FATHER KNOWS BEST

Back when I was in the 7th grade at Henry James Memorial Middle School in Simsbury, Connecticut I used to play YMCA basketball at the school gym. We would choose sides and play "shirts versus skins".

I remember one day that Marty Bird was on the same team as me. His father Carl Bird was our "coach" that day. Mr. Bird had glasses and an unusual facial tick where he would be talking and then his face would squint up and freeze for a few seconds. I can remember his "game strategy" in our huddle was "Ok. Whoever gets the ball, give it to Marty."

During the game at that time I was pretty good at intercepting passes from the other team as back then at that age players used to look right at the player they were passing to before they passed the ball so it wasn't that difficult to get in front of that player and intercept the pass. So,I would steal the ball from the other team and "give it to Marty". I didn't always agree with our coach's strategy but I followed the instructions anyway. I guess "father knows best".