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A32 sports
Diaranson 20 october 2021

Lapchick family felt backlash due to Knicks coach’s views

endar, became the first Black come out with a rifle because to the players. The players
player to play in the NBA. he wasn’t about to serve gas sometimes packed knives in
from his lily white pumps to their socks to protect them-
Not everyone was happy this group of Black players. selves.
about the historic moment.
There were race riots that My family’s experience is a
My earliest memory of the took place during three games small part of the history that
backlash as a child was look- when angry fans stormed the led up to the possibility of the
ing outside my bedroom courts because they didn’t NBA being led on the court
window in Yonkers, New want to see white and Black by nearly 80% Black players
York, where I was raised. I players competing. — many of whom are led by
was five years old. I saw my the 15 head coaches of color.
father’s image swinging from Because of the violence,
a tree with people under the nothing but net had a differ- As the league celebrates its
tree picketing. ent meaning in those days. It 75th year, my father’s efforts
wasn’t referring to the sound continue to be a prelude to
For several years I would of the ball going through the all the sport and social justice
(AP) - In 1947 my father the Celtics and no Black team pick up the extension phone basket. measures and records set by
and the owner of the leg- could beat the Rens. They in the house. My dad did the NBA along the way.
endary all-Black New played each other evenly for not know I was listening to Owners of some arenas built
York Rens basketball team more than a decade and both hear angry people shouting nets around the court when We should never forget it was
made a presentation to the were inducted into the Bas- racial epithets at my father. violence was threatened so not an easy path to reach this
owners of the BAA, which ketball Hall of Fame. I didn’t know what it meant that angry fans couldn’t get great moment.
would become the NBA, but I knew a lot of people
to integrate the league by In 1947, my dad thought didn’t like this man who was
admitting the Rens as a because of his standing as a my best friend. I also learned
team. coach of the Knicks that the there was something terribly
Rens would be admitted. But wrong with this world I was
Bobby Douglas’ Rens had the Knicks founder and pres- being raised in.
a rich rivalry with the Celt- ident, Ned Irish, came out
ics in the 1920s and 30s. To and told my father and Bob- My dad learned about racism
my dad, Joe Lapchick — the by that the vote went against in America during the those
New York Knicks coach in admitting the Rens. My dad Celtics-Rens games. He saw
1947 and who I suggest was told Bobby that he was con- it up close when he watched
an anti-racist a century ago — sidering resigning because he the Rens board the luxury
it made perfect sense. didn’t want to coach a team bus that their owner bought
in the league that didn’t al- for them because Bobby
There were those in the low everyone to play. But knew that hotels in most cit-
league — and more than a the Rens owner admonished ies would not accommodate
few fans — who didn’t agree. him, saying “you cannot re- his Black players. My father
sign because someday you watched the Rens bring food
When my dad was star of may have the opportunity to onto the bus while the Celt-
the Original Celtics in the bring about change.” ics could eat wherever they
1920s, there were no in- wanted.
tegrated teams. No white Three years later in 1950 my
teams played against Black dad signed Nat “Sweetwater” On three occasions he
teams but the Celtics wanted Clifton, the first Black player watched horrified as the
to change that and developed sign a contract with an NBA Rens pulled into a gas station
a rivalry with the Rens that team. In the draft a week on the way to the next venue
was one of the greatest in the later, Chuck Cooper became where they would play the
history of the game. the first Black player drafted Celtics. The Celtics’ car was
shortly before Earl Lloyd, in back of the bus and he saw
No white team could beat who by the fate of the cal- the owner of the gas station

76ers suspend Simmons 1 game for conduct detrimental to team

(AP) — Ben Simmons has guard was a holdout in train- about that man,” Embiid that.” mons would be welcome to
been suspended by the ing camp in the wake of his said. “He does whatever he return to practice. The Sixers
Philadelphia 76ers for one offseason trade demand. He wants.” Simmons did not make his play their home opener Fri-
game due to what they reported last week and prac- scheduled media availabil- day.
called conduct detrimen- ticed Sunday and Monday The 25-year-old from Aus- ity Tuesday. Rivers said Sim-
tal to the team. Simmons with the Sixers. tralia had four years and $147
will miss the 76ers’ season million left on his max con-
opener Wednesday night Simmons lingered outside tract when he decided he
at New Orleans. the huddle, dribbled a bas- wanted a trade.
ketball and looked uninter-
“I just thought he was a dis- ested during a team huddle at “Every day, every single mo-
traction today,” coach Doc Monday’s practice, where he ment, I’m going to give Ben
Rivers said Tuesday after did not practice with the first a chance to join the team and
practice. “I didn’t think he team. be part of the team,” Rivers
wanted to do what everybody said. “He’s under contract to
else was doing. It was early. It Sixers All-Star center Joel be part of the team and that’s
wasn’t a big deal. I just told Embiid said Tuesday he not going to change. Some-
him he should leave. We wasn’t here to “babysit” Sim- times it happens quick and
went on with practice.” mons. guys join back in. Sometimes
it doesn’t. I’ve been in both
The three-time All-Star “At this point, I don’t care situations and I’m fine with