Winter of 1970. Christmas morning to be exact.
The New York Knicks were kicking ass. Red Holzman’s crew were the defending NBA champions led by Willis Reed and Walt Frazier. Their record on the season was 29-11. On that day the Knicks would beat the Buffalo Braves 115-102 behind Dick Barnett’s 24 points.
More importantly it was the day I fell in love with basketball.
A little past 7:00 a.m. and boy was it was cold outside. I was the first one up in my family. We lived in a railroad apartment on the corner of ninth avenue and Windsor Place. Not only was it cold outside, it was freezing in our apartment.
Out in our living room under our artificial Christmas tree was an orange, Voit basketball. I didn’t fill out any Christmas list. Don’t even think I asked for it. Mom knew…
It was love at first sight.
Watching the Knicks was a huge part of my interest. Not to mention watching the older guys from the neighborhood play ball in the boys schoolyard at Holy Name.
Little did I realize 46 years ago, that basketball would help shape my life.
Imagine that?
My older brother once said to me, “You’re going to marry a basketball,” he was almost right. I’ve been having an affair with it ever since.
-Red
Hoops135@hotmail.com