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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 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.
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 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.
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.
One time at a drugstore, Pete was spining 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.
One time at a drugstore, Pete was spining 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.
== College ==
== College ==
Pete Maravich went to school at [[Louisiana State University]] from fall 1968 to spring 1970. He became the only to score more than 1,000 points as a sophmore. Before Pete came, basketball at LSU was a hobby. It took second place to football. Then people became interested when the team began to win more games because of one firey gaurd. In fact
Pete Maravich went to school at [[Louisiana State University]] from fall 1967 to spring 1970. He became the only person everto score more than 1,000 points as a sophmore. Before Pete came, basketball at LSU was a took second place to football. It became much more popular when the college team began to win more games; it was because of one firey gaurd.
== Born Again ==
== Born Again ==
After leaving the NBA Pete isolated him self from his trophies and awards, his friends, and even playing basketball. His wife saw his moods swing between confusion, resignation and despair. He had a very strict diet, mostly vegan, and he would sometimes fast to "test himself".
After leaving the NBA Pete isolated him self from his trophies and awards, his friends, and even playing basketball. His wife saw his moods swing between confusion, resignation and despair. He had a very strict diet, mostly vegan, and he would sometimes fast to "test himself". He bought hundreds of dollars worth of vitimans to extend his life, and invested money in numerous assests.
Then one night he was thinking about the effect of alcohol on his family: it drove his mother to suicide, his brother Ronnie was now addicted to it, and one night he had been drunk, and he totaled his car into a parked vehical going 55 miles an hour. Ever since his first tast of beer at age 14, on the steps of a [[Methodist]] church, it had had a negitive effect on his life. When the police officer pulled Pete out of his wrecked car, he said "Pete, you're the luckiest man I've ever seen." A drunk Pete didn't have a scratch on him. "You don't understand," he replied dissmisivly, "I've got to play pro ball." He recalled a weekend a long time ago when he taught at a basketball clinic for the Campus Crusade for Christ. There he heard the Gospel of [[Jesus Christ]] but he said "I don't have time for you, Christ my goals are set." For practically the whole night he was tortured by his memories of ugly things he'd done to people or himself. He remebered the word sin, and saw all these painful deeds for what they were. In tears he prayed, "God, I've punch you. I've kicked you. I've cursed you. I've used your name in vain. I've mocked you. I've embarrassed you. I've done all those things. Will you really forgive the things I've done?" Then he heard a voice.
"Be strong lift up thine own heart."
"Jesus, Iknow you're real because I've tried everything else,I've got nowhere to go. If you don't save me I won't last two more days." "From that moment on," Maravich recalled, "my life was never to be the same again. When I took God into my heart, it was the first true happiness I ever had."
== The Legacy ==
== The Legacy ==
The Pistol changed the way basketball was played. Modern players are still inspired by him; he set a precedent and changed the whole style of the game.
The Pistol changed the way basketball was played. Modern players are still inspired by him; he set a precedent and changed the whole style of the game.
Source material: Maravich - Wayne Federman and Marshall Terrill- Sport Classic books -c. 2006
Source material: Maravich - Wayne Federman and Marshall Terrill- Sport Classic books -c. 2006