Nice Larry Bird story

Here's my favorite NBA story:

This is almost 25 years ago when I was relatively new to the NBA. I contacted the Celtics about setting up an interview with Bird when he was in Chicago. I was told it was all set, and, of course, no one told Bird. I arrived at the Deerfield Multiplex where the Bulls used to practice and waited for the Celtics to finish and walked up to Bird, who didn't know me and explained about the interview. Bird said he knew nothing about it and the team bus was leaving. He said he always came to the arena three or four hours in advance to shoot and to see him then. I said I'd hoped for a one-on-one and other reporters might be there. I had gotten over my shyness working in Washington, D.C. a decade before covering Congress and the White House. So I told Bird I'd drive him to the team hotel. "Sure," Bird said.

Even then, it was relatively unheard of, though I didn't realize it at the time.

I put on my tape recorder and shot questions at Bird for 30 minutes and then ran into trouble. First of all, my car then was a Toyota Celica. Not very big. Bird folded himself in without complaint. The Celtics were staying at the O'Hare Marriott and anyone who knows the O'Hare area knows it's not exactly a highway cloverleaf area. Streets cut in on diagonals. Never having stayed at hotels there, I couldn't find it. So there I am driving around and Bird is noticing I'm lost.

Remember, he's a star by then with championships and a reputation—I don't know how—as somewhat unapproachable.

He's not saying much but seeing the same things.

"You're lost, right?" Bird finally says.

"Uh, yeah," I admit, sheepish and embarrassed.

"Red's gonna kill me if I miss the game because of this," Bird says with a laugh to make me feel more comfortable.

I pull over and get directions and get to the hotel. As I pull up, Bird says, "Do you have enough? Want to come in?"

By then I was sweating so badly, I just stammered, "Uh, no."

Years later I had gotten to know Bird well and was with him many times.

"Larry, I've got to ask you something," I said one day. "Why did you ever take that ride from me?"

Bird smiled and gave a bit of a shrug.

"Just a Hoosier looking for a ride, I guess," he said with a hearty laugh.

Let me tell you, there aren't any guys in the NBA like that anymore and rarely have been.

I really hope Larry gets it done. If doing things the right way and treating people well counts for anything, he will.