By Mark Margulies
My father was a rebel. And we knew it.
Born in 1906, he grew up in Williamsburg Brooklyn, then a working class neighborhood where many immigrant families, making their first ‘step up’ in America, came to resettle.
He attended PS 16, doing what street kids did in those days—playing street ball, stickball—any kind of ball they could, with the limited resources they had. My dad got to be pretty good at basketball and, as he grew quickly to six foot tall, was in demand because of his height and skill. So, when it came time for high school, he decided to travel the 26 city blocks and attend Boys High.
BHS was a New York City basketball powerhouse. My dad joined the team as a freshman, and by the time his sophomore year came, at age 15, he was part of the ‘Wonder Five’, a magical team that played stifling defense and was deadly accurate offensively. Dad thrived.
And here’s where he became a rebel. Remember, he’s a kid of the streets, who would walk to school both ways to save the nickel trolley fare. So when he heard of an opportunity to play semi-pro basketball in Patterson New Jersey, he jumped.
In 1922, organized basketball was in its infancy. ‘Professional’ consisted of teams that barnstormed the country (like the Original Celtics and the Harlem Globetrotters) with few organized leagues. The most popular form was college basketball—but many semi-pro teams sprang up all over, playing on weekends in stuffy little gyms to attract a local crowd and make a few bucks. My father knew of many such teams and had resisted the temptation to play. Until now.
Now, a Patterson team was willing to pay $10 a game, two games, every Sunday. That was $80 a month CASH for a 15 year old kid—a working man’s monthly salary for four days of play. Dad grew a mustache, signed up under an assumed name, and played all through high school, scared to death of what would happen if he ever got caught. He didn’t.
Eventually, he drew attention from Eastern area colleges and decided on Syracuse. He went on to play one year there before choosing to concentrate on his studies instead. Had it been today, he no doubt would have been part of a huge NCAA scandal, with sanctions being slapped about all over. But in the 20’s, in America, he was just another first generation kid trying to make his way out of the city, and into an American dream.
He was a rebel. He was my dad. And his stories, like this one, can live on forever, thanks to Lifeographies.
Lifeographies and Audiographies are documentary-quality products created in the Ken Burns style and brought to you by Mark Margulies. We highlight a life, then create the story you want to tell, paying special attention to major events and accomplishments along with the special moments. Contact us at www.lifeographies.net or via email at lifeographies@gmail.com. Tell their life story. Today. Forever.