A little bit of Glens Falls on Broadway

Tingley, Rozell to meet on Sunday at Shirt Factory

Dec 10, 2021

Friday, December 10, 2021

Morning Update

By Ken Tingley

When I think of New York city, I think of sports.

It is Joe Frazier beating Muhammad Ali in Madison Square Garden, not the Rockettes at Radio City.

It is the Yankees in the World Series in the Bronx, not the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center.

And it is Willis Reed limping onto the court for the Knicks, not Hamilton on Broadway.

On Tuesday, I visited storied Madison Square Garden for the fourth time. After seeing Ringling Brothers circus on an eighth grade class trip, it has been sports at the Garden for me. I saw Siena in the NIT semifinals. I saw a young LeBron drop 50 on the Knicks when he was with the Cavaliers, but Tuesday night’s Syracuse appearance by Joe Girard III may have been more special than any of them.

For four years, I watched Girard perform superhuman feats on the basketball court at Glens Falls High. He became the all-time leading scorer in New York State history and won the state championship his senior year.

Two years ago, I watched Syracuse play at the Carrier Dome while wearing my Glens Falls High School sweatshirt. Syracuse fans took notice and wanted to know if I was Girard’s father. I don’t think they understood that is how it is in Glens Falls. We support each other and sometimes go on the road to do it.

But Tuesday night it was taken to another level as Girard was announced in the starting lineup. Hearing Girard’s name “from Glens Falls, New York” was something we all could be proud of.

Yeah, I know it is only basketball , and Girard’s chances of playing in the NBA are remote at best, but it’s like watching a long-running television series that just keeps getting better.

Syracuse’s game against Villanova was entertaining. Syracuse led by three at the half. As Girard scored 8 points, but Villanova pulled away late in the game and Girard scored only three in the second half.

There is something about an undersized guard playing big-time college ball that makes you want to root for him.

Girard has matured as a player this year. He is shooting better - especially from 3-point range - and seems to see the court better. Syracuse is a team without much depth and it will be a challenging year for them, but Girard should have many opportunities to make a difference.

I’ve seen Girard play a lot of games in his life. It’s been on TV the last couple years. But Tuesday night in Madison Square Garden I was smiling and it seemed like I was back in the balcony of the Glens Falls gym. But this was midtown Manhattan. This was the lights of Broadway. Not bad for a kid from a small school upstate.

Getting carded again

Mayor Bill DeBlasio is bound and determined that New York City not be shut down again.

In town to see JG3 and Syracuse play Villanova at Madison Square Garden Tuesday night, we stopped at an eatery a couple blocks from the Garden. But before entering, the bouncer at the front door asked to see our vaccination record. It took about 30 seconds to check the three of us. Sadly, because of our age, there was no need to check our birthdates when ordering a drink.

At the Garden, we also had to show a vaccination card.

Considering the outbreak our community is facings that is growing exponentially all across the North Country, what is the harm in doing the same thing here?

Washington County’s infection rate rose again this week, but it is no longer has the worst infection rate in the state. Several other counties have surpassed it in the western part of the state.

And those that are hospitalized have one thing in common. None of them have been vaccinated.

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Book signing Saturday

Over the years, The Post-Star has done a lot of stories about Matt Rozell. First, it was about his living history project where he interviewed World War II veterans for a living history project as a teacher in Hudson Falls.

That led to a series of books on World War II veterans, including his latest “The Things Our Fathers Saw.” As two local authors dealing with different parts of community history, I thought it might be a good idea for us to get together. Matt has generously allowed me to hang out with him this Sunday at his space at the Troy Shirt Factory in Glens Falls. I’ll be signing books from noon to 1:30 p.m. I’m sure Matt will be available as well.

Hope to see you there.

If you have not been to the Shirt Factory on the corner of Lawrence and Cooper Streets - across from The Post-Star. Matt is up on the third floor in Room 308. Just enter the Cooper Street entrance and head up the stairs.