feed the big man

fifty years ago today, wilt the stilt put up 100 big ones on the new york knickerbockers.  on that night in hershey, pennsylvania, the hometown kid went 28-32 from the charity stripe, dunked on some fools, and got the remaining points from the paint.  he lived in new york and commuted to the games.  in fact, after this landmark performance, he drove back to the city with some of the opposing knicks.  once wilt went triple digits, the crowd of 4000+ rushed the floor. legend has it that they never finished the game, leaving 46 seconds on the clock.  wilt allegedly stopped scoring because "100 sounded better than 102", and his squad won 169-147.

wilt was so much bigger and more imposing than his peers in the league, and dominated most games while braving a multitude of (unsuccessful) defensive strategies.  the big dipper became most known for this statistical anomaly.  he played for several pro teams, including the harlem globetrotters.  he dropped the c-note while playing for the philadelphia warriors. he had a deft touch, great footwork, horrible free throw form, and a sweet spot for the ladies.

wilt never won a championship, and plenty of sports critics chide him for that.  shaq has 4 rings, magic and kobe sport 5, kareem, michael and scottie boast 6, big shot bob won 7, and wilt's arch nemesis bill russell tallied 11.  so what's more important - the stats or the hardware?

i find myself often unimpressed with musicians that can really play the snot out of blues changes or one-chord jams.  i'm picky and stubborn when it comes to repertoire.  i want to play interesting music, either originals or re-imagined arrangements of tunes.  i scoff at the idea of simply playing a head chart, ripping through it like everyone else, and displaying polished licks that have no relevance.  my wife calls her flute-rep equivalent "flashy trashy".

i need to learn to appreciate that approach to music.  i most certainly believe that it's important to be a part of the new wave in the arts, but should be a little more lenient with my opinions on those who are racking up the stats on real book tunes.  who am i to say what's most important?  i am all about creativity, but also know that our balance is found in the common place treatments of this music.

i tip my hat to wilt chamberlain for his unapproachable record and that memorable photo.  could you imagine if he was holding a sign with the number of his conquests?  the myth grows...