| − | Peter "Pistol" Maravich was an NBA basketball player of the most etertaining kind there is. As [[Pat Riley]], now Head couch of the [[Miami]] Heat, said: "Pete was the original. He was the best ball handler I ever saw. Ever." | + | Peter "Pistol" Maravich was an NBA [[basketball]] player of the most etertaining kind there is. As [[Pat Riley]], now Head couch of the [[Miami]] Heat, said: "Pete was the original. He was the best ball handler I ever saw. Ever." |
| − | Pete was the son of Helen and [[Press Maravich]], born in [[Pittsburg]], [[Pennsylvania]], on June 22, 1947. | + | Pete was the son of Helen and [[Press Maravich]], born in [[Pittsburg]], [[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 just had this 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, critisizing 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 coulple miles from his house in Woodland Heights, so he learned to dribble on his bycicle. 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. |