Missing the joy that Bill would always bring

by Ernie McCray

Bill Walton.
The Big Redhead.
Dear friend.
Disappeared.

And I'm going to miss him so much
for pure joy
he brought to my life,
from the moment I first saw it
on a basketball court
at secondary school,
having never seen
such domination
in a basketball game,
while he was directing the painting
at each end of the ground
like a king who reigns
on a monarchy,
block shots and
snatch rebounds like the ball
it was up to him, alone, to touch or seize,
initiate sudden fast pauses
with passes that were right on the beam,
driving the defenders crazy,
it seemed,
with a range of jump shots
and led
and hook shots
and advice
and assist
and configuration screens
and play off-screen.

Oh, it was kind of a scene
Then Bill got into his routine
at UCLA and the NBA,
become one of the players of the game
the greats of all time.

And even though I enjoyed it so much
what he represents for the world of sport,
it's his humanity
This is what brought me the most pleasure,
his vision of life,
perspectives he shared freely as a commentator
on TV,
to the discontent of some spectators
like when he freestyled a story
it distracted us from a large room
perhaps this is happening before their eyes
and I sometimes felt the same –
but I almost all the time
appreciated what he had in mind,
the way he linked basketball to the real world
with deep thoughts that touched
hope, peace and love
and teamwork and creativity
and imagination,
reflections born from his desire,
as an extraordinary social and political activist,
to create a better society.

Not to mention that it warmed my heart
when from time to time he mentioned me
on national television
or highlighted scenes,
when he covered
a Wildcat game in Tucson,
my beloved hometown,
that captured my instant attention
because they mean so much to me:
standing sahuaros,
so resilient and adaptable;
the Catalina Mountains
with its rugged hiking trails
and pine trees
and ski facilities,
a contributor to pools and streams
Sabino Canyon,
a source for much of my spirituality
and the sense of beauty.

I will miss this beauty forever
loving and caring
joyful human being.

RIP, my friend.