So on my recent trip to Los Angeles, I bought a new edition of SLAM Magazine(Basketball) and read an article about Maurice Stokes. I thought the StoneMan would like to read it.
Click Here to read the article
Original Old School: A Beautiful Tragedy
SLAM 146: Maurice Stokes’ career suffered a tragic ending, but his memory lives on today.
If not for a terrible injury that cut his career short, Maurice Stokes may have changed the landscape of 1960′s NBA basketball. Unfortunately, the 1956 Rookie of the Year fell victim to post-traumatic encephalopathy after landing on his head in a 1957-58 Playoff game. The injury robbed Stokes of his career just when it was getting started, but the reaction to his injury showed NBA players at their most caring and selfless. Peep this feature from the most recent issue of the magazine, SLAM 146—Ed.
3 comments:
Where was that picture taken? A tile floor??? Maybe it was SFC's pld gym. Mo was a great player. Such a sad ending!!
I learned stuff from Jason's post. I knew about Maurice but I thought he was crippled in a car accident. I now see, more clearly, why head injuries are a focal point; they should have been for a long time!
I actually knew Maurice 'Mo" and met the Great Jack Twyman, a first class human being who stepped in as guardian for Mo all the yrs. he lived after the injury and took care of his care, expenses and his Mother and sister's interests. At St.Francis U. Jack T. is an adopted son. One yr. we played Xavier U. and visited Mo in Christ Hosp. He couldn't speak but laughed at all our jokes about Coach Hughes and Loretto, Pa. In trying to get a picture for the paper we jockeyed around the bed every which way until Maurice mumbled to get us 'healthy' brains to look at the WHEELS and move the bed away form the wall. He laughed hysterically at our stupidity. Check out his stats from his senor/junior yrs. and the NIT tourney. Incredible rebounder, led the nba in rookie yr. First pro game I saw was Rochester Royals vs. St. Louis Hawks (Celtics - Warriors in 2nd game- $3. /ticket and smoking permitted in you seats in Convention Hall. Isat in 3rd row on the floor and slapped hands w/ Mo at 1/2 time. Saw Wilt vs. Russell, infreekincredible basketball. Cousy pt. gd. Sam Jones, Russell, Heinsohn, Cliff Hagan, Jungle Jim Loscutoff, Frank Ramsey, Satch Sanders, K.C. Jones, Red Auerbach. My heart is beating, that's enough. Oh, my seat was free, courtesy of connection w/ a foot traffic cop outside. Told me if anybody tells u to move, just go to the next closest seat but stay near the court. Good advice, I had to move a couple times but so what. Saw the entire 2 games within fours rows and foul line extended. Dipper Dunks all night long and smokers all around me.
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