In the third installment of his 2008 interview with author Tim Wendel, Randy Smith discusses the day the Braves traded away Bob McAdoo
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Portions of the interview were used in the book “Buffalo, Home of the Braves“, a large format book featuring the comprehensive history of the Buffalo Braves, Western New York’s NBA franchise of the 1970’s. Copies of the book are now available online from SunBear Press or at independent bookstores in the Buffalo area.
In this second installment of his 2008 interview with author Tim Wendel, Randy Smith talks about his early days with the Braves, and his friendship with another budding star, Bob McAdoo. Portions of the interview were used in the book “Buffalo, Home of the Braves“.
Randy Smith plays against his former teammate Bob McAdoo (left) in 1977
In 2008 Tim Wendel author of Buffalo, Home of the Braves interviewed Randy Smith, who played most of his prolific NBA career with the Braves from 1971-78. Smith passed away earlier this month.
In this first segment, Smith describes his determination in making the team’s roster after being selected as a courtesy pick out of Buffalo State by the Braves in 1971. Randy Smith Interviewed in 2008
Next week: Randy Smith talks about his second season with the Braves, and how the arrival of Jack Ramsay and Bob McAdoo changed his career forever.
The new book Buffalo, Home of the Braves is selling well, both online and at the following Buffalo area retail outlets:
by Tim Wendel
Some players only see the world through a prism of their own statistics and accomplishments. Others have no choice but to be a part of team – to be a spokesman for something larger than themselves.
That’s how it was with Randy Smith, who died unexpectedly last night of a heart attack. He was the spokesman for the old Buffalo Braves. He not only realized that but came to embrace that role.
“Sometimes I felt like I was the last of the Mohicans,” Smith told me during the writing of Buffalo, Home of the Braves. “But I was the guy who was there pretty much from the beginning to the end. I guess you could say I became the institutional memory of that team.”
Nobody loved the Braves and nobody loved Buffalo more than Smith. After starring as a soccer player at Buffalo State, the basketball Braves drafted him in the seventh round of 1971 draft. After working on his jump shot and then thrilling fans with his two-handed slam dunks in the preseason, he surprisingly made the NBA team. From there he continued to raise his game until he became an All-Star. Randy came off the bench to score 27 points in the 1978 NBA All-Star Game (the Braves’ last year in Buffalo) and took home the MVP award. He played 12 seasons in the NBA – a record 906 games – and never missed a game.
After his playing days were more, Randy eventually became the executive host at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn. Sometimes when I’d call, trying to sort out something for the book, he couldn’t talk right away. “Got some big clients in town,” he’d say. “Try me back.”
But when the high-rollers had gone home, Randy liked nothing more than to talk about the Braves and the old days with Dr. Jack Ramsay, Ernie D. and his good friend Bob McAdoo.
“He was the one who remembered all of our stories,” McAdoo says. “He was the best of the Braves.”
Buffalo News sportswriter had a great column on the Braves’ anthology: “Buffalo, Home of the Braves” this morning. He spoke with Tim yesterday, and was it was nice to have the column published before next week’s book signing and Jerry’s well deserved Florida vacation.
We heard from a lot of Braves’ fans today, many transplanted to other parts of the country but still with a strong affinity to Western New York and the Buffalo Braves, just like us. At day’s end we’re ending up as the number two sports story, what’s #1? The west wall of the Aud that came crumbling down as its demolition winds down.
The book “Buffalo, Home of the Braves” is close to completion. On Saturday, May 30, 2009, a book release celebration event will be held in Buffalo.
From 11 AM – 1 PM that day, author Tim Wendel will be available for the signing of purchased copies of the book in the Community Room of the New Era Cap Company, located at 160 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.
“Buffalo, Home of the Braves” can also be purchased online prior to the celebration event from SunBear Press.
CONTACT:
Chris Wendel
SunBear Press
Traverse City, MI 49684
231.392.2942
http://braves-world.blogspot.com
Buffalo, New, May 16, 2009 – Buffalo, Home of the Braves, a book detailing the history of Western New York’s National Basketball Association franchise, is scheduled for release on Saturday, May 30, 2009.
A book release event will be held in Buffalo that day. From 11 AM – 1 PM on May 30, author Tim Wendel will be available for the signing of books at the Community Room of New Era Cap Company. New Era is located at 160 Delaware Avenue in downtown Buffalo.
Buffalo, Home of the Braves follows the Buffalo Brave’s meteoric rise and fall as a National Basketball Association franchise that played in Buffalo from 1970-78. The 216-page, coffee-table style book will be available in a limited edition of 1,500 copies, and retail for $89
Available online from SunBear Press, and in limited quantities from the University of Buffalo Bookstore, the book includes 250 vintage color and black-and-white photos by former Braves’ and Buffalo Bill’s photographer Robert Smith, along with interviews with several key players, coach Dr. Jack Ramsay, team owner Paul Snyder and team play-by-play announcer Van Miller.
The Buffalo Braves made history with their up-tempo style of play, three NBA Rookies of the Year, and consecutive scoring titles by a young and emerging star, Bob McAdoo. The team’s identity is closely tied to Randy Smith, a seventh-round draft pick from Buffalo State, who turned a courtesy training camp invitation into an iron man career.
Each chapter chronicles one of the Braves’ seasons playing in the wild and crazy NBA of the 1970s. Author Tim Wendel narrates the on and off court drama, while offering plenty of “what if” scenarios for the Braves’ prospects in a league that was on the brink of greatness.
The opinion of that time is offered by legendary sports writer Phil Ranallo, with selected excerpts of his “What’s New, Harry” column that was a morning staple of The Buffalo Courier Express newspaper.
Nationally known writer and Buffalo native Erik Brady calls Buffalo Home of the Braves, “a seamless narrative, chock-a-block with time-capsule photos and bull’s-eye insights, all framed by selected ’70s columns from Phil Ranallo, smooth as a two-for-McAdoo jumper.”
The Author: Tim Wendel is an award-winning novelist and journalist, who was raised in Lockport, N.Y. His books include the novels Castro’s Curveball and Red Rain, as well as such nonfiction sports titles as The New Face of Baseball and Far From Home.
For additional information on “Buffalo, Home of the Braves”, contact Chris Wendel at 231.392.2942, cwendel@sunbearpress.com or visit www.sunbearpress.com.
Note: The book “Buffalo, Home of the Braves” is close to completion. On Saturday, May 30, 2009, a book release celebration event will be held in Buffalo.
From 11 AM – 1 PM that day, author Tim Wendel will be available for the signing of purchased copies of the book in the Community Room of the New Era Cap Company, located at 160 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo.
“Buffalo, Home of the Braves” can also be purchased online prior to the celebration event from SunBear Press.
There is solace in knowing that the files for the book “Buffalo, Home of the Braves” are now safely in the hands of our printer Village Press here in Michigan. They have given us a 3-4 week timeline before we have the now 216 page coffee table style book in hand, and copies are available to directly ship off to pre-orders.
We’re feeling solid about having an initial book release in May with a ceremony/book signing in Buffalo. There were obvious lessons learned through this process, but we also feel good that we refused to compromise quality and the vision of producing a high-quality once in a lifetime book.
The numerous delays and postponed release dates have been a source of frustration. A month or so ago, I emailed those dedicated fans that had preordered the book, some more than a year ago. After explaining how much longer the process was taking, almost everyone responded that they could wait a bit longer.
Painstaking were the endless edits of the manuscripts that had to be shifted through for grammatical and historical corrections. Thanks to Mitch Gerber and Eric Brady for helping us out, pointing out obvious errors that were quickly corrected. We also had an eleventh hour conversation with long-time WKBW TV sports anchor Rick Azar, who provided previously unknown information about the team’s early genesis.
So stay tuned in the few days for frequent updates and more importantly, an actual book.
Ironman Randy Smith
Bob McAdoo was featured today in a great piece by Harvey Araton in the New York Times about redemption and keeping one’s ego in check to get that second chance. The comparison of McAdoo getting his opportunity to win a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers was made to Stephon Marbury, as he enters a crossroad in his career.
A few months ago we tagged the Braves on with the title: “The team that time forgot”. So it came as no surprise, that there was no mention in today’s article of the Buffalo Braves, the team that gave McAdoo his first chance in the NBA, where he won three scoring titles as the league’s MVP in the mid 1970’s.
There was a similar tone several years ago when AC Green broke Randy Smith’s NBA record for the most consecutive games played. There was barely a mention of Smith, or the team he played the vast majority of his games for. Time has seemed to erase the Braves from the present day media’s memories. Perhaps a history lesson is in order.
