Did anyone go back for seconds?

My son.  He went back for seconds – and thirds.  I quit counting.  [Laughs.]

What are the ages of your oldest and youngest children?

The oldest is forty-one.  The youngest of six is eighteen.

Before we get started, how is the All-Cape Hoop Camp going?

It’s going very well.  We’ve got some good kids at the camp, which always makes it nice.  There aren’t any Michael Jordans out there, but we’ve got some kids who are very skilled.

Let’s talk  about life after USF.  You served two years in the military following graduation.  Please tell me about this period in your life.

I graduated from USF in 1956.  I wasn’t real sure about the war, but I was pretty sure I was going to get drafted – I just didn’t know when they would call.  So rather than wait, I decided to be proactive and take control of the situation.  I volunteered in September of 1956, and then went to the Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, with Bill [Russell], where we won the gold medal.  Because the seasons are reversed in Australia, the 1956 summer Olympics were actually held during the USA's winter time.  I served two years in the U.S. Army.

Did you keep in contact with Bill Russell during your stay in the military?

No, not really.  I was aware of what he was accomplishing in Boston, and I knew that the Celtics won the championship with him after the 1956-57 season, but we really didn’t keep in close contact at this time.

Following your stint in the army, you had a brief tryout with the Los Angeles Rams.  Were you serious about playing football for the Rams?

Pete Rozelle drafted me while I was still at USF.  He had been named general manager in 1957 and projected me as either a receiver or a cornerback.  Red (Auerbach) had drafted me to play basketball for the Celtics, but all of the scouts were saying that I was too short to be successful in the NBA.  They were also saying that I couldn’t shoot the ball well enough to play in the pros, so I thought my best chance for success rested with the Rams.

How did it go?

I was a starting cornerback for four exhibition games.  I played against players like Frank Gifford.  It was going well until I suffered an injury, and that was the end of my football career.  I was really upset about the injury, very angry.  That’s when I decided to call Red (about playing for the Celtics).