There are currently 4,100,726 confirmed cases and 280,431 deaths from the coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak as of May 10, 2020, 01:18 GMT.
Since it's early Saturday evening it made think of The Saturday Evening Post, an American magazine which is published six times a year. Published weekly from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. During the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, it was a widely circulated and influential magazines serving the American middle class. Presenting both fiction and non-fiction, as well as cartoons and features that reached millions of homes every week.
On May 8, 2020 an article written about the 1970 N.B.A finals where an epic game seven between the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers was played exactly fifty years ago. Prior to this series the NBA finals were not generally shown nationwide, but this year ABC had agreed to air the contest not knowing its historical significance. It was destined to become a classic as ESPN named it the greatest NBA finals of all time. A series decided by a game seven and for the Knicks it was riding on the shoulders and torn thigh muscle of forward Willis Reed. The Lakers, with their playoff veterans and the all-world Wilt Chamberlain. The series up to that point had been a back-and-forth contest in which games 3 and 4 went to overtime and neither team had scored less than 100 points in any game. The final battle was a home game for the Knicks and as Reed jogged out of the locker room the Garden of Madison Square exploded with a roar of cheers. Marv Albert called the game as Reed scored two early baskets although visibly pained. He also was in charge of stopping Wilt-the-Stilt, never an easy task. Reed put the clamps on Wilt and even though he left the game with 3 minutes to play in the half the Knicks were in a comfortable lead. Walt" Clyde" Frazier took the reigns from Reed and led the Knickerbockers to 113-99 win and NBA championship. When the famous and infamous announcer Howard Cosell interviewed Reed post game he called his performance "...the very best that the human spirit can offer.” The world of sport is filled with highs and lows and seasons and history can change in an instant. And two years later Chamberlain and the Lakers would have their revenge defeating the Knicks in five games. Chamberlain was the series MVP.
As this virus outbreak and consequent pandemic has cancelled current sports we still have these great moments to look back on and cherish. As you shelter-at-home, take some time to look up some classic finals and enjoy the past while the present is on hold.
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