Larry Bird met his wife, Dinah Mattingly, in college and the couple got married after reconnecting in 1989
Basketball legend Larry Bird took a second shot at love and scored big with his marriage to his second wife, Dinah Mattingly.
Bird and Mattingly met at Indiana State University in the late 1970s. The pair forged their friendship during a pivotal time for Bird, as he was trying to make his mark as a promising basketball player. Their friendship blossomed into a romantic relationship, leading to their marriage in October 1989, per ESPN.
The couple later went on to adopt two children, Connor and Mariah Bird. The NBA star also has a daughter, Corrie Bird, from his previous marriage to Janet Condra, whom he married in 1975 when he was 19 years old.
Mattingly has been a source of support for her husband throughout his illustrious basketball career, coaching roles and executive positions in the NBA. Their union has remained solid for more than 35 years.
So, who is Larry Bird’s wife? Here’s everything to know about Dinah Mattingly and her relationship with the former basketball star.
She grew up in Indiana, where she eventually met Bird
Mattingly was born in Vigo County, Ind. and attended Indiana State University.
There, she cultivated a passion for sports and fitness, which eventually led her to a career as a physical education teacher at North Side High School in French Lick, Ind.
It was during her time at Indiana State that Mattingly met Bird.
They got married in a small ceremony
The couple tied the knot on Oct. 31, 1989, in a private ceremony attended by just five others at a friend’s house in Terre Haute, Ind., as reported by ESPN. In a fun twist, the bride and groom wore jeans at the altar, highlighting the casualness of the affair.
This intimate event reflected their desire to keep their personal lives out of the public eye and focus on their close-knit circle of loved ones, which has been a common theme throughout their lives together.