When the Smoke Cleared from a Demanding, Chain-Smoking Father
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Odds Against ItBy Peter Jackel pain in the ass who toughened his When the smoke cleared from a demanding, will. The elder Kennedy and Billy’s beloved mother, June, divorced in 1970, chain-smoking father who toughened his continuing a thick tension between his two parents that never relented. will, NBA referee Bill Kennedy triumphed Billy, who was four when his parents acrimoniously parted, often had to ride over life’s trials and saw the light of a shining his bike three miles to visit his father — who usually couldn’t be bothered officiating career thanks to a Boys Club and to pick him up. And this only child’s experiences with his cantankerous, his beloved mother. demanding old man were pockmarked with persistent ugliness. Little Billy usually broke into tears he most indispensable man back seat of this most indispensable when his short-fused dad reamed in Billy Kennedy’s life, the man’s Lincoln Continental Mark IV him out publicly for screwing up his man who gave him the mojo — it was spotlessly gold with a white approach during a game of bowling or to become the elite NBA top — for another marathon 370-mile striking out in a baseball game during Tofficial he is today, was a pain in the trip from Phoenix to Los Angeles their so-called quality time, but he ass. Those are the words spoken by that circumstances made so much always came back for more. Kennedy himself. longer. This most indispensable man Just as Billy would one day come This most indispensable man reserved most of his conversation for back for more after he was told that was a demanding taskmaster who yet another strange white woman who he wasn’t good enough to be an NBA dragged on an endless succession of was seated beside him, and little Billy referee. Just as he has since 1999, when unfiltered Kool cigarettes, aging his would routinely retreat to the rear-seat his big officiating break materialized bold features and yellowing his large floor to escape the suffocating haze of from a private discussion, the details teeth, muffled a persistent smoker’s cigarette smoke that thickened with of which Kennedy will never know. cough and spoke in a voice roughened every passing mile. His career clock is ticking toward by years of nicotine addiction. This “He never put the windows 1,000 career regular-season games, most indispensable man was a former down,” Billy said. more than 60 playoff assignments, stud athlete who fathered five children But Billy never stopped believing one All-Star game, four coveted Finals during his three marriages and at least in this coarse man because a boy only assignments, eight games in the 2012 two more out of wedlock. One of his has one father. His papa was a rolling London Olympics and countless life’s pleasures was popping open stone with contrasting values that appearances at officiating camps. Budweisers — “Now there’s a Bud liberally blurred the lines of morality, And he has achieved those milestones that’s wiser!” he used to chirp during but Billy grew up with blind faith that with a toughness from his abusive lighter times that came in drips rather the man his mother despised, the man father who left him that one singular than gushes — but his ugly moods Billy so desperately wanted to love, attribute. prevailed and he frequently drove little would ultimately be so much more Quite simply, Kennedy would Billy to tears with barbed words and than just a name on his birth certificate. not be an esteemed NBA official and broken promises. William Gene Kennedy, this most he would not be the current chair of On those rare occasions when indispensable man, died of cancer the NASO Board of Directors, among his stubborn storm cloud demeanor Nov. 28, 1993, a day before his 65th many other achievements, without that dissipated just enough for a few rays of birthday. But he remains in his son’s hard-earned education from a father he sunshine to sneak through, he would consciousness 20 years later not only struggles to love to this day. treat Billy to a Dodgers game. But even as a deeply complex father who “That’s a very true statement,” that sucked. Billy would climb into the constantly broke his heart, but as that Kennedy said. “The short times we SPORTS USA TODAY 38 | REFEREE June 2013 REFEREE June 2013 | 39 ODDS AGAINST IT had together left very lasting, long teacher who was committed to making his favorite tunes and started a where Little Billy would constantly impressions of how to achieve certain campers into true officials. performance she and the rest of us be scrutinized by a father who would things you wanted to do. He instilled “My appreciation of him as a will never forget. By the time Billy accept nothing less than perfection. the hard work, the never-give-up person and as an educator grew each finished the first verse, all the side Back in the 1960s, the elder attitude in trying to get something time I was around him,” Marshall said. conversations had ceased and you Kennedy was a star center fielder and done and to do it the right way. “He was extremely generous with his could have heard a pin drop. leadoff hitter for Lash Dairy, a softball “That was the painful part. He time and the individual attention he “Billy stops the room with his ease team in his hometown of Decatur, made you do it until you got it right. gave to officials was very special. and love for others,” Denham said. Ill. His other sporting passion was And if you couldn’t do it, then he was “It is not surprising to see him “He is one of a kind and nobody will bowling and Little Billy damn well pissed at you.” officiating at the highest levels of the ever forget him once their lives have better be showing him the right stuff It was a deeply flawed, yet NBA as his thoroughness of breaking crossed with his.” whenever they visited 300 Bowl. painfully functional relationship that down all aspects of the officiating “What was the most hurtful thing served Kennedy well as he matured. process is exceptional. His insight Tough Love vs. he ever said to me?” said Kennedy, For everything that his father wasn’t, into officiating is something officials repeating the question. “There were Kennedy is many times over. Stories of of all levels could benefit from. As an Compassion so many. He called me ‘faggot’ a lot. It his aptitude on a basketball court are educator, you can surely say he has a It was some time in 1979 and a 12-year- was bad. surpassed only by anecdotes of a kind, Ph.D in officiating,” Marshall said. old Billy Kennedy was watching “I was always ecstatic when he Whether dealing with giving humanitarian who is incapable Kennedy’s time is unconditionally “Battlestar Gallactica” on the first floor came because I would get to see my coaches or players, Kennedy of contempt or refusals. your time. Just ask him. Furthermore, of the Park Lee Apartments on the dad. I would think, ‘Hopefully at the knows how to handle himself on the court. His officiating he might even break into a song with corner of 15th and Highland avenues end of this trip, I won’t be crying.’ I skills led to him working the Easy-Going Guy his spectacular singing voice. From in Phoenix, where he lived with his knew it could end up being a bad trip, All-Star game, NBA Finals Frank Sinatra to Stevie Wonder to mother. As he followed the exploits of but maybe this time, I wouldn’t cry.” and the Olympics in 2012. Like father, like son? No way, no how. Luther Vandross to Garth Brooks, this Commander Adama, Captain Apollo But Billy still had his mother, June “I asked if he would consider is a man who can carry a tune as well and Lieutenant Starbuck, one ear Marguarite Kennedy, a registered taking time out of his summer to be my as he manages games. was tuned to the west window of the nurse who was the rock of his life until director of instruction for my summer “Last summer in Phoenix, apartment, where an occasional car she died of cancer at the age of 72 on camp,” said NBA referee Bill Spooner, Debbie Williamson (NCAA women’s would pass through the alley. Aug. 21, 2011. Her obituary made referring to the Spoonman Referee basketball officiating coordinator) was Dad was supposed to pick him up no reference of the former husband School. “I think his hesitation was one- a speaker in a camp setting and during that night and, every time he heard a she almost never mentioned, but did tenth of a second. He said, ‘Absolutely, an evening staff meeting, with all of car approaching, he ran to the window point out a characteristic she obviously I would love to do it.’ So we’ve been her Southern style, she was poking fun with such anticipation, only to see instilled in her only son. “Her passion partners and have done instruction at several folks, including Billy,” said headlights turn into taillights. And and service as a professional was together for the last three years. Marla Denham, Big Sky Conference then his spirits sank as he struggled spent taking care of others,” read one fail. She would let me make mistakes club. The unique people skills that so “I pride myself in the instruction coordinator of officials.