| − | Pete was the son of Helen and [[Press Maravich]], born in Aliquippa, [[Pennsylvania]], on June 22, 1947. Growing up, he had a strong urge to win. Depending on your point of view, he was a sore loser, or he had an unreasonable desire to excel. Just as unreasonable, was his father's expectations for him to perform. Consequently, Pete quickly became a competent basketball player. Because he was always pushing himself; and his father-the college couch-was always encouraging, guiding, criticizing him; by the time he was 13 years old he was practicing 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Even more on Saturdays. And on Sundays, when the gym was closed, he would crawl in through a window and practice for a few hours. | + | Pete was the son of Helen and Press Maravich, born in Aliquippa, [[Pennsylvania]], on June 22, 1947. Growing up, he had a strong urge to win. Depending on your point of view, he was a sore loser, or he had an unreasonable desire to excel. Just as unreasonable, was his father's expectations for him to perform. Consequently, Pete quickly became a competent basketball player. Because he was always pushing himself; and his father - the college coach - was always encouraging, guiding, criticizing him; by the time he was 13 years old he was practicing 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Even more on Saturdays. And on Sundays, when the gym was closed, he would crawl in through a window and practice for a few hours. |
| | He hardly ever did homework: he would wake up early to practice before school. The school and gym were a couple miles from his house in Woodland Heights, so he learned to dribble on his bicycle. He brought his basketball with him everywhere, when he walked to school, the ball was part of him; dribbling became unconscious as he did it for 2 miles, twice a day, everyday. He made sure to use his right hand as much as his left. | | He hardly ever did homework: he would wake up early to practice before school. The school and gym were a couple miles from his house in Woodland Heights, so he learned to dribble on his bicycle. He brought his basketball with him everywhere, when he walked to school, the ball was part of him; dribbling became unconscious as he did it for 2 miles, twice a day, everyday. He made sure to use his right hand as much as his left. |
| | One time at a drug store, Pete was spinning a ball on his finger when a local kid bet him he couldn't spin it for one hour. Pete got $5 after he did it. He became a town sensation; everyone knew him for his ball skills. | | One time at a drug store, Pete was spinning a ball on his finger when a local kid bet him he couldn't spin it for one hour. Pete got $5 after he did it. He became a town sensation; everyone knew him for his ball skills. |