Barkley beats M65 referee in NBA hoohah race
Well, 43-year-old Sir Charles beat 67-year-old referee Dick Bavetta in the NBA All-Star Game sideshow footrace. Drat. But Charles wouldn’t stand a chance against any top-tier M65 (or even M70) sprinter. Sports Illustrated has a picture of the start. Dick attempted to put a positive spin on the defeat, saying afterward: “”I think it’s wonderful that we’re talking about this instead of some of the other crazy things that are going on in the world today.”
Here’s how The Arizona Republic reported the race:
It’s Barkley by a breeze in foot race vs. referee
Paul Coro
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 18, 2007 12:00 AM
LAS VEGAS – NBA referee Dick Bavetta’s 67-year-old legs, making their bare public appearance, could not put a match-race loss on Charles Barkley, but he at least gave the crowd a more improbable Barkley loss – a loss for words.
Barkley backpedaled across the half-court and stumbled to the ground in outrunning Bavetta over 3 1/2 lengths of the court. But he paid the price for his 25.7 seconds of alleged sprinting. Struggling to get his wind back, Barkley passed off TNT announcer Ernie Johnson’s first questions to Bavetta.
Bavetta’s pace was not good for the race, but the self-proclaimed “Seabiscuit” looked like he could have run another 80 minutes, as he does daily.
“I think we’re ready for Barkley-Bavetta II,” said Bavetta, who slid headfirst at the finish.
Barkley, nicknamed “Black Rhino” by his trainer and former Olympic sprinter John Carlos, thanked Bavetta for the chance to raise $50,000 – from TNT and NBA Cares – for Las Vegas Boys and Girls Clubs.
“We’re going to give a ton of money . . . ” Barkley, who turns 44 Tuesday, said before pausing to look at the check. “We’re going to give two blackjack hands to charity.”
Bavetta was an overwhelming crowd favorite, but even “running as fast as I could” was not enough.
Asked if he was representing his generation or NBA officials, Bavetta said, “My thinking is if I had won, I would have represented officials all over the world. As much as I didn’t win, I represented myself alone.”
