If you’re a hoopster of a certain age, just hearing the name John “Hondo” Havlicek conjures a certain workmanlike to the point of art grace and style in leading a team with a basketball, and he deserves this beautiful obituary in the Boston Globe:
For me it takes me back to my 6-7 year old self, c about 1962-64 in a big arena in Taipiei, Taiwan where my father had taken my brother Bill and me to a Boston Celtics exhibition featuring Red Auerbach, John Havlicek, Bill Russell and Bob Cousy. We were the only American children there in my memory and we got to meet these old guys who my dad said were gods in basketball and we took his word for it. He was right. That day is one of my only vivid memories of my dad and I have always loved the Celtics and basketball ever since. And now I realize those guys weren’t that much older than me– whoa!
BERTIS DOWNS 