Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-02-18

There is q worthwhile les
son in Bob Cousy's book. 'Bas-
ketball Is My Life" just pub
lished by Prentice-Hall. for any
youngster, or adult for that
matter, lacking the virtue Of
patience. It's a lesson CouSy
learned some years ago from
Joe Lapchick. coach Of st.
Johns University in Brooklyn.
Cousy, one of pro basket
balls greatest all-time per-
formers with the Boston Gel
tics, was a high school celebrity
from New York when he en-
rolled at Holy Cross. He ex-
pected the red-carpet treat
ment and was miffed when
Coach Doggie. Julian relegat I
him to the second platoon. And
when Bob discovered he would
have to fight fora job on the
second team he was ready to
pick up his marbles and leave,
He wrote to Lapchick. asking
if Joe would help him transfer
to st. Johns. which had an ex-
|cellent basketball rating.
Lapchick replied immediate
ly, pointing out that Cousy was
in college primarily for an edu-
cation and would get a good
one at Holy Cross. He said
Julian was a fine coach and
was counting on Bob for the
future. and that even if he
took the risk of transferring
he'd have to sit out one year.
BE patient" Lapchick ad-
vised the youngster. you're
only q freshman. Your turn
will come. Stay at Holy Cross.
You'll never regret it.
Cousy stayed. and didn't reg
ret it, although he never did
hit It OF too well with Julian,
who, incidentally. left Holy
Cross to coach the Celtics and
now is Dartmouth's basketball
mentor.
\ 4 4
Cousy, with AL Hirshberg,
Boston sportswriter, lending a
Arm, editorial hand. doesn't
spare himself in the book. and
1t adds up to 217 pages Of en-
crossing reading. You don't
have to be q roundball fan to
enjoy this one.
Born of French parents-al-
though his mother also was
born in New York and lived
there four years before her
family returned to France
-Cousy has a typical Gallo,
h a ir-triggered temperament.
He doesn't mince words in de-
scribing his early childhood in
a New York tenement. or his
adolescence and young man.
hood. He bears down so heavily
on this aspect of his character
one wonders how deeply Lap
chicks letter sank in.
From the wrong side Of the
street in the big city. Cousy's
parents moved to the wide open
spaces of st. Adams, Long
Island, where young Bob dis
covered a real playground and
was introduced to the game
that was to lead'to fame and a
fair measure of financial secu-
rity.
Not concerned with false
modesty, Cousy knew he was
a star from the start and the
fact that every coach from high
school on didn't Immediately
recognize his ability grated or
his nerves. Inwardly he churned
like a cement mixer when Lew
Grummond didn't promote him
quickly enough at Andrew
jackson High School. His reac-
ton to Julian's treatment al
Holy Cross was in the same
pattern.
The greatest shock came
when Cousy was drafted BY
the Tri-Cities Club. when he
expected to be selected by the
Boston Celtics for the National
Basketball Association. He wa:
shocked-and madl And wher
he was picked out of a hat by
Walter Brown, after Fri Cities
folded and its players were
distributed by lot. he stewet
because Coach Red Auerbact
publicly needed him about hi'
work.
But Red. who once played fol