CHARLOTTE, N.C. --- Longtime trainer Al Domenico, who retired in 1989 after 26 seasons with the Sixers, has died, the team announced Friday.

Sixers coach Doug Collins said Domenico, who was with the team during its run to the 1983 championship, had a great sense of humor.

"The first experience I had with him was … I had sprained an ankle in the summer, before I had come to rookie camp (in 1971)," Collins said before the Sixers tipped off against the Bobcats. "I asked him if he could tape my ankle. And before he did, he pulled out a piece of paper. I said, ‘What’re you writing down?’ He says, ‘If you have to get your ankle taped, in your next contract, the owner will know you have weak ankles.’ That was the way I knew he didn’t want to tape ankles."

Collins also said Domenico had a penchant for hitting up horse tracks.

“If you gave a skycap $5 for your bag, he’d eat you alive because that was his horse-track money,” Collins said. “That petty cash was his, not for the skycaps.”

Sixers general manager Tony DiLeo said the following in a statement: "On behalf of the entire Philadelphia 76ers organization, it is with tremendous sadness that we mourn the loss of our long-time former trainer Al Domenico. I first met Al in 1964 and maintained a relationship with him from that point forward. He played an integral role in this organization for 26 seasons until his retirement in 1989 and remained a friend to many throughout the NBA and beyond. Our condolences go out to those who were fortunate enough to know and love Al during this difficult time."

Domenico was 82 years old.