It Ends Tonight

I’m posting this because tonight is Game 6 of the NBA Finals and I don’t think there’ll be a Game 7. The Golden State Warriors are going to have their way with the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight at home.

Last Thursday, I told Seth Joyner that the Cavs were already out of gas and that they would have no chance come tonight.

Since I’m older than Seth and I’m pretty sure he respects his elders, I’m going to say “I told you so” a few hours in advance of tip-off.

By the way, not to be blowing smoke up anybody’s behind, Seth Joyner was one of the best linebackers to ever play for the Eagles. If you missed him, you missed a great one and “great” is a word I rarely attach to players.

Step Back 54 Years

So, now, let’s step back in time to a memorable Game 6 in my life more than 54 years ago. That would be March 24, 1961.

It was my senior year in high school. The Philadelphia Warriors were the NBA team in town and the Warriors were playing their hated rivals the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Division Finals. The Celtics held a 3-2 edge in the series and were looking to close out the series and move on to the NBA Finals. The Warriors, on the other hand, were fighting for survival.

It was a Friday and first period just ended. I was walking down the hall between classes and there’s the guy I was looking for – my best buddy Bucky Hamil.

“Hey, Buck,” I said, “Wanta go to the game tonight?”

“Sure.”

“How much money ya got?”

So Buck stuck his right hand in his pocket and pulled out a dollar bill and some change.

“Almost two dollars,” he said. “What about you?”

I’d already counted my money.

“About the same,” I said.

“Good,” Buck said. “Let’s go.”

And we went to the game that night.

We took public transportation from Folcroft, in Delaware County, to Convention Hall in Philly. That meant a bus ride into Darby and a transfer onto the el the rest of the way.

No Tickets

Now, remember – this was Game 6 of the NBA playoffs and we didn’t have tickets.

When we got to Convention Hall, we found out the game was sold out – but they were selling Standing Room. So we paid for SRO and went inside. We made our way up to the top of the arena, behind the last row of seats, and perched ourselves on top of the ventilators. We were far from the court and had to watch through a haze of cigarette and cigar smoke, but we didn’t care. We were watching a classic game.

This was Wilt Chamberlain versus Bill Russell. This was Paul Arizin and Tom Gola and Guy Rodgers versus Bob Cousy and Bill Sharman and Tommy Heinsohn and Frank Ramsey and K.C. Jones. This was even Gene Conley – who pitched for the Phillies – scoring 16 points for the Celtics that night.

It was a great game wire-to-wire. The score was tied with just seconds remaining. Warriors ball.

The Warriors took the ball down the court, shot, and missed. Bill Russell rebounded and the Celtics were running down to their end for the last shot. Which missed, but Tommy Heinsohn broke our hearts when he tapped in the miss right before the final buzzer went off.

The Celtics raced off the court and back to the locker room with a 119-117 win.

We went to the game, paid for public transportation, and bought our way into the game. We bought a hot dog, Dixie cup, and orange drink. We saw a great game – a classic game – and we did it all for pocket change – and still had a couple of jingles in our pockets when we got home.

But getting back to the Warriors and Cavs tonight, it won’t come down to the last shot. The Cavs will run out of gas around the middle of the third quarter – and LeBron will be running on fumes come the fourth quarter.

Barry Bowe is the author of Born to Be Wild, 1964 – The Year the Phillies Blew the Pennant, and 12 Best Eagles QBs.