Willis Reed: The Art & Agony of a Gentle Giant, 1973

Willis Reed was past 30 now, and in the compressed lifespan of athletics that is to be past middle-age. It is a time when the body begins to betray its promises of youth, a time when the infinite resilience and boundless energy start to become less dependable certainties.

Ode to a Rookie Referee in Two Takes, 1967

Moser, about to hand the ball to the Celts’ John Havlicek, looked at the agonized Holzman—the Knicks were 16 points behind—and said firmly, “That’s enough,” without exclamation point.

Never a Dull Moment with the St. Louis Hawks, 1958

Kerner comes to a basketball game looking, fittingly, likes the best-dressed man in the hall. He leaves looking more like Emmett Kelly, the clown.

Willis Reed: Managing The Knicks’ Special Agony, 1978

Just as he did as a player, Reed threw himself wholeheartedly into the job.