Larry Bird played an essential role in the Boston Celtics’ success throughout the 1980s, guiding the team to three championships. As a key figure, Bird’s on-court mistakes were inevitable, but it was his off-court decisions that left a lasting impact. At the tender age of 19, Bird made what he later described as his “biggest mistake” by marrying his first wife, Janet Condra, despite holding the belief that divorcees were akin to “the devil.”
The swift dissolution of his marriage to Condra contradicted Bird’s deeply held convictions, leaving him emotionally scarred, particularly upon learning of Condra’s pregnancy following their divorce. Reflecting on this tumultuous period, Bird admitted, “Getting married was the worst mistake I ever made. Everything that ever happened to me I’ve learned from it, but I’m still scarred by that. That scarred me for life,” he added, emphasizing how the experience, alongside financial struggles, profoundly influenced him.
Following his divorce, Bird focused on his career and achieved remarkable success, cementing his status as the Celtics’ greatest player. In 1989, Bird decided to give marriage another chance, tying the knot with his longtime girlfriend, Dinah Mattingly, in a low-key ceremony attended by just a handful of people. Opting for a casual affair, the couple exchanged vows in a friend’s home outside Terre Haute, Indiana, sporting stonewashed jeans for the occasion.
Despite finding happiness with Dinah, Bird continued to grapple with the emotional scars of his failed first marriage. Recurring nightmares haunted him, reflecting his lingering fears and unresolved emotions. Even amid his enduring love for Dinah, Bird confessed, “The bad dream… I still have it sometimes,” revealing the ongoing impact of his past experiences.
Despite the challenges he faced in his youth, Bird ultimately found redemption and enduring love in his marriage to Dinah. The couple, married for 34 years, has built a family together, including their adopted children, Conner and Mariah.
