Question for Graymule

[Guest]

GM I know a lot of us watched Nique when he was a Hawk. But I wanted to ask this of you since your our veteran, did you watch pistol Pete when he played for the Hawks? The reason I'm asking is because I'm a big time historian, specially of the nba. I love reading about, watching film on players and teams from the past. There was also a game on nbatv about 2 weeks ago that I taped between the Buck and Hawks from 1970. It was Pistol's first pro game. It was just really cool to see Pistol, Kareem and Oscar amongst others, Hudson, etc. Just wondering if you followed the Hawks back then. Did anyone on Squawk remember Pistol's rookie year. If so, I'd love to hear some feedback about what you remember. Thanks in advance.

[Gray Mule]

Today, Hawk games are televised on a regular basis. We, the fans, get

upset when they are not available for less than 10% of the games.

No, I didn't watch those basketball games at all. They were not available here.

In the NFL we might, occasionally, be able to watch the Washington Redskins

which was our closest team to anyone in the south.

Also, in baseball, our closest team was the Washington Senators. I remember

well their motto: First in war, first in peace and last in the American League.

Mutual radio network had the baseball game of the week on Saturday afternoon.

Usually this was the Yankees and whoever they were playing. Later, the TV

had these games. We didn't get regular TV coverage of baseball until Ted Turner

bought the Braves and channel 17, a UHF station. He soon discovered that he

could bounce the signal off a satellite and we had our super station and everyone

could watch his Braves. We still see the results of that as there are Braves fans

everywhere.

Since you are a history buff, I hope you enjoy reading how it was around here

in my younger days,. The Hawks were in St. Louis, as were the Cardinals in the

National League. This was about as far south and as far west as things got. Personally,

I was a Cleveland Indian fan and a Yankee hater in the American league. I ignored

the National League until the World Series.

Any one on here remember any of this history??

[Sothron]

His rookie year was several years before I was born. The earliest Hawks games I remember is my dad taking me to games in the pre Nique days when we had Eddie Johnson, Roundfield and John Drew.

[Guest]

Thanks GM and Soth. Ya I'm aware that the Hawks were the St. Louis Hawks before Atlanta. For some reason I thought that Pistol played for the St. Louis franchise until realizing in the game they showed a couple weeks ago that his rookie year he was part of the Atlanta Hawks. If they ever replay it, you guys should definitely try and catch it, very cool game. They always show games from the past on nbatv but I had never seen one from the 1970 Atlanta Hawks squad. It actually made me wear my green throwback Shareef Abdur jersey that day :-) I'm definitely a history buff GM and I will look into that for sure. Thanks again, really cool stuff on Ted Turner and baseball too.

[Watchman]

I saw Maravich play in either his rookie season or second season. I was in my early teens at the time. The Hawks with Maravich were often running the ball, which frustrated the aging Walt Bellamy because we would end up shooting before he could even get down the court. He made no secret of his displeasure about the pace.

He was a tremendous passer, a streak shooter with great scoring ability, great on the break, and great at taking the ball to the basket. He was one of the best passers I ever saw, even compared to the great passers of today. Only problem was his teammates weren't expecting such precise passing and frequently fumbled the ball away. Back at that time, there wasn't all the emphasis on point guards and shooting guards, they were just guards. So he didn't average 10 assists a game, but he usually averaged around 6 assists a game, and Gilliam had a similar amount of assists. He was not a great defender, but I don't think he was as bad as people made him out to be. Being 6'5", which at that time was about as big as guards and most small forwards got, he still blocked some shots, and had pretty decent hops.

I remember reading an article about the Hawks backcourt of Maravich and Herm Gilliam. Evidently they played peek a boo ball with Wilt, and he got really angry and told them, "I'm gonna get you @#$%s!" As far as I know, Wilt didn't ever "get them."

Prior to Pete's arrival, I had never been that interested in basketball, but Maravich changed all of that. (Well, that and growing from 5'7" to 6'2" in a little over one year.) However, my 2 inch vertical leap and overall inability to dribble very well put an end to my illustrious career. We had some neighbors that had a goal that was about 8'10", so I dunked on that goal, but never was able to do so on a regulation 10' goal. The draft that Maravich was in was extraordinary. There was Maravich, Bob Lanier, Rudy Tomjanovich, Dave Cowens, Geoff Petrie, Nate Archibald and Calvin Murphy, and probably others I've forgotten about. It was a really loaded draft.

Oh well, hope my rambling didn't bore you to death.

Edited December 5, 2013 by Watchman

[Peoriabird]

His rookie year was several years before I was born. The earliest Hawks games I remember is my dad taking me to games in the pre Nique days when we had Eddie Johnson, Roundfield and John Drew.

Loved me some Eddie Johnson!

[Guest]

The draft that Maravich was in was extraordinary. There was Maravich, Bob Lanier, Rudy Tomjanovich, Dave Cowens, Geoff Petrie, Nate Archibald and Calvin Murphy, and probably others I've forgotten about. It was a really loaded draft. Oh well, hope my rambling didn't bore you to death.

That's crazy watch, because during the replay of the Bucks Hawks from 1970 on nbatv that I watched they mention all those rookies and I didn't know all those guys came in the same draft. If I'm not mistaken, 4 or 5 HOF guys there. Wow. Really interesting post Watch, thanks a lot for sharing, cool stuff.

[Vol4ever]

At a young 12 years old I saw the Hawks and Pistol for the first time in 72 and I was hooked for life. Saw 4 games that year and some after that. It killed me when he was taken by the Jazz in the dispersal draft.

[macdaddy]

Tree, Roundfield, Drew, Charlie Criss is as far back as i remember seeing a hawks game. Remember when Skip Caray was the Hawks play by play?

If you were a kid in Atlanta (or the southeast as GM attests) you watched every thing that came on 'Channel 17'. Hawks, Braves, Geogia championship wrestling, lost in space, Bill Tush, Hazel......

Sorry i drifted off there and have nothing to add about Pistol Pete. Wes Matthews did come to my high school and bent the rim dunking.

[Guest]

Remember when Skip Caray was the Hawks play by play?

Oh man I miss Skip so much ...both on Hawks and Braves games. I would always imitate his voice for my friends.lol. They really got a kick out of it.

[Vol4ever]

I remember Sweet Lou and Bells. I can remember when the NBA finals were taped and could see on tv after the late night news. I remember the Boston - Milwaukee series when Kareem and Oscar Roberston took on Dave Cowens, Havlicek, JoJo white

Edited December 5, 2013 by Vol4ever

[macdaddy]

Skip had lots of great catch phrases as a Hawks announcer but i can't remember a single one right now.

[Vol4ever]

Skip had lots of great catch phrases as a Hawks announcer but i can't remember a single one right now.

Skip was a trip. He had a call in talk show on WSB. If he didn't like the question asked he would just hang up on you, lol. He would never make it today in this political correct society we have turned into.

[DJlaysitup]

Yeah G-M and Spud....I was telling my son the other Saturday when we were yacking on the phone about all the games being played on the weekly college football marathon - that I remember when all we had was the "College Football Game of the Week"....one game on a black and white 19 inch TV.

Now with the major networks - a couple espns - the regional cable broadcasts (like CSS) - and espn3 live streaming...it's like a weekly feast of college football. Heck I can even watch my (0-12) Ga. State Panthers livestreaming on the internet.

For an old college football fan like me it's like going from one blind date a week to having a harum

P.S. - too bad about Keon Clark...off to the Pokey.

Edited December 6, 2013 by DJlaysitup