Basketball Memories #2 - Seeing Bill Walton Play

I saw Bill Walton play two games against Atlanta during his heyday - or did I? 


During his championship year with Portland (1976-1977 season), a number of friends and I went to the game.  Walton and his team were terrific.  By the middle of the second quarter they were up by 30 points.  We had come to cheer on the Hawks, and were disgusted.  We left and went barhopping.  The good news is I did get to see him for a quarter and a half, and he was dominating.


The next year it looked like Portland was on the way to a second championship, and we again got tickets to the game.  The strangest thing happened during the game.  Walton picked up a quick foul when the game started and then another and then another.  By the third foul we were looking at each other and asking if anyone was seeing those fouls.


I don't remember how much time was passing in the game, but it seemed that he quickly collected his fourth and fifth fouls.  I will never forget the details of his sixth foul.  We had seats at the end of the court at ground level - in line with about a 16 foot shoot to the basket.  A Hawk was standing right in front of us about 18 feet from the basket.  Walton was guarding him but standing a good 5 feet from him.  The ball got to the Hawk, and he went up for a shoot.  Walton jumped up and closer, maybe getting as close as 3 feet.  The whistle blew and Bill Walton had fouled out of the game.


We were disgusted and went barhopping.  I never saw anything written about what was going on with Walton and the referees, but something sure was.