Bird bash a certain circle of winners

ROGER CARLSON

“How much did we make today?”

Spoken with the passion of a true entrepreneur, George Yardley’s

face lit up as his daughter, Anne, replied, “$48,000, so far.”

A day later she had to adjust that figure. “It’s well over

$50,000, now,” she said on Tuesday.

While the focus of the Bird Bash at Big Canyon Country Club April

29 will certainly be the camaraderie which reflects well over a half

century of memories and funny stories, the bottom line is what comes

from all the fooling around ... money.

“We’re well over $70,000 now,” was Anne’s report on Friday after

an Indiana-based newspaper article helped create a flurry of

donations from Fort Wayne, where Big Bird began his NBA career with

the Pistons.

“I’m just amazed at their generosity,” continued Anne Yardley, who

confessed the family could not place the names with the checks.

Some memories simply don’t fade. George Yardley was the toast of

the town in Fort Wayne where many have always claimed him as their

hometown hero.

Yardley, the original “Bird” in the NBA and a member of the

Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, has been enduring his one-on-one

battle since being diagnosed with the disease called Amyotrophic

Lateral Sclerosis early last year and the Newport Harbor High product

and his family have dedicated themselves to fighting it the best way

they can.

Research is the only weapon against this thing which killed the

immortal Lou Gehrig, bringing us back to the bottom line. Money.

There were still four tables remaining for the “Tribute to George”

on Friday.

But it is the revenue, which is ticketed for the ALS Association

at the Ludwig Institute at UC San Diego, benefiting everyone

afflicted, which the Yardleys view as the true pat on the back.

The night will feature no less than three emcees with Paul Salata,

Rob Yardley and actor Peter Jason sharing the jabbering. All one can

surmise from that scenario is that Rob and Peter have a lot of moxie

and before the evening is over an awful lot of folks are going to

take some good-natured hits.

Among the memories, of course, is the final game of the 1958

season when No. 1 broke George Mikan’s scoring record with 2,001

points for the season. It wouldn’t last long, and not too much time

evolved before Wilt Chamberlain obliterated it with one of his

record-setting performances.

My first view of Rob Yardley was at the Anaheim Convention Center

when Anaheim High football coach Clare Van Hoorebeke was honored at

the end of his career for his service with the Colony.

Rob and his brother, Bill, showed up at the tuxedo affair complete

with cue-ball haircuts, emulating their dad’s appearance. The

skinhead trio stole the show.

One of the features of the night will be a filmed interview of

George by sportscaster Bob Costas, who is the national spokesman for

ALS.

While the disease is rare, a 1-in-100,000 factor, you might be

surprised to know how close it is to you and yours.

Another in the Newport Harbor basketball family, Coach Larry

Hirst, is deeply involved with his mother afflicted by ALS, for which

no cure has yet to be found.

Thursday, Tom Watson’s beloved caddie, Bruce Edwards, died from it

at age 49.

While there are limitations to the money raised for tickets at

$250 each, it appears the coffers will be swelled by auction items,

now over 80, including a rather unique Lakers gift, and the numbers

continue to grow daily, as well as basic donations.

“Everyone has been so very generous,” said Anne Yardley. “I can’t

wait to see the figure we put on the check.”

The Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass., is very much involved in

the production and from all indications it will surely be an evening

to remember with many, many big names from the true glory days of the

Pistons in the NBA, and of the Stanford Indians in the NCAA. Even the

nostalgia brought on by members of the national champion 1951 San

Francisco Stewart Chevrolets of AAU days will be present.

Anne spends a great deal of her time dealing with No. 1 and the

various problems he endures.

She is presently busied in the purchase of a “Hummer-limo,” for

George and his entourage. It seats about 22 and will apparently keep

George busy with various gadgets.

Among Yardley’s great achievements was being named an NBA All-Star

six times during his seven-season career and being inducted into the

Naismith Hall of Fame.

Recently he experienced a different “high” when he managed to get

a release from Hoag Hospital after a brief stay helped ease a

situation.

That’s how it goes for George these days, searching for and

finding various avenues to help fight off this thing. The tribute is

but another goal.

“Dad feels like he’s doing something and it keeps him busy,” said

Anne Yardley.

George Yardley has been “doing something” ever since he acquired

this dilemma with his openness, which brings the subject to the

forefront.

It’s hard to envision the 6-foot-5 George Yardley in any sort of

shell, although it’s clear he’s lost a lot of weight.

Asked to comment on all this, George responded on Tuesday,

stating, “I’m very excited to see my friends.”

He hasn’t always been so stoic, but the situation doesn’t call for

a song and dance.

In his very early days of the NBA the story goes that a George

Yardley Award was initiated for the MVP at Newport Harbor High’s

postseason basketball banquet.

But at the second such event George got so carried away with some

very colorful descriptions of life in the NBA it was decided by

school officials to retire the trophy.

It’s always been that way for George. He was still at it in 1996

in Springfield, stunning one group after another with his lack of

political correctness.

But in nearly every instance, regardless of the “affront,” people

would go away shaking their heads and laughing. He has just always

had the personality to get away with an awful lot.

There is a strange twist to the Bird Bash inasmuch as you have the

subject, George, a highlight on any day, and the sobering realities

of dealing with ALS.

But there is a way to deal with this.

First, and I say this at the risk of countering one of my pet

peeves when told to do this while watching the news on television,

you really need to go to the web and make a search for Lou Gehrig’s

Disease.

There you’ll find more information then you want to know about

this terrible thing, ALS, bringing into focus the big picture, and

why you need to be at Big Canyon April 29, even if it’s standing-room

only.

If you haven’t joined the party yet, contact Anne or Rob Yardley

at (714) 241-7700.

Secondly, enjoy the moments.

And finally, as in hoops, tennis or golf, whining is not allowed.

Regardless of tears.

Hey! See you next Sunday!

* ROGER CARLSON is the former sports editor for the Daily Pilot.

His column appears on Sundays. He can be reached by e-mail at

rogeranddorothea@msn.com.