MoragaBear;842708560 said:
That's too bad. Loved Nate.
Just got to meet his teammate Rick Barry with my son last weekend
bearister;842708555 said:
http://www.csnbayarea.com/warriors/warriors-legend-nate-thurmond-passes-away-age-74
I believe Kareem once said Nate D'd him up better than anyone else.
SFCityBear;842709091 said:
Nate was such a great player. Had he not played in an era with such big names like Wilt and Kareem, he would have clearly been the best center of that era, or maybe any era. He was relentless on the boards, and on defense. Offensively, he had all the shots, a jump shot to 20 feet and he could hook with either hand. But more than all this, he was a great person, humble, and kind.
I first met Nate in a saloon called Henry Africa’s, the world’s first fern bar. I had gone there with a date to have a drink. After a while, I noticed Nate Thurmond coming in the front door with his lady. The place was crowded, but they found a table in the rear. At the time Nate was my favorite player on the planet, and I wanted to honor him in a small way, so I asked a waiter to bring a round to Nate and his lady and bring me the bill, and just tell Mr. Thurmond that the drinks were from a fan who appreciated his play. A little later, the waiter returned, and said Mr. Thurmond would not accept the drinks, unless I joined him to have the drink with him. So my date and I went over to Nate’s table, and he stood up and shook our hands and introduced his lady. We spent the entire evening together, telling stories and talking as though we had known each other for years. He was such a down to earth person. He has been described as a real gentleman, and he was all of that. At the end of our evening together, and we were about to leave, Nate asked me, “What are you doing this weekend?” “Nothing much. Why?” I replied. Nate said, “The Warriors have a game against the Clippers in San Diego on Saturday. Why don’t you come down to San Diego with me. There isn’t anybody in San Diego who will buy me a drink.” We laughed.
Through the years, I used to see Nate sometimes in Tower Market shopping for groceries, and I sometimes went to his restaurant for BBQ, and often I’d see him around town driving his Rolls. He’d always remember me and the drink I bought for him years before, and we’d have a laugh over that. I didn’t know him very well, but I’ll miss him, as will anyone who knew him or saw him play. He was and will always be “Nate the Great”.
SFCityBear;842709091 said:
Nate was such a great player. Had he not played in an era with such big names like Wilt and Kareem, he would have clearly been the best center of that era, or maybe any era. He was relentless on the boards, and on defense. Offensively, he had all the shots, a jump shot to 20 feet and he could hook with either hand. But more than all this, he was a great person, humble, and kind.
I first met Nate in a saloon called Henry Africa's, the world's first fern bar. I had gone there with a date to have a drink. After a while, I noticed Nate Thurmond coming in the front door with his lady. The place was crowded, but they found a table in the rear. At the time Nate was my favorite player on the planet, and I wanted to honor him in a small way, so I asked a waiter to bring a round to Nate and his lady and bring me the bill, and just tell Mr. Thurmond that the drinks were from a fan who appreciated his play. A little later, the waiter returned, and said Mr. Thurmond would not accept the drinks, unless I joined him to have the drink with him. So my date and I went over to Nate's table, and he stood up and shook our hands and introduced his lady. We spent the entire evening together, telling stories and talking as though we had known each other for years. He was such a down to earth person. He has been described as a real gentleman, and he was all of that. At the end of our evening together, and we were about to leave, Nate asked me, "What are you doing this weekend?" "Nothing much. Why?" I replied. Nate said, "The Warriors have a game against the Clippers in San Diego on Saturday. Why don't you come down to San Diego with me. There isn't anybody in San Diego who will buy me a drink." We laughed.
Through the years, I used to see Nate sometimes in Tower Market shopping for groceries, and I sometimes went to his restaurant for BBQ, and often I'd see him around town driving his Rolls. He'd always remember me and the drink I bought for him years before, and we'd have a laugh over that. I didn't know him very well, but I'll miss him, as will anyone who knew him or saw him play. He was and will always be "Nate the Great".
grandmastapoop;842709248 said:
Great story. Seems like a great guy.
Btw I live by Tower Market (now Mollie Stones). Did you see him there recently? I wonder where he lived. That would have been wild to see Nate Thurmond while getting a sandwich or something.
fuji65;842709272 said:
I met Nate Thurmond at the Hall of Justice. He came early in the morning to vouch for a young man. My client worked for Nate. It was the
a case of "wrong place...wrong time" The young man was an ex-offender who worked at the restaurant. The young man was released from
custody. The DA was seeking a state prison commitment. It was later determined the case was based upon misidentification. The DA was
not a sports follower and Nate never used the "Warrior Card." He was just Nate. A stand-up guy who was always ready to help.
