WEBVTT - Black History Month Inspirations | Made in Maywood

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<v Speaker 1>This is Black History Month Inspirations, a seventy sixers Podcast

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<v Speaker 1>Network miniseries, Part one made in Maywood. On a good day,

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<v Speaker 1>you can get from Chicago to Maywood, Illinois in about

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<v Speaker 1>fifteen minutes, just a straight shot west on two ninety

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<v Speaker 1>from the Windy City. In a town less than three

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<v Speaker 1>square miles in size, It has seventeen homes on the

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<v Speaker 1>National Register of Historic Places. Incorporated in eighteen eighty one,

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<v Speaker 1>Maywood was early on promoted as a delightful suburb with

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<v Speaker 1>large and beautiful trees, high elevation, pure water, air free

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<v Speaker 1>from dirt and smoke of factories, with every convenience of

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<v Speaker 1>a great city. As stately and debonair as this description

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<v Speaker 1>may sound, Maywood would begin to undergo drum attic change.

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<v Speaker 1>A half century leader. The town was used as a

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<v Speaker 1>base for the Illinois National Guard during the Second World War.

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<v Speaker 1>More than half of the soldiers trained there never returned,

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<v Speaker 1>and in the nineteen sixties, like so many other places

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<v Speaker 1>around the country, both urban and suburban racial tensions brought

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<v Speaker 1>an inflection point. Good Evening, I'm Harry Reasoner. Not quite

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<v Speaker 1>two months ago, as we reported the President's Advisory Commission

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<v Speaker 1>on Civil disorder warned that race hatred threatened to tear

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<v Speaker 1>this country apart. Events this month have made the warning

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<v Speaker 1>more imperative than before. In more than one hundred cities,

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<v Speaker 1>violence broke out, forty persons died. Chairman Otto Kerner reads

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<v Speaker 1>from the report, this is our basic conclusion. Our nation

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<v Speaker 1>is moving toward two societies, one black, one white. Separate

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<v Speaker 1>and unequal. Discrimination and segregations have long permeated much of

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<v Speaker 1>American life. They now threatened the future of every amount.

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<v Speaker 1>For Doc Rivers, life was still relatively new born in

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen sixty one. Rivers remembers being obsessed with one thing

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<v Speaker 1>during that time, basketball And Doc wasn't just obsessed with basketball.

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<v Speaker 1>He was obsessed with a team, and in particular, a

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<v Speaker 1>specific player on that team, My uncle Jim. Jim Brewer

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<v Speaker 1>was from Maywood Providerwise now as I think eleven or

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<v Speaker 1>twelve NBA player from one school, which is unbelievable, But

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<v Speaker 1>Jim Brewer was the first. That was my dad's brother,

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<v Speaker 1>and I watched every game that he played in high school.

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<v Speaker 1>I was a second grader, third grader. I didn't miss

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<v Speaker 1>a game. I didn't miss one of his high school

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<v Speaker 1>basketball game from the time he was a sophomore until

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<v Speaker 1>he was a senior graduated, they won state. Brewer was,

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<v Speaker 1>as Rivers put it, a tough guy, a defensive player.

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<v Speaker 1>More than anything, Brewer was a worker. I go to

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<v Speaker 1>my grandmother's house. We called him Baba Brewer. He was

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<v Speaker 1>out in the backyard playing or at the parks playing.

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<v Speaker 1>I would ride my bike and go sit down and

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<v Speaker 1>watch him play at the park. So I'm just used

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<v Speaker 1>to work, you know, and you gotta do the preparation,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, you got to go through the process and

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<v Speaker 1>then you can have the parade. Brewer's focus left a

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<v Speaker 1>lasting impression. I think that's what That's why I made

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<v Speaker 1>it is because I saw him make it. I watched

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<v Speaker 1>him work. I watched him in high school. I watched

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<v Speaker 1>him go to University of Minnesota. He was the second

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<v Speaker 1>pick in the draft. Doug Collins was the first pick

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<v Speaker 1>that year and went to the Sixers. Jim Brewer went

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<v Speaker 1>to the Cleveland Cavaliers. So I saw that happen and

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<v Speaker 1>I knew you could make it. You know. It's funny.

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<v Speaker 1>In my journey, I never thought I couldn't make it

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<v Speaker 1>because I saw Jim Brewer make it. I thought that

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<v Speaker 1>was a pivotal reason why I made it. Even though

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<v Speaker 1>there was a ten year age gap between the two,

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<v Speaker 1>Rivers and Brewer stayed close. After Brewer went pro, Doc

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<v Speaker 1>would stay with his uncle from time to time when

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<v Speaker 1>he was still in school. For a budding hoops head,

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<v Speaker 1>the chance to work out with NBA players was priceless.

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<v Speaker 1>We're in over time. They got a car. He can

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<v Speaker 1>fire from long range. The guy on the Cavaliers that

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<v Speaker 1>used to grab me and work out with me was

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<v Speaker 1>Austin Carr. For whatever reason, he took a liking to me.

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<v Speaker 1>And so you know, I'm in sixth grade and I'm

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<v Speaker 1>working out with Austin Car, you know, which for me

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<v Speaker 1>it was normal, you know, But now when I look back,

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<v Speaker 1>that's abnormal. You don't get a chance to do that

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<v Speaker 1>very often. And you know, it's it's cool, Like a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of people don't know Austin. My son is named

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<v Speaker 1>after Austin Carr, and his middle name is James, which

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<v Speaker 1>is named after Jim Brewer. So that's the story. For

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<v Speaker 1>as much as Brewer inspired Rivers on the court and

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<v Speaker 1>helped him achieve his dream of making it to the NBA,

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<v Speaker 1>Rivers also came to a far more powerful realization over

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<v Speaker 1>time that while he was soaking in every shot, rebound

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<v Speaker 1>and victory of his uncle's renowned high school career at

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<v Speaker 1>Proviso East, there were bigger forces at play in the sixties.

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<v Speaker 1>In nineteen sixty nine, when they won the state championship

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<v Speaker 1>of Illinois, it was also the same year of the

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<v Speaker 1>race riots at Proviserwise in Maywood. They brought in different speakers,

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<v Speaker 1>they brought in different people. Nothing could stop the fighting.

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<v Speaker 1>But in March of that year something changed and then

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<v Speaker 1>Proviserwise goes down state and Wednesday state title. A Provisoist

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<v Speaker 1>has won their first sever They stopped football battle and

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<v Speaker 1>that was what stopped the riot. Finally, Brewer, at his night,

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<v Speaker 1>he did indeed, and he led the team in scoring

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<v Speaker 1>with seventeen fun Jim Brewer, you're asking me a while ago,

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<v Speaker 1>how many points you got? Do You don't know how

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<v Speaker 1>any points you got? Do you? No, you don't know

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<v Speaker 1>how any rebounds you got? No, what would a score

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<v Speaker 1>of the game. You're a member. All I wanted to

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<v Speaker 1>do was win. What do you think you had to

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<v Speaker 1>do with it? Also showed me the power of sports

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<v Speaker 1>and basketball. But Jim Brewer the fact that he was

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<v Speaker 1>my uncle and in my community showed me that I

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<v Speaker 1>could do what he could do. Black History Month Inspirations

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<v Speaker 1>continues at a moment. Hey, it's Brian Seltzer and here

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<v Speaker 1>at the seventy six podcast Network, we strive to bring

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<v Speaker 1>you sound content as much as we possibly can. Mondays,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll talk to you soon. Now back to Black History

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<v Speaker 1>Month Inspirations. Back in Maywood in the nineteen sixties, there

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<v Speaker 1>was a store that became a gathering place for residence

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<v Speaker 1>and passer by a like. It was called Nation Time

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<v Speaker 1>Record Mart and Doc Rivers worked there growing up. That

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<v Speaker 1>was the first black owns record store in Chicago. It

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<v Speaker 1>was back in the day with albums in forty fives

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<v Speaker 1>where you had to you know, customers would come in

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<v Speaker 1>and that note the name of songs, and I would

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<v Speaker 1>work after school and you have to put them song

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<v Speaker 1>on and play it and get it wrong and keep

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<v Speaker 1>guessing until you found it and then you would give

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<v Speaker 1>it to him in a little album sleeve and they

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<v Speaker 1>would walk off. Nation Time wasn't just a first black

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<v Speaker 1>owned record store in Chicago. It was owned by Grady Rivers,

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<v Speaker 1>Doc's father. For me, it gave me a musical background

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<v Speaker 1>that you couldn't get into school. You know, everyday, different music,

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<v Speaker 1>different genres. You learned it all. It also allowed you

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<v Speaker 1>to meet everyone because everyone just come in and socialized

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<v Speaker 1>and hang out in the record store because we played

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<v Speaker 1>live music or music you know, on speakers, and back

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<v Speaker 1>then couldn't get that many places, so it was a

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<v Speaker 1>special place. Record store owner was just one of the

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<v Speaker 1>many hats Grady Rivers war. He was also the baseball coach,

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<v Speaker 1>the football coach, the basketball coach. He was you know,

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<v Speaker 1>the therapist for the town. But first and foremost, Grady

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<v Speaker 1>Rivers was a Chicago policeman. I can't tell you that

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<v Speaker 1>how many times I came home from school and there

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<v Speaker 1>was a mom and some child sitting on our couch

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<v Speaker 1>and my dad give them counseling on you know, what

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<v Speaker 1>they need to do to not get in trouble and

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<v Speaker 1>to move on in life. Grady Rivers wasn't just a policeman.

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<v Speaker 1>He was a community policeman. He cared and looked out

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<v Speaker 1>for others, not because it was his job, but because

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<v Speaker 1>that was the type of person he was at his core.

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<v Speaker 1>But Dad at this thing about saying hi to everybody,

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<v Speaker 1>even if they don't speak back. It's amazing I do it.

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<v Speaker 1>I've learned that. My kids used to laugh at me, like,

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<v Speaker 1>you speak to everybody as well. I'm walking by a

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<v Speaker 1>human being, speak to him, let them know you're alive,

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<v Speaker 1>and show them you know by saying hello. Love. My

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<v Speaker 1>dad was a big believer in communication, and he was

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<v Speaker 1>very consistent as a person. And so those are the

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<v Speaker 1>probably the traits that I've learned from my dad the most.

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<v Speaker 1>For as much as Jim Brewer was a star in

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<v Speaker 1>the Maywood community, Grady Rivers was a town pillar. While

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<v Speaker 1>Rivers always seem to have time for others, he was

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<v Speaker 1>also there for his two sons. My dad communicated directly.

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<v Speaker 1>He was a big reader. I think I've heard every

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<v Speaker 1>saying verse in the universe because of that. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>one of his big things was finished the race. He

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<v Speaker 1>always told me that finished the race. I don't care

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<v Speaker 1>what you start. When you're in the middle of a

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<v Speaker 1>race and you get the lead, that's the worst place

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<v Speaker 1>to be sometimes because then you slow down, or you

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<v Speaker 1>look back, or you want to celebrate, or when you fall,

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<v Speaker 1>you have to get up. His whole thing is it

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<v Speaker 1>doesn't matter if you're leading or behind. Run hard, run

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<v Speaker 1>through the finish line, and finish the race. From an

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<v Speaker 1>early age, Doc understood the perilous nature of his dad's profession.

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<v Speaker 1>It was hard. I think the anxiety for me with

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<v Speaker 1>my dad being a police officer. You know they have

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<v Speaker 1>the three shifts, but that midnight shift, you know that

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<v Speaker 1>twelve to eight. As a little child, I couldn't stand

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<v Speaker 1>when he worked that shift. I was worried. I didn't

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<v Speaker 1>sleep well knowing that you know he's out at night.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, for every little kid, the dark time. The

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<v Speaker 1>nighttime is the toughest time, and my dad was out

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<v Speaker 1>of the house and god, you know, for three or

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<v Speaker 1>four months a year doing that time period, doing those shifts,

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<v Speaker 1>and that that's when an anxiety hit for me. I

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<v Speaker 1>was very relieved when my dad retired. I felt like

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<v Speaker 1>I had made it to the NBA and I could

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<v Speaker 1>help him retire as well. But he didn't stop doing

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<v Speaker 1>all the other stuff. You know, when he retired from

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<v Speaker 1>being a police officer, he still held the same thing

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<v Speaker 1>in the community. And this is why a community policing,

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<v Speaker 1>to me, is so important. Everyone knew my dad. Everyone

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<v Speaker 1>in Maywood and Chicago knew my dad. Everyone still came

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<v Speaker 1>to him for help. And so the good news was

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<v Speaker 1>he was now chasing criminals, I guess anymore, he was

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<v Speaker 1>just helping people. And so I thought his work after

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<v Speaker 1>he retired from being a police officer was even grander.

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<v Speaker 1>He could do it more, he could do it more

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<v Speaker 1>full time, and I thought it was great for her

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<v Speaker 1>little time. In November two thousand and seven, just one

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<v Speaker 1>game into Doc's fourth season as head coach of the

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<v Speaker 1>Boston Celtics, Grady Rivers passed away. Later that year, the

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<v Speaker 1>Celtics won what to this day is their most recent title,

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<v Speaker 1>and since then, Doc has gone on to become one

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<v Speaker 1>of the most successful coaches in NBA history and respected

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<v Speaker 1>voices in all of sports. He carries the memory and

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<v Speaker 1>inspiration of his father close. My dad died before Barack

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<v Speaker 1>Obama became president. My dad was a big breeder and

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<v Speaker 1>believed in everything, but he also had this one saying that, boy,

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<v Speaker 1>you can be anything in life except for president. He

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<v Speaker 1>always would say that, you know, you can be anything

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<v Speaker 1>in life except for president. And when Barack won, the

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<v Speaker 1>first thing me and my brother actually got on the

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<v Speaker 1>phone and the first thing we thought was about our dad.

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<v Speaker 1>Man dead should be here right now. He would be

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<v Speaker 1>so happy. He would be so proud for me. As

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<v Speaker 1>far as the things that I've been involved in, it's

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<v Speaker 1>all from my dad and my mom. They always told

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<v Speaker 1>us to stay involved. You know, I think growing up

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<v Speaker 1>in Chicago, Chicago such a political city, that is probably natural.

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<v Speaker 1>But it's definitely due to my dad that I've been

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<v Speaker 1>involved and believed that you try to speak your truths

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<v Speaker 1>as much as possible. It's a mindset and a way

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<v Speaker 1>of life that Rivers has owned. Earning the praise of players, peers, executives,

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<v Speaker 1>even leaders far beyond the NBA for his courage to

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<v Speaker 1>speak up and speak out and this nation needed healing

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<v Speaker 1>and Doc Rivers, the basketball coach, joking back tears when

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<v Speaker 1>he said, we're the ones getting killed. We're the ones

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<v Speaker 1>getting shot. We've been hung. It's amazing why we keep

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<v Speaker 1>loving this country and this country does not love us back.

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<v Speaker 1>I think about that. I think about what it takes

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<v Speaker 1>for a black person to love America. That is a

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<v Speaker 1>deep love for this country that has for far too long,

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<v Speaker 1>I've never been recognized. I just do. I do the

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<v Speaker 1>things that I think we should do. Honestly, Sometimes I

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<v Speaker 1>get that right, sometimes I don't. I'm a human being. Obviously.

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<v Speaker 1>When you're sitting at home and you're listening to Joe

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<v Speaker 1>Biden and he mentions your name, it brings pride and

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<v Speaker 1>makes you proud. I don't do it for that. I

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<v Speaker 1>can tell you that I do it because I think

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<v Speaker 1>it's the right thing to do. I want this to

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<v Speaker 1>be a great place. I want everybody to be equal

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<v Speaker 1>or have an equal opportunity, and I want people who

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<v Speaker 1>have an equal opportunity to understand giving someone else an

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<v Speaker 1>equal opportunity is not taking anything from you. It's just

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<v Speaker 1>given everyone the same opportunities that you had. I think

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<v Speaker 1>that's important for people to know so they don't feel threatened.

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<v Speaker 1>I don't think anyone's trying to take anything. I think

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<v Speaker 1>people want the same thing that everyone gets. Black History

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<v Speaker 1>Month Inspirations is a production of the seventy six Ers

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<v Speaker 1>podcast network. Our voiceover artist is Nick McCain. Production support

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<v Speaker 1>from Doc Rivers and gar Rivers. Music courtesy of APM Music. Look.

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<v Speaker 1>Traditional installments in this mini series throughout Black History Month,

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<v Speaker 1>with future episodes profiling Danny Greene, Mike Scott, and Elton

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<v Speaker 1>Burn