heythere_jen

[New York Basketball @NBA_NewYork]

In 1971
Patrick Ewing's mom Dorothy
Left him and his 6 siblings
With their dad Carl
Back in Jamaica
And moved
To the US
Alone

She did it because
She wanted her children
To have a better education

She arrived in Cambridge Mass.
Had a job waiting for her
As a nanny/maid

Under immigration rules
During that time
She was tied
To her job

She had to work it off

But she "got her freedom,"
Patrick said years later,
"Got her freedom."

As Dorothy worked
She sent money
Back home

One by one
The family joined her

Patrick was one of the last
Arriving January 11 1975

He was 12
Almost 6 ft
Had never touched a basketball

He was a goalie
Too tall for his frame
Wore an old man's coat
And spoke with a thick patois

The local kids didn't get him
"Everyone looked at me
Like some kind of freak"

But one day
On a court near his house
They needed another player

He checked in
And "fell in love"

So as Dorothy worked doubles
At Mass. General Hospital,
And Carl on the 2nd shift
At the American Biltrite
Rubber factory
Making hoses,

Patrick Ewing learned basketball

In his first high school game
Patrick fouled out
He had 1 point
And lost by 17

In his last high school game
Against the same team
Patrick vowed
To score 40––
Plus 1 more
To match
His debut

And he did:
The nation's #1
High school player
Dropped a career-high 41
Including 30 points on dunks
In the state championship game

Which Cambridge won
For the third straight year

Capping a 77-1 run of games
Made even more astounding
By what the team had to face:

Cambridge Rindge & Latin
Was one of the area’s few
Mostly Black teams

Away games with signs
Calling Pat a monkey

Huge banners in all caps:
"YOU CAN'T READ"

Bus tires slashed
Windows shattered

"It was crazy" one player said
"There were so many incidents."

As a 7 ft kid from Cambridge
Patrick Ewing's idol
Was of course
Bill Russell

Russell had also faced
Searing racism in Boston
Yet won 11 titles for them

So "we endured it" said Ewing
"Whatever things were said
We took it out on
The opposition”

"We defied all the odds
Everyone rooting against us
We kicked everybody's butts"

Ewing left Cambridge for college
Already a dynastic player
Already his hometown's
Greatest athlete

Before he left for Georgetown
Reporters asked Carl about it;
A man of few words
He simply said:

"Patrick will stay 4 years
To get an education"

It was another
Ewing prediction
That turned out true:
Patrick got his degree

Along with three Final Fours
One national championship
Then two Olympic golds
Two NBA Finals

The Knicks all time leader
In points, rebounds
Blocks and steals

And the Hall of Fame.

Dorothy missed almost all of it
Passing away in 1983
Patrick devastated
He kept going

Carl stayed in Cambridge

Before his son's Boston games
Carl would cook for him
Curried chicken

Sometimes
Patrick would drive Carl
To Mt Auburn Cemetery
To Dorothy's grave
"And thank them
For bringing me
To this country"

Patrick always came back
“Cambridge is still
A huge part
Of my life"

"I felt like I was blessed
Not only to have mom
Bring me to America
But to Cambridge"

And yet when one looks
Around Cambridge

Patrick Ewing's name
Does not ring out

Over the years
Attempts were made:

"Patrick Ewing Park"

"Patrick Ewing Way"

But none happened

No park
No plaza
No street

…

On this day 10 years ago

August 24, 2016
Carl Ewing died
He was 91

Still of Cambridge.

He joined Dorothy's side
At Mt Auburn Cemetery

Some time later, quietly
A request came in

To name a tiny patch of land
Outside the Ewing home

Not after Patrick
But after its longtime residents

And so
You won't find it online
Nor in the travel guides

But if you go by the house
Off Western Ave
It's there

Carl & Dorothy Ewing Square

Named after two immigrants
Who came here
Built a life

Raised a family
Children, grandchildren
And great grandchildren

And one of the greatest players
In history

[KnicksMuse @KnicksMuse]

Two homegrown guys who worked their tails off for this city.

Best of luck to RJ and IQ in Toronto 🥲

[heythere_jen @heythere_jen]

@ErasTourResell My daughter and I would love!! Here we are at the movie

[Big Knick Energy @BigKnickEnergy_]

Kith Night at MSG means BKE is GIVING AWAY the Kith x Knicks shorts

Winner will recieve:
1 Knicks city edition shorts

HOW TO ENTER:
1.MUST BE FOLLOWING US
2.RETWEET
3.COMMENT THE MOST UNDER APPRECIATED KNICK (current roster)

*Giveaway ends tonight

[heythere_jen @heythere_jen]

@BigKnickEnergy_ Most under appreciated is IQ!

[Alan Hahn @alanhahn]

Holy Sh-t FDU. Those Jersey schools show up at the dance and cause nothing but beautiful chaos!

[Alan Hahn @alanhahn]

We’re gonna be laughing about this in October. Right?

[Kris Pursiainen @krispursiainen]

“RJ Barrett can’t finish with his right ha-”

[heythere_jen @heythere_jen]

This season is lost but the future is bright ✨

[KNICKS ON MSG @KnicksMSGN]

Look at @RjBarrett6 rallying the troops 👏

[heythere_jen @heythere_jen]

https://t.co/UgRETapFUv

[heythere_jen @heythere_jen]

@usopen will play occur for the non-covered matches today? We have grounds admission tickets and it is expected to pour all day.

[Alan Hahn @alanhahn]

Maddening result but not disheartening. Randle had his worst game of the year and Bullock didn’t make a three and still it took Trae to hit a runner with .9 left to beat the #Knicks. You win or you learn. #NewYorkForever

[NEW YORK KNICKS @nyknicks]

RJ. BARRETT.

PUT SOME RESPECT ON HIS NAME.

[heythere_jen @heythere_jen]

@fuboTV @theweeknd We missed half of it and now the entire halftime show is not clear.

[heythere_jen @heythere_jen]

NYC man who breached US Capitol seen for first time since siege https://t.co/dWR5d8ID24 via @nypostdddQ faRr

[heythere_jen @heythere_jen]

@SandonSpeaks @jonfavs Caaasdddwww

[Barack Obama @BarackObama]

I’m proud to endorse my friend @JoeBiden for President of the United States. Let's go: https://t.co/maHVGRozkX

[Governor Phil Murphy @GovMurphy]

New Jerseyans MUST practice social distancing.

I urge everyone to take this seriously. We need everyone to STAY HOME.

[Chef José Andrés 🕊️🥘🍳 @chefjoseandres]

From a friend in Spain: “So, there was a call on social media today in Spain to go out to balconies and windows at 22:00 to give a huge ovation to thank and support hospital workers. It’s 22:05 and I can hear the roar from the other side of the closed double glass windows.”

[Barack Obama @BarackObama]

If you’re wondering whether it’s an overreaction to cancel large gatherings and public events (and I love basketball), here’s a useful primer as to why these measures can slow the spread of the virus and save lives. We have to look out for each other. https://t.co/Ld7Uc8sPTQ