The Hardwood is Still Hard
When the gym light was just right, Dr. Gramps gave the illusion of running.
Playing sports changed my life. Sports shaped who I became as a person, physician, and public health advocate. Sports gave me the best of experiences and connected me with the best of lifelong friends. Sports showed me what true teamwork means, on and off the court. I saw midwestern fairness in action. I saw the best of us. Sports transformed me into an Everyday Athlete.
Did I play professional sports? Nope, not nearly good enough. Was I a star player on a powerhouse college basketball team like Indiana University or UCLA? Nope. But with lots of support, I carved out a successful path playing the sports I loved. Much of the self-help fitness literature focuses on “working out” at the gym or aerobic exercise such as running, biking, and swimming. Worthy ways indeed to get the physical activity we need for good health. But too often, playing sports is left out of the discussion. Let’s change that.
In February, I attended the 2026 MIT Basketball Reunion. This special weekend gave me a chance to reflect on my unlikely story. How did a vertically-challenged, basketball-loving kid from Indiana end up playing small college basketball at a prestigious university on the East Coast?
Like generations before, most Hoosier boys growing up in the 1950s and 60s had a burning desire to play Indiana high school basketball (think Hoosiers). By second grade, I had a backyard hoop. When I tried out for the Franklin Elementary team, the coach said, “You’re short, but you’re slow!” (?!) I was shorter than most of my friends, but I was quick on the court, had great hand eye coordination, and possessed one super power: I loved to play basketball! I was the only 5th grader who made the team.
Usually a starter on my school teams, junior year I was worried about getting cut. Many good players were competing for 10 coveted varsity slots. After the final tryout practice, the coach posted the Cut List. It was not in alphabetical order. The top five names would be the season’s starting five. I scanned the second five and didn’t see my name. I kept staring and waiting, as if an intense gaze would make the invisible ink visible. “Minot Cleveland” would magically appear. Getting cut from the Madison Heights basketball team was the first time I’d ever been told so directly, so clearly that I wasn’t good enough. The sting lasted.
Once cut, most kids don’t try out again. But I had support and opportunities. My parents quietly encouraged me to keep playing. I took frequent advantage of the Anderson YMCA, played on a winter church league team, and joined pickup games in backyards, driveways, and parks. Senior year I tried out again. Though never in the starting five, I made the team! Three teammates got scholarships to schools now considered Division 1. Jim Regenold is still the 5th leading scorer at Ball State University and tried out for the 1972 Milwaukie Bucks. Jere Shockey played with Bill Walton intensity. He went to LSU and played a year with the magician “Pistol Pete” Maravich.” No wonder I “rode the pines” more than I liked! But I played in every game but one and was proud to be a member of a very good Madison Heights Pirate team.
When this naive kid arrived at MIT in the fall of 1967, I struggled academically. The Institute mailed my first semester grades to my parents: 2 Bs and 2 Cs, unheard of for Mr. Valedictorian and President of the Honor Society. Not doing great in this new adventure, I went out for the freshman basketball team and surprised myself by making it. By sophomore year, I had let my hair grow long and become very involved in the protest movement against the Vietnam War. Playing basketball strengthened me, anchored me, and brought me great joy. When a starting guard broke his wrist just prior to my sophomore season, I took that starting spot and kept it for three varsity years. Playing basketball saved me at MIT.
Once back in Boston and Cambridge to attend the 2026 Reunion, I was reminded of how life-changing going to MIT had been. But there was a pressing question for this 1972 graduate. At the tender age of 76, was I really suiting up for Saturday’s Alumni Game? I had continued my full court adventures in Portland until 66, but had followed the orthopedist’s advice and stopped playing after a hip replacement (then two knee jobs). Far from basketball shape, at least 20 pounds over my playing weight, lacking the leg strength to shoot the ball like I used to…perfect! What could go wrong? I set modest goals. First, no significant orthopedic or head injuries. Second, score 8 points…in the pre-game layup drill!
I laced up my Nike high tops, white with green laces and trim (homage to the Boston Celtics). Would this be the final time? When is that next reunion...Coming out of the locker room to warm-up, I was amazed at the improbable journey that had gotten me here. The legs loosened up and before long, I had my 8 points in the pre-game layup drill. Look out fellas!
Just taking my 2nd-half nap! Play On!
A scrappy point guard in my playing days, I always had to hustle like crazy to compete. Diving on the floor for loose balls was common. (My high school coach called it “mopping up the floor.”) In the Alumni Game, I played a few minutes each half, ending up on the floor in each one. Certainly no diving for loose balls. But when I bumped into one of the big guys, I just hit the deck! The bruised left ribs were a sharp reminder that the hardwood is still hard. One game photo shows me dribbling the ball that suggests I was actually running. Another shows me lying on the court after a tumble. A Portland friend said, “It looks like you’re taking a nap!” Surrounding players are unconcerned!
“Athlete” comes from the Greek meaning to “contend for a prize,” as the ancient Greeks did in their sports and games. Very few among us will become the elite professionals or Olympians we watch on TV. But at any skill level, so many more of us can become Everyday Athletes whose essence is participation. I’m so grateful that sports have been an essential part of my life. When we leave the sidelines and step onto the playing field, we contend for the prizes of good health, life-changing experiences, life-long friends, and building community
