Tag: basketball

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Devin on “D”

Devin on “D”

Devin was guarding a couple of big guys today and Jon Burgio was one of them. Jon is a recent graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo and in addition to being tall and powerfully built is a good post player.  Devin at 6’3″ gave away six inches and almost 150 pounds to this guy. Devin’s team lost a close game 15-14 as time ran out. Overall their Gus Macker record at the Jamestown tournament was 3-2. It was great to see these young men in action again and to share a pre-game meal with them and Tim Anderson’s parents at the Cherry Lounge on Cherry Street in Jamestown, New York. It was 88 degrees at game time and very humid. Diane and I’ve been following basketball games ever since our first date and we’ve been following Devin since he was in grade school basketball leagues. I’ve written about Devin many times and I’m very proud of what he has accomplished both on and off the basketball court.

Today it was great to be united with these special young men and several of the parents. Today was one of the days I was glad to be alive.

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Macker time


Today I spent part of the afternoon watching my son and several of his friends take part in the Gus Macker Three-on-Three basketball tournament in Jamestown, New York. I’ve been watching Devin play in Macker’s for a number of years. He’s competing in the Top Men’s Division which is the toughest division of the Macker. He is joined by three former Fredonia State College players who were once teammates for the Fredonia State Blue Devils. Devin’s team finished the day at 2 wins and 1 loss. They will be playing at eight o’clock tomorrow morning and so we’ll be on the road early to make the game. Jamestown is a little over 50 miles away.

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Alumni tournament

Both our children are home this weekend. It’s the Alumni Basketball Tournament at Franklinville Central School. This tradition which began perhaps twenty years ago draws alumni from all across the country back to our small town nestled in the foothills of the Allegany Mountains. Last night we went to watch the opening round as teams from this decade competed against teams made up of men who range in age from twenty-one to nearly sixty. Our son Devin’s team took the floor last night and it was good to see these young men reunited. Although I always love to watch Devin play, I was especially glad to see one of his teammates, Dustin Owen, recently returned from the U.S. Army and Iraq.   Dustin finally got out after being stop-lossed. He joined in 2002 for what was supposed to be a four year hitch and finally got out just a couple of months ago. The young men triumphed last night. Today will bring more competition and camaraderie.

Franklinville is usually a sleepy little town, but on this weekend once a year it comes to life a bit as former school boy players and their families converge to reunite on the hardwood, the homes and restaurants of our village.

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Alumni game

Yesterday we drove to Fredonia, New York and the campus of the State University at Fredonia. Dods Hall was the site of this year’s alumni game which featured many of Fredonia States former basketball stars including our son Devin. The age of the players spanned at least twenty years. It was fun to watch Devin and his former teammates racing up and down the floor. There were layups, short jumpers, hooks and three pointers and when it was over it actually ended in an 84-84 tie. I’ve never seen a basketball game end in a tie, but this time it seemed fitting. It’s been a couple of years since we were regulars at Fredonia State games.

Besides the players it was reunion time for parents. We visited with old friends. Friends we don’t see much anymore but nonetheless just as dear. After the game we gathered at a local restaraunt for more socializing. Our first date over twenty-seven years ago was a basketball game. Basketball is sacramental for us.

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The Big Cat

Tonight memory was at flood tide as I drove to Olean, New York along with my wife and daughter. We were going to have dinner somewhere in Olean and then drive to St. Bonaventure University.

I remember watching St. Bonaventure led by Bob Lanier defeat the Purdue Boilermakers in the 1969 Holiday Festival in Madison Square Garden. I sat with my father and brother in our family room and watched the game on our black and white television. Mr. Lanier scored fifty points that night and put St. Bonaventure on the map that year. Bonaventure up ended the favorite, Purdue which was led by All-American Rick Mount.  Purdue’s center who was called the “Big Dog” told New York papers that he was going to take the “Big Cat” from St. Bonaventure to the cleaners that night. The reverse happened and Bob Lanier went on to become the MVP of that year’s ECAC Holiday Festival.

Bob Lanier returned to Olean and St. Bonaventure today and tonight to dedicate the new basketball floor at the Reilly Center that is named in his honor. In 1969 and early 1970 New York’s southern tier was talking proud. St. Bonaventure University Men’s basketball team led by Bob Lanier had advanced to the NCAA finals. Names like Billy Kalbaugh, Matt Gantt, Greg Gary and Paul Hoffman and others filled newspapers and the airwaves. These guys were heroes to a seventeen year old boy who loved the game of basketball.

After dinner at Attards on North Union Street in Olean we drove to the St. Bonaventure Campus and walked into the Reilly Center a bit late but arriving in time to see Bob Lanier signing autographs and the current St. Bona’s squad scrimmaging. It was great to see my childhood hero in person again. My daughter marveled at the height and stature of Mr. Lanier. My wife and I recalled the memories of our childhood and the memories of the spring of 1970 when a group of young men captured the hearts and minds of thousands of fans in Western New York.

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