My rookie year with the Hawks Pete and I roomed together on the road. We were friends from our sec days and we both had an apartment in the brand new complex in Smyrna...Cumberland. Anyway we'd played maybe half of the season. Enough where we'd been to several cities numerous times. So we're sitting having dinner in a restaurant in some city the night before a game the next day. We'd had a couple of beers and at some point Pistol said "Herbie ( he called me that cause we'd hung around with several of my high school friends that summer and that's what they called me ) you know it's really a strange thing" . I said "what's that"? He says I keep running into women on these trips and when I tell them my name is Pistol Pete many of them look at me and say "you're not Pete, I've met him and you're not him".
Now you have to understand. Pete was a huge deal back then. All time leading NCAA scorer, most acclaimed rookie in the league. He'd also signed the largest contract of any professional athlete to that point. He was always in demand to do interviews etc. He also shopped and went sightseeing a lot by himself. He enjoyed some time to get out alone. Much of the time I'd be back in the room alone. I read a lot and watched a lot of soaps. General Hospital was my favorite. Quite often I'd get a call from the front desk and when I'd take the call it was generally a women breathlessly saying she was dying to meet Pistol Pete. Not wanting to disappoint any fan I'd say "well come on up". We always kept the room dark so we could take naps in the afternoon prior to games. Now Pete and I weren't twins, but we both had long hair and a mustache and he was only three inches taller. I can honestly say I never lied to these women and told them I was Pete, but I did do a lot of nodding and smiling as they told me what a great player etc. that I was. They almost always left the room with a satisfied smile and a great memory. I know that I helped to enhance Pete's reputation as an approachable and caring superstar. It was the least I could do to help my bud who had so much thrown at him.
After Pete's statement I kinda looked away, with probably a bit of a sheepish smile, and muttered something like " yeah women, they're strange for sure".
Now you have to understand. Pete was a huge deal back then. All time leading NCAA scorer, most acclaimed rookie in the league. He'd also signed the largest contract of any professional athlete to that point. He was always in demand to do interviews etc. He also shopped and went sightseeing a lot by himself. He enjoyed some time to get out alone. Much of the time I'd be back in the room alone. I read a lot and watched a lot of soaps. General Hospital was my favorite. Quite often I'd get a call from the front desk and when I'd take the call it was generally a women breathlessly saying she was dying to meet Pistol Pete. Not wanting to disappoint any fan I'd say "well come on up". We always kept the room dark so we could take naps in the afternoon prior to games. Now Pete and I weren't twins, but we both had long hair and a mustache and he was only three inches taller. I can honestly say I never lied to these women and told them I was Pete, but I did do a lot of nodding and smiling as they told me what a great player etc. that I was. They almost always left the room with a satisfied smile and a great memory. I know that I helped to enhance Pete's reputation as an approachable and caring superstar. It was the least I could do to help my bud who had so much thrown at him.
After Pete's statement I kinda looked away, with probably a bit of a sheepish smile, and muttered something like " yeah women, they're strange for sure".
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