King George

Note to readers: Below is a letter in our achieves from the late

George Yardley, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer from Newport

Beach who died Thursday of ALS. It was dated Jan. 2, 1996.

Daily Pilot Sports Section:

My mom and dad spoiled me from birth and nobody could spoil a

child like Dorothy and George. Then Diana topped their effort

spoiling me for 43 years of marriage. The four children have helped

immeasurably with their constant love and affection.

Then along comes the Pilot giving me a full page and a half on

Christmas morning with the “Year of King Georgie.” Now to cap off the

most threatening of all years to my humility, I am given the sports

story of the year in the Jan. 2 [1996] issue.

Roger Carlson and the whole staff have been way too nice to me and

I am overwhelmed with the attention.

My friends are giving me a ration of you-know-what, but I am

getting to the point where I can handle it. I think if it is in the

paper, it must be true. I have had humility for long enough, now I

want to be just like Jim Colbert, Jack Nicklaus, Albert Belle, Dennis

Rodman, Jeff George, Michael Irvin and the rest.

Stand in line for an audience, the Pilot made me a star.

Roger, I love you.

Sincerely,

George Yardley