I’ve all the time been fascinated by veteran athletes.
Some would name them “old timers,” however I favor veteran athletes.
They’re those who’ve seen “stuff,” life on and off the athletic subject and pursued life after sports activities.
Dr. Dick Barnett, former member of the Knicks solely championship groups (to date) and an educator and writer, died this previous weekend at age 88.
He had a superb run, and full disclosure: I favored Dr. Dick.
A veteran pal of his, one other former Knick, Tom Hoover, referred to as him a “character.”
When he referred to as my home, my spouse would reply and he would bellow, “Barnett!” into the telephone, a lot to the displeasure of mentioned spouse.
“Can’t he say hello?,” she requested.
I discussed it to Dr. Dick, and he grew to become extra pleasant.
“Barnett!,” he nonetheless bellowed, including, “Is Tony Paige there?”
Veteran Knick followers bear in mind his highly-unorthodox southpaw jumper with the ball launched over his head, and a dolphin-like kick of his toes. When the ball left his hand, he knew it was true as he uttered his well-known line to the opposing workforce, “Fall back Baby!”
Character certainly.
He was the fourth total NBA choose in 1959 by the Syracuse Nationals (now Detroit Pistons). In addition to the Knicks, he performed for the Cleveland Pipers of the previous ABL profitable a championship together with his Tenn A&I College coach John McClendon (a Corridor of Famer) and the workforce owned by George Steinbrenner. He additionally performed for the Lakers throughout his 14-year profession the place he owned an evening membership.
Once I requested Hoover the identical query, I bought the identical, “No.”
There was extra to Dr. Dick than only a unusual jumper and his two titles with the Knicks of Reed, Frazier, DeBusschere, Bradley, Monroe and Lucas and his No. 12 being retired by the Knicks.
He captured back-to-back-to-back NAIA championships with Tennessee A&I State College (now Tenn St.).
He additionally captured back-to-back event MVPs with the Tigers and he’s within the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame each as a participant and together with his alma mater.
It was his life-long dream to get the Tigers acknowledged and inducted within the Corridor of Fame. The 2022 documentary on his battles entitled “The Dream Whisperer,” helped his trigger because the workforce was inducted in 2019.
He was inducted in 2024 the identical 12 months the Tigers went to the White Home and had been honored and met Vice President Kamala Harris.
I all the time saluted him by calling him Dr. Dick out of respect as a result of he bought his doctorate from Fordham College in training. Plus, he participated in lunch counter sit-ins in Nashville, coping with Jim Crow.
Once I was toiling on the overnights at WFAN, I’d sometimes have Dr. Dick on as a visitor. One Saturday evening he needed to return on and discuss hoops and training. I requested him what time ought to we name him. He mentioned he needed to return into the studio.
I sheepishly informed him I didn’t have a funds for a automotive service. No drawback, he mentioned, “I’ll be there.”
He stayed over an hour and left after midnight.
Dr. Dick introduced a sensibility about athletes being profitable after sports activities. Listening to him was an training not present in books.
He authored a bunch of tomes together with “The Funky Jockstrap,” however he all the time preached training to his college students.
In “The Dream Whisperer,” as he met pupil/athletes at Tenn St., they didn’t know who he was, however he educated them about himself and their duty to achieve success.
The Gary, IN native, nicknamed “Skull” together with his droopy doe-like eyelids, commanded your consideration whether or not you needed to pay attention or not.
He made you pay attention, and the person might discuss.
Whether or not he was reminiscing about going into the paint in opposition to Chamberlain or Russell, or trash speaking again within the day (ex-Celtic Sam Jones: “A trash talker!”), Dr. Dick put a smile in your face.
The primary time I laid eyes on him was at a Knicks follow at Tempo College and Crimson Holzman was teaching (sure, that way back). Dr. Dick would go on to turn out to be his first assistant coach. I sat within the bleachers and watched follow, one thing that’s strictly verboten in right this moment’s NBA.
I watched his jumper and puzzled how he did it because it swished in time and again.
Unorthodox, however he bought it finished.
When requested if he might play in right this moment’s NBA and hit the three, he defiantly spat out, “I was shooting threes when [Steph] Curry was still in his mother’s womb.”
Dr. Dick will probably be missed, as all the most effective characters are.
