When Mr. McGinnis came to town

20 Dec 2023 - The Washington Post

Reading that Hall of Fame basketball player George Mcginnis died reminded me of one of the Washington (then) Bullets’ most unusual advertising ploys [“Hall of Fame forward with one-handed jump shot dominated in ABA, NBA,” obituaries, Dec. 16]. At the time, the team highlighted the opponents’ stars to try to sell tickets. Having touted

Mr. Mcginnis’s appearance with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Bullets were chagrined — and the fans who had come to see him were disappointed — when Mr. Mcginnis got ejected early in the game.

The next time Philadelphia came to town, the team advertised “Guaranteed Mcginnis Night”: The fans in attendance would get a ticket to another game if Mr. Mcginnis got tossed again or fouled out. If I recall correctly, Mr. Mcginnis lasted until a lategame ejection for telling off a referee. My friends and I thought that with the outcome no longer in doubt, Mr. Mcginnis had done so just to trigger the guarantee.

Intentional or not, the Bullets had to pick up the tab for a whole lot of tickets.

Chuck Hadden, Arlington