I didn’t watch one minute of the series. Yet I was rooting for the New York Knicks to win the NBA championship, which they did by dispatching the San Antonio Spurs 4 games to 1 last night.
Although I grew up in Cleveland, I was a Knicks fan in my early years, cheering the New York squad as they won their first title in 1970. With a mid-size rubber ball, I played solo basketball games in my basement during the long Cleveland winters, pretending I was a member of the Knicks or, if in a college mood, John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins.
When the Knicks won in ’70, I’m almost certain I watched live on TV and saw Willis Reed hobble on to the court to start Game 7. That Knicks roster was terrific, with the starting five of Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Dick Barnett and Bill Bradley.
That they beat the Lakers, another stacked roster led by Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, made their victory all the sweeter.
The Cavaliers arrived in Cleveland in the fall of 1970, and I switched allegiance to the hometown team, terrible as they were in their early years.
I got to meet Bill Bradley, a former U.S. Senator for New Jersey, when his portrait was unveiled at his alma mater, Princeton University, a few years ago.
My last day working at Princeton came last week, and my retirement takes effect July 1.
The Knicks taking the 2025-26 championship dredged up memories of those 1970 champs, and the Princeton-Bradley connection gives me another reason to smile. I’m due to take a train into Penn Station this week, and I’ll salute Madison Square Garden and the Knicks upon arrival.🧢
The Ball Caps Blog 