Back in the days before the internet, I cannot tell you how thrilling it was to approach October, the start of the new NBA season, when the new Zander Hollander Complete Handbook of Pro Basketball would come out.
You’d keep checking in the Sports section of the bookstore — which for me was a Barnes and Nobles in Manhattan on 8th Street and Broadway — to see if it had arrived.
And then there it would be — a quick purchase and could not wait to start reading it on the subway home to Brooklyn.
Zander Was On Point & Funny
It was more than a treat — the unique feature was the funny and accurate bios of each player that Hollander provided, which were part scouting report, part standup comedy, but always razor sharp and on the money. Zander pushed the envelope. This type of writing, on sports players, was not available anywhere.
Zander also provided statistics for each player, a scouting report on players just drafted, and predictions — a complete handbook.
Analysis of Zander’s Analysis
I’m providing here a sampling of the 1983 Handbook — which came out just before the 1982-83 season, and featured stats for the 1981-82 season. I’m presenting the pages for the Knicks team — under Fair Use doctrine of Copyright law, and with perfect hindsight, will analyze Zander’s analysis.
The 1982-83 Knicks
Cocaine and marijuana and other drugs were everywhere in the early 1980’s. Cocaine was the “in” drug being used by the regulars on Saturday Night Live, in the clubs of NYC like Limelight and Studio 54, on Wall Street, at private parties, and in sports. It was Everywhere. As the decade would play out, the Yankees had several players suspended for using it, including Yogi Berra’s son Dale Berra in 1986, and of course Steve Howe, the pitcher who MLB suspended 7 (seven) times for cocaine use.
It was bad — but nobody knew how bad at the time. And Zander Hollander could not know that a number of the Knicks had big cocaine habits, that led to them fixing games. Thirty years later — in 2013 — it was revealed that the FBI had investigated the 1981-82 Knicks for game fixing.
The 1981-82 Knicks had fallen from grace of the 50-32 season of 1980-81, to a 33-49 record.
Red Holzman was fired, replaced by Hubie Brown.
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER, CLEARER VERSION.
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER, CLEARER VERSION.
Zander on Michael Ray Richardson: “Among the league leaders in turnovers and fouls committed.” That may have been a sign that he was high as a kite many nights, and/or that he was throwing games? The FBI has never released what Knicks they investigated for fixing games. Reports said that informants told the FBI that 2 to 3 unnamed Knicks players, described as heavy cocaine users, were shaving points or intentionally lose games to help a “major” East Coast drug dealer.
The honeymoon had worn off on Bill Cartwright by this time, and Knick fans, and Zander saw his poor rebounding and poor defense as liabilities.
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER, CLEARER VERSION.
Just before the 1981-82 season, Richardson’s backcourt mate Ray Williams was traded to Portland for Maurice Lucas. Lucas had a bang-up year for the Knicks in 1981-82 as their power forward, averaging 15.9 ppg and 11.3 rebounds per game — which was great on paper.
But NY traded him right after the season for Truck Robinson — a trade that didn’t seem to make sense a the time. BAccording to Zander, Len Truck Robinson “requested a trade and Phoenix accommodated him” — but Truck was only 6’7 (more likely 6’5) and Maurice Lucas as a legit 6’9 enforcer.
Thirty years later we now know the FBI investigation, drugs, and game fixing might have had something to do with that trade.
On Paul Westphal, Zander said: “Came back from stress fracture in his foot and tried to prove he’s still an All Star.” Well that explains my memory of Westphal seeming to be ‘done’ when the played for the Knicks — not that quick anymore. Westphal would play 1 more year for the Knicks in 1982-83, averaging 10 ppg in uninspiring play — then going back to Phoenix for a year before retiring.
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER, CLEARER VERSION.
Years after having Bob McAdoo in his prime, the Knicks got Randy Smith — McAdoo’s co-hero in Buffalo along with Ernie DiGregorio. But NY got Smith at the end of his career.
NY had traded Mike Woodson after his rookie year to New Jersey for a 33-year-old Mike Newlin, and Newlin immediately dropped from 21.4 ppg to 9.3 ppg during the ill-fated 1981-82 campaign.
Zander did not have high praise for Marvin Webster, despite him playing 82 games for the 2nd year in a row for NY. Webster would play 82 games again in 1982-83, then 76 games in 1983-84, before an injury sidelined him for 2 years from 1984-86. He came back for 15 games with Milwaukee in 1986-87 before retiring.
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER, CLEARER VERSION.
Poor Toby Knight. He never did make a splash in radio or TV work, and little is known about his whereabouts today.
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER, CLEARER VERSION.
Below is a full picture of the cover of the 1983 handbook, featuring Magic Johnson and Julius Erving.
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER, CLEARER VERSION.
Below is the back cover of the 1983 handbook, featuring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kurt Rambis.
CLICK ON IMAGE FOR LARGER, CLEARER VERSION.