I had written a book about five or six years ago, kind of with Oscar Robertson, on the ABA, the Robertson suit that led to free agency, the mergers of the leagues, it was kind of an NBA history book of the '60s and '70s. It was great fun to do, because I'm interviewing all those guys who were playing as the best players on their team. No connection, but guys are dying. I'd done the last interviews with Havlicek and Wes Unseld.
On Oct. 31, 1950, Earl Lloyd of the Washington Capitols became the first African-American to play in an NBA game; Lloyd would go on to play for nine seasons, winning an NBA championship in 1955 with the Syracuse Nationals. Also on this date: In 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed a proclamation making Nevada the 36th state, eight days before the presidential election.