by Earl Monroe
Eastern Conference Semifinals, 278
knee surgery and recovery, 262–65, 267–68, 269, 270, 273–74
Knicks games, 266–67, 268, 278–82
NBA expansion, 265–66
NBA Finals, 282–84
rib injuries, 276–77, 279
scoring and assist statistics, 285
season games, 266–72, 273, 276–78
team chemistry, 274–76, 277
1971 to 1972 (Knicks)
Baker League, 288–90
bone spurs on foot, 298, 318, 320
Bullets games, 314–15, 316–17
Bullets negotiations, 291–92, 293–94
Bullets team changes, 290–91
Earl welcomed by NY fans, 303
Earl welcomed by the team, 301–2
Eastern Conference Semifinals, 316–17
finding a place to live in NY, 305–6
first-class travel, 315–16
first game with the Knicks, 302–3
Indiana Pacers possibility, 292–93
learning the Knicks’ rhythm, 300–301, 304–5
meeting Miles Davis, 310–11
NBA Finals, 317–20
press conference after trade, 299–300
Rolls-Royce bought, 286–87
scoring and assist statistics, 319
season games, 302–3, 311–12, 314–15
season record, 316
second daughter born, 290
signing with the Knicks, 294–98
slow integration with Knicks, 298–99
Sonny Hill Basketball Camp, 287–88
winning culture of the Knicks, 303–4
1972 to 1973 (Knicks)
bone spurs pain, 358
bone spur surgery, 321–22
Bullets games, 344–46
channeling anger into the game, 353–54
Eastern Conference Finals, 348–55
Eastern Conference Semifinals, 343–46
flamboyant public personas, 347–48
learning the Knicks’ rhythm, 328–29, 333
letter from a fan, 327–28
mink coat given to mother,* 337
mother’s aneurysm and death, 338–42
NBA Championship, 355–57
punched in Manhattan, 352–53
season games, 334–36, 337–38, 339, 342–43, 344
teammate relationships, 329–34, 356
O
Ohl, Don, 182, 186, 191–92
Olajuwon, Hakeem, 381–82
O’Neal, Boyd, 72
O’Neal, Shaquille “Shaq,” 383
P
Packer, Billy, 148, 149
Paradigm shift in NBA, 361–62
Parker, Louis, 103–4
Paul, Chris, 397
Phelps, Digger, 95
Pollin, Abe, 295–96
R
Racism and race relations
army draft “refusal” and, 193
arrested when protecting kids, 276
Black Power, 160
blacks playing whites, 131, 144
blaxploitation films, 347–48
breaking the NBA color barrier, 180
of broadcasters and sportswriters, 374–75
in Cincinnati, 200
country club misbehavior, 185–86
“dirty Jew” lesson for Earl, 23–24
Earl accused of self-exposure, 65–67
explained by Earl’s mother, 24
fraternization segregated, 181
of high school teammates, 73–74
Ku Klux Klan, 113, 293
Marshall appointed justice, 165
Muslim names and, 379–80
in NBA basketball, 375–77
in the news, 54–55
Pan American Games picks, 159–60
“the Pearl” as race neutral, 196
Philadelphia tensions, 51
possible in college rejections, xiii, 94–95
punched in Manhattan, 352–53
referees and, 370–72
segregation in Winston-Salem, 107
summer riots (1967), 165
Watts riots, 134–35
white coach starting blacks, 146
white colleges recruiting blacks, 145–46
whites at Winston-Salem games, 152
Yankee blacks disliked, 114–15
Rayman, Charles, 192
Reed, Willis, 259, 330, 334
Reese, Ronald, x, 34, 53, 58
Referees, 188, 370–72, 374
Reid, Jim,* 149–50, 153
Ridgill, Sonny, 135, 143, 144, 151
Robertson, Oscar “Big O”,* 189–90, 198, 218–19, 242
Rondo, Rajon, 397
Rucker Pro League, 242–43
Rudolph, Mendy, 371, 372
Rupp, Adoph, 145
Russell, Bill, 187–88, 374, 378
S
Sampson, Ralph, 380
Sanders, Satch, 375
“Science of the game” approach, xiv–xvi, 58, 89–91, 210, 295, 364, 366, 367–68
Scott, Byron, 398–99, 400, 401
Scott, Chink, 207, 209
Seymour, Paul, 374
Shue, Gene, 161–62, 179–80, 181, 183–85, 188, 275–76
Siegel, Mr. (“dirty Jew”), 23
Simone, Nina, 306
Smiley, Eugene, 135, 149
Smith, Charles Aaron “Bubba,” 249–50
Smith, Gilbert, 151
Smith, Horatio, 35–36
Smith, John “Mr. John” (stepfather),* 8, 9, 37, 68–71
Smith, Mickey, 103, 104
Smith, Rose. See Monroe, Rose (mother)
Smith, Steve “Smitty”*
beginnings of friendship with, 37
biology in summer school, 117–18
in blindfold initiation test, 140
graduation from Winston-Salem, 164, 165
in Groove Phi Groove, 137
playing style of, 58
at Temple Prep, 94
with Winston-Salem team, 95, 96, 97, 98–101, 102, 135, 149, 150
Smith, Theresa (sister),* 8, 37, 49–50, 338–39
Smith, Tubby, 150
Sonny Hill Basketball Camp, 287–88
Sonny Man, long tongue of, 22
SPHAs (South Philadelphia Hebrew Association), 215–16
Stockton, John, 369
Strom, Earl, 371–72
Strong, Malkin, 173–74
T
Tasker playground games, xv
Theatrics, 365, 366, 367, 369–70
Thomas, Isiah, 392, 398, 399, 400, 401
Thompson, David “Skywalker,” 391
Three-point shot rule, 373–74
Traveling calls by referees, 371
Tresvant, John, 268
Trotters team, x–xi, 46–47, 51–52, 53, 59
U
Unseld, Wes, 203, 230, 236, 245–46
V
Vacation Bible School,* 9–11
W
Walker, Jimmy, 181, 336
Walton, Bill, 380
Warley, Ben, 172
Washington, Tom “Trooper,” 171, 214, 218
West, Jerry,* 194–96, 377
Westbrook, Dexter, 174–75, 177–78
Westbrook, Russell, 395–96
Whelan, Danny, 321–22
White, Jo Jo, 160, 390
Whitley, Leon,* 93–94, 95–96
Wideman, John Edgar, 360–61
Wilkerson, Edwin “Wilkie,” 53
Williams, Kenneth R.,* 108–9
Wilson, Mabel, 9–10
Winston-Salem town, described, 106–9
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Internet addresses and telephone numbers given in this book were accurate at the time it went to press.
© 2013 by Earl Monroe
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reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any other information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the publisher.
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ISBN-13: 978–1–60961–561–1 hardcover
eISBN: 978–1–60961–562–8
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