You should cross the mountains like a brave man

Chapter 392 Fire and Breeze

On the night of January 1964, 1, there was a heavy snowstorm in Boston, which invisibly added a cold atmosphere to the major events that were taking place.

The players all know that if you don't succeed, you will succeed.

Tom Heinsohn got everyone to sign the boycott papers.

The last person to sign was Jerry West.

Heinsohn handed him the document: "Jerry, you haven't signed it yet."

West in front of him, his eyes were in a trance, as if he was still confirming the surrounding situation - Wei Xia never dreamed that he would participate in the 1964 All-Star Weekend strike in this way.

This time, the object of his crossing is no longer a certain star in the last game of the NBA regular season in 1978, but today, 14 years before that time.

The object of his crossing is the "LOGO man" Jerry West who he has played against the Lakers many times as John Havlicek, and as a real Lakers player who needs to be looked up to.

Although there are no mirrors in the locker room, there are several distinctive features that can prove who he is now.

Wei Xia is now wearing a thick jersey with the Lakers logo and the No. 44 jersey inside the jersey.

44 is an ominous number in European and American countries, but there are many stars in history who used this number to make their way into the world.They all end up cursed with numbers, though.

Don't believe me?Jerry West, can't beat the Celtics in his life;
Pete Maravich, before entering the professional league, expected to be comparable to the top ten super giants in history. Unfortunately, due to many reasons, he was displaced. In the last season, he joined the Celtics and danced with Larry Bird, but he couldn't get into the ring. In the end, he only worked hard in the league for ten years before choosing to retire.What makes people shudder is that in 1988, he really died of a heart attack while playing wild ball;
Paul Westphal, after winning the championship on behalf of the Celtics, was the owner of the Suns and retired as a coach, and he never got a championship again.

George Gervin, without a crown.

Although there are many reasons for winning or not winning the championship, but in the metaphysics of luck, it is better to believe in its existence than in its absence, after all, there are so many numbers.

Weisha took over Heinsohn's boycott documents, and wrote "Jerry West" strangely behind each of the shining great names.

Everyone signed and the players came together.

Heinsohn got the boycott document and walked out of the locker room with Larry Fleischer. They will hand this document to the senior league officials who are waiting to witness the history at the game site, and the bosses who think they will be brilliant from now on.

Although the league has signed a contract with ABC, as mentioned earlier, the TV station does not know whether the audience will like the NBA. Therefore, a trial broadcast of the All-Star Game is a must.

If the first broadcast of the NBA All-Star Game is boycotted by the All-Stars, no other TV station will be willing to sign a broadcast contract with the league in the future.Therefore, for this epoch-making event, all the prominent figures in the alliance, the management, and the celebrities, all came to the scene.Even, before the start of the game, those retired players were invited to play the veterans match.

They were looking forward to the start of the game, but Tom Heinsohn and his lawyers put the boycott papers in front of capitalists and rule makers who thought they could control everything.

These names were left on the boycott document.

Oscar Robertson, Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn, Hal Greer SG/SF, Jerry Lucas, Sam Jones, Wayne Ebrey, Len Chappell C/PF, Chet Walker SF/SG, Tom Gola SG/SF, Bob Pettit, Elgin Baylor, Walter Bellamy, Guy Rogers, Wilt Chamberlain, Don Ohl PG, Terry Dischinger SF/SG Lenny Wilkens, Bailey Howell.

20 names, 17 future Hall of Famers, and at that point in 1964, five of the six greatest players in basketball history: Big O, Russell, Chamberlain, Baylor, and West. The weight of the list alone is no less than that of the future Dream Team.Once they fail, basketball dies and the NBA ceases to exist.

At the right time, at the right place, and at the right time, the players put forward the right request: to resist the anti-human system of "more money, less work, and less rest", and demand rationalization of the game schedule, improvement of medical security measures and pensions.

What do these requirements mean?It means that in the future, all players who are over 50 years old and have worked for the league for at least three years will be able to receive a pension ranging from 6 to 20 U.S. dollars per year, as well as health checks and even guarantee contracts that the league will cover most of the expenses.

Heinsohn's expression changed as he handed the boycott papers to league president Walter Kennedy, along with team owners, coaches and top ABC officials.

"You have two hours to decide where we are going." After that, Heinsohn ignored Auerbach's sharp gaze, turned and walked to the locker room.

"Ridiculous! Ridiculous! They are literally shitting on our faces!" Les Harrison, the owner of the Cincinnati Royals, roared. "We will never accept this document! This kind of precedent cannot be set!"

Walter A. Brown, owner of the Boston Celtics, scoffed. "What if they really boycott the game?"

"Then we'll have to see if those sons of bitches really have stiff wings, or are they just bluffing!" Auerbach said grimly.

The bosses talked a lot. The president of the league, Kennedy, was neither more cunning than his predecessors, nor as serious as his latecomers. He was like a moderate leader, willing to listen to suggestions.

Seeing that they couldn't argue, the bosses collectively opposed the players' boycott, and some people were worried about forcing the players to break up, but the senior officials of ABC lost their patience: "Half an hour has passed, and you have not expressed anything! I warn you, if you or the group of niggers who are aggressive dare to release us during prime time, the contract between us will go to hell!"

"No matter what, we can't let them succeed, sir, you should take this document in front of them and tear it up in front of them, and let them know that we will never accept it!"

St. Louis Hawks executive Marty Blake said emphatically.

Seeing that the start of the game was less than 90 minutes away, Kennedy nodded emphatically, took an administrative staff with him, and was about to go to the locker room to negotiate with the players.

"Sir, I'm coming with you!" Auerbach said angrily. "Those sons of a bitch won't do anything to me!"

Ten minutes later, the locker room in the Old Garden was pushed away by Auerbach: "What are you doing!? What are you doing?! You sons of bitches want to rebel, don't you? Get the hell out of here and play! You signed a contract, you belong to the league, have your professionalism and morality been fucking eaten by dogs?"

No one moved.

Wei Xia sat in the corner. Yesterday, Auerbach and the players were intimate because they beat the rival Lakers.

And now, for their respective interests, they stand on opposite sides.

He had never seen such a conflict that was so contradictory and divorced from reality but actually happened.

"Unless the league and the owners embrace our initiative, no one is going to walk out of the locker room today."

Heinsohn, who usually acts as a human sandbag for the bishop of the team, has never disobeyed Auerbach like this.

"Are you taking my words like the wind?" Auerbach raised his voice again. He has reprimanded countless people in this place. "It is your responsibility and obligation to play on the court, not a tool for you to coerce the league. All of you have contracts. If you are obsessed with obsession, I guarantee that you will sleep on the street tomorrow! You idiots, get off the court immediately!!"

Heinsohn calmly dealt with the bishop's anger. He gently raised his hand and said, "Redhead, I can't do this alone."

Yes, Auerbach noticed.

Not only Heinsohn, but also Jones, Russell, and other stars of the team, they do not have the awe of the Celtics players in him.If even the Celtics decide to fight against him, what about the others?

"Okay! Okay! You idiot!" Auerbach didn't expect things to get out of control like this. "I'll let you fucking pack up tomorrow, you bastard!"

Then his fierce eyes turned to Russell and Jones, "This man is crazy, do you want to be crazy with him, or go to the court to fulfill your responsibilities and obligations?"

Jones trembled and dared not speak.

Russell sat in front of him, and he confronted Auerbach: "We're not going anywhere until it's resolved."

"Okay, okay!" Auerbach was furious, "I swear, I will fire you three sons of bitches!"

When Auerbach vented his anger with nothing but swearing, it was a sign that the player was gaining the upper hand, and Kennedy stepped forward to allow Auerbach to back off a bit, allowing him to negotiate with the player.

"Gentlemen, do we have to get this far?" Auerbach is the fire, he is the breeze. "Is there no other solution?"

(End of this chapter)