Jerry West Doc: A Hoopaholic’s Review
Gotta believe that a couple of years ago when basketball icon Jerry West passed away, there were more than a few fans of lesser years who wondered about the adulation, who had what I’ve dubbed a Bing Crosby Moment. * *When the crooner Crosby died in ’77, it was front page above the fold news at the then still great C-J. I who would believe I know more about pop music and culture than just about anybody didn’t get it.
The guy in the cardigan, smoking a pipe? White Christmas? After a smidge of research, I realized he was a teen idol, a global sensation, the Elvis of his time.
And it you don’t understand the Elvis reference, may the Lord have mercy on your soul. There’s a really interesting and informative documentary about Jerry West now streaming at Amazon Prime. “Jerry West: The Logo.
” The logo, that’s him all right. Rightfully deserved. The kid we once knew as Zeke from Cabin Creek.
* *One thing I learned from the documentary is that West actually grew up in Chelyan, West Virginia. Cabin Creek was nearby and obviously more poetic and phonetic. He could ball.