HOF (First visit)

[stephen beauregard <sb@lamere.net>]

Hi guys, I enjoy reading people's b-ball experiences and I want to share
one with you (some good stuff here). If you aren't interested, please
delete this message and I apologize for any inconveniece.

I went to the Basketball HOF for the first time Friday. I have never
been there before and I missed Bird in 98 and McHale in 99 so this year
I wanted to make it a point to go (even though Celtics' killers were
going in). I called the HOF and was told that tickets could be purchased
for various goings on or packaged together (this is relevant later). For
everything (the HOF lunches, admission to the HOF, the
pre,post-induction and induction, and the HOF gala at 10PM) the cost was
a whopping (at least to me) $400. So, not knowing what I wanted to do I
just went empty-ticketed. I arrived at the HOF with my Celtics legend
poster (If you have never seen one, it has pics of 30 C's legends and
many other lesser palyers listed along the side) and my Sweet 16 handout
they gave the day they won the last title (if you collect games on VHS
you can see everyone waving them) to be autographed. I collect
autographs and really am just interested in C's.

Anyway, I get to the HOF around 2:30 and I was told in advance that
Isiah and McAdoo would have an auto session 1-3. As I said, I am not
interested in them but thought it would be cool to say hello and see
what was going on. As I entered, I asked the first person I saw (luckily
for me it was the manager) where the auto session was and with a puzzled
luck he told me it was tomorrow. He must have seen the disappointment on
my face. I said that I drove 2 hrs just for it (well, yes and no). He
told me that he was sorry and that he would comp me 2 tix for the
induction ceremony. I couldn't believe it. I thanked him and then my
friend and I played the hoops and looked at the displays. After a while
we decided to leave and at the door I say KC Jones leaving. He still
moves well for an old timer. By the time I caught up to him I told him I
never saw him play but watched almost eveyr game he coached and what a
great job he did. I asked if he'd mind signing my stuff and he said no.
He signed the poster and then when he say the Sweet 16 piece he said,
"Hey, how much are these going for nowadays?" I thought that was an odd
question and was embarrassed to say $10. I didn't want him to think that
that was all people thought of his coaching days. I told him and added
that I thought it was a sin it went that cheaply and that I would never
sell it. These items are for my kids and I want them to have pieces from
the greatest team ever! I thanked him and my friend and I decided we
would go to the hotel and try to get tix
for the gala later that night. We went in the hotel and it was a zoo.
Ahmad Rashad, Hubie Brown and many media-types walking around. All auto
hounds, some pros carrying those grade school kickball bags with
literally 100 balls trying to get any and everyone to sign. Now I know
why
fans like me get stiffed. Anyway people are filing out and then I see
some C's. Satch Sanders, Red, Wayne Embry walked by and stiffed
everyone. When KC walked by he saw someone with a ton of stuff and
commented, "Everyone here is getting rich but me". He walked by and
everyone yelled, "Case!" He said "Hi, everyone" and walked by. I yelled,
"Thanks Case" and he happened to look up, we made eye contact and he
pointed at me like we were friends. Cool! Someone next to me said what a
jerk he was that he wouldn't sign for anyone. He was all about the money
now. I said he signed for me multiple times and no one believed me. I
had to show them my stuff.  I actually saw an old guy sitting in the
corner and some
people that I told I was a C's fan to told me that he played for the
C's. I thought I was the butt of a joke but I went up to him anyway and
asked. He is Andy Phillip and indeed played for them in 56/7/8. He
signed
my poster and we talked about Red. I also got
Bailey Howell and Ernie Risen. It was getting late and we went to the
HOF. There was no one there so we moved up. There were about 7 inductees
and the speeches were occasionally very dull but everyone was patient.
Isiah was the final one and when he started he choked up and could not
speak. He was crying. In the front row were VJ, Joe Dumars and Laimbeer
and when Laimbeer was mentioned there was a small smattering of applause
(I mean small!) Anyway, Isiah said, "Hey Bill, ever think you'd get
applause in this state?" I didn't think it counted, as there was a
Piston contingent there, but it was funny nonetheless. After it was
over, my friend and I followed the VIP's out back and caught up to
Satch, Wayne and the other C's that stiffed everyone else and they were
all pleasant and all signed. I just told them that I was a lifetime C's
fan. They all smiled and were accomodating. We left and went back to the
hotel to get the car. We thought we'd go in one last time and people
were still there (some since 7AM) getting autographs. As we were about
to leave a guy approached us about tix for the gala, which was sold out.
We negotiated and wound up getting 2 tix for $30! The guy was still
going but said that all you needed was a wristband to get in and he was
just trying to recoup his costs. So we got to go in and there was a huge
spread: prime rib, pasta, everything you can imagine for a hundred
dollar a plate party. We saw Satch, Quinn Buckner was having a beer in
the bar. We walked around, took it all in, had some food and then went
into the dimly lit lounge to hear Bruce Hornsby. KC also came in and
sang Georgia on my mind and some others and got a huge ovation. Of
course. Bruce wrapped up with Mandolin rain and then did not come out to
do an encore. A band member walked by us and he said the reason was
Bruce was bummed because he heard people were talking
through his first set and that KC got a bigger ovation than he did. Can
you believe that? Anyway, we walked out and saw Bob McAdoo. I went up to
him and told him tongue-in-cheek congratulations but that I hated him
because he ruined many nights for me in the 80s. I also commented that
they didn't show any clips of him in a C's uniform. He said there were
some clips of him available, but they probably didn't want to use them
because he only played for Boston for 2 months. I could not believe
that. I thought he played a whole season, but I was young. He said he
got the news, caught the red-eye from New York and was looking forward
to playing for Boston but Coach Cowens did not want player Cowens to
lose minutes, so that was why he was just used sparingly off the bench
until he was discarded. He was very pleasant and stayed until the end
(Isiah did not even show). All in all a great night.

Thanks to all for letting me rant and if you guys have stories like
these please post them. I personally enjoy reading them.