Ray Hartmann is talking basketball in heaven
Had St. Louis landed an NBA franchise during his lifetime, Ray Hartmann, who died in a car accident last week, would have covered the team like a blanket. As he did with the Riverfront Times in the late 1970s, Hartmann likely would have created his own publication. He would have been its reporter, columnist, statistician […] The post Ray Hartmann is talking basketball in heaven appeared first on St. Louis American.
Black News 
Had St. Louis landed an NBA franchise during his lifetime, Ray Hartmann, who died in a car accident last week, would have covered the team like a blanket.
As he did with the Riverfront Times in the late 1970s, Hartmann likely would have created his own publication. He would have been its reporter, columnist, statistician and photographer if that’s what was needed.
You see, Ray loved basketball. He was an enthusiastic fan of many sports, but basketball was his thing.
Don’t let his diminutive size fool you: He played basketball as a youth and followed college and NBA basketball closely.
Before LeBron James made “The Decision” to sign with the Miami Heat, Hartmann had decided to spend winter months at his condominium in Miami.
Ray invested in season tickets and was one of the Heat’s biggest fans. He was there when another Ray — Ray Allen — hit the game-tying desperation 3-pointer that saved Miami from elimination in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals against San Antonio.
He was jubilant when the Heat went on to win that series. He was like a kid celebrating Hanukkah when sharing the exploits of Miami’s superstars and NBA titles.
Hartmann would have dearly loved to see a team here, but he doubted the St. Louis region would support one.
It wasn’t an issue of crime or race, in his mind. He believed there would not be enough financial support through ticket sales, corporate advertising and suite ownership because those dollars were already going to the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues.
Ray did own Blues season tickets, and for a few years he sat next to the Blues bench in the first row behind the glass.
I disagreed with his NBA view, though. I believe St. Louis could get the job done when it comes to NBA support, especially if a ready-made team like the New Orleans Pelicans came to town.
I’m also a sports wagerer, and I realize that Ray’s take has much better odds than mine.
“Donnybrook” viewers know that Ray and I agreed on many issues, but I enjoyed it when we didn’t. I also would joke with Ray that he was “the Black guy” before I joined the show. He got a kick out of that.
We also had a back-and-forth over something we saw coming that most — if not all — other sports media members refused to acknowledge.
We both made the call that the St. Louis Rams were destined for Los Angeles after Stan Kroenke purchased the franchise.
I think I was on it first. He thought he was. It doesn’t matter. Great minds sometimes really do think alike.
I also am convinced that the team could have been saved. He thought it was a done deal regardless of St. Louis’ effort.
We had a “Donnybrook” taping the day it was announced that Kroenke had purchased the site of Hollywood Park, the former horse racing track in Inglewood, California. With wry smiles, we high-fived one another.
While local pundits clung to the notion that it was just a real estate purchase by a real estate tycoon, Ray and I knew better. We appeared on a radio show together shortly after the relocation, and both said we wished we had been wrong.
The region listened to Ray and respected him for most of his adult life. That life ended last Thursday afternoon when he was killed in a freakish car accident on I-64.
He’s talking basketball in heaven. He probably started with a guard with a small frame and a big heart like Bob Cousy. He’ll make his way to Wilt Chamberlain and, in his own Ray way, explain free-throw shooting.
One thing I know for sure: When Ray is speaking, all the immortals will listen.
The Reid RoundupThe St. Louis Cardinals should sign pitcher Taijuan Walker. He was awful in five appearances with the Philadelphia Phillies, posting a 9.13 ERA before his release. Escaping Philly could be a spark … My Dallas Cowboys had an outstanding NFL Draft, beginning with first-round safety Caleb Downs.
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