated high school from Terre Haute and acquired her higher education from Indiana State University.

When did Dinah Mattingly and Larry Bird Start Dating?

In a world where we often see divorces, break-ups, and separation, Dinah and Larry are a testament to true love. The two met each other during their college and began dating back then.

After dating for a few years, the two decided to tie the knot on October 31, 1989, a few months after Larry Bird proposed to her. By the time Larry proposed to Dinah, the couple had already been dating for 12+ years and were inseparable.

According to reports, Larry proposed in their Ford Bronco and said to Dinah while handing her the ring, “You can wear this if you want to.”

After being engaged for some time, the couple finally got married in 1989 in a very private and intimate ceremony surrounded by the people they are the closest to. Following their wedding, the couple became parents through adoption. They adopted two children – Connor and Mariah.

Did Dinah Meet Larry When He Was Established?

Contrary to popular belief, the answer is no. The two met when Larry was struggling to make ends meet. They met while they were studying at the Indiana State University.

While Larry was quite focused on his basketball career during that period, things at his home were pretty chaotic. The Boston Celtics coach lost his father a year before suicide and the family was in a financial crisis during that period.

Surprisingly, when the two met, Larry was already out of a marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Janet Condra. So, he wasn’t necessarily seeking a relationship during that time. 

There are reports that Larry didn’t acknowledge his daughter, Corrie, from his first marriage to Janet Condra. It was Dinah that pushed Larry to mend the relationship and be an active father figure in his daughter’s life.

The two eventually managed to reconcile and have a great father-daughter relationship now, which is a pretty good thing if you come to think of it.

Conclusion

Dinah Mattingly and Larry Bird have been going strong for decades now. The two have a healthy and happy relationship although they have had to experience a lot of controversies, especially after their adopted son got arrested while studying at Indiana State University. However, things look to be settling down for the family.