The Robert Parish Interview
By:
Michael D. McClellan
|
Wednesday, May 11th, 2005
You
were born on October 30, 1953, in Shreveport, Louisiana. Please share some of
the memories from your childhood – especially those of growing up the son of
Robert Sr. and Ada Parish – and also some of the events in your life that led
you to the basketball court.
We
were a close-knit, happy family, and this closeness was fostered mainly by my
mother. She was a religious woman. She taught us the fundamental beliefs from
the bible. She taught us the importance of faith and religion, and also the
importance of being respectful. We learned courtesy at a very early age. My
parents worked hard to provide for us – there were four children, and I was the
oldest, with one brother and two sisters – and they always stressed the value of
a good work ethic. They also wanted us to get an education. They knew how
important a degree would be when it came time to find work. A degree meant the
difference between a career and a life of hard work.
You
credit your junior high school coach, Coleman Kidd, with spurring your
interest in basketball. Please tell me a little about Mr. Kidd.
Coleman
Kidd deserves all the credit for the things that led up to me playing
basketball. I had never played basketball until I was in junior high
school. He was persistent; he saw the potential in me, even when I didn’t
see it myself, and he kept after me to pick up a ball and play
competitively. I showed very little interest initially, but he stayed with
me, kept encouraging me, and kept me positive – even though I wasn’t showing
a desire to play the game of basketball. So if I had to pick one factor
that left me to the basketball court, it would have to be Coleman Kidd. If
it weren’t for him, I would have been just another tall kid walking around
the streets of Shreveport [laughs].
You
played high school basketball for Woodlawn. Is it true that your coach, Ken
Ivy, spanked you with a wooden stick when you failed to show up for that
second practice?
Nope.
Not true.
