DR. J GETS HIS RING
https://vault.si.com/vault/1984/02/08/dr-j-gets-his-ring
On Dec. 9, 1977, as a midcourt fight broke out in a Los Angeles Lakers-Houston Rockets game, the Rockets' Rudy Tomjanovich rushed from one end of the court to play his usual role of peacemaker. His good intentions were lost, however, on the Lakers' Kermit Washington, who saw only another potential attacker. The 6'8", 230-pound Washington let fly a powerful punch that caught the onrushing Tomjanovich full in the face. This wasn't just another basketball fight, for Washington's blow was devastating and Tomjanovich suffered massive facial injuries that required corrective surgery. Washington was fined the unprecedented sum of $10,000 and suspended 60 days by NBA Commissioner Lawrence O'Brien, who used this unhappy episode to bolster his edict against fighting on the court. The Lakers then traded Washington to Boston, leaving the impression that they, too, had washed their hands of the culprit. Washington had become basketball's Public Enemy No. 1. He was a most unlikely villain. Bill Sharman, the Laker general manager, who had coached him for three seasons, said, "Kermit is just the opposite of mean. He's almost timid away from basketball. He's very humble and an extremely nice kid to work with." Jerry Krause, then a Lakers scout, said, "When I was scouting Kermit, I became so fond of him personally, I had to be careful that his personality didn't distort my judgment of him as a player."
Washington was unable to shake his evil reputation until the last few months of his career, in the winter of 1982. He played only 20 games for the Portland Trail Blazers that season, and yet, though suffering from painful back and leg injuries, he played so hard that Blazer fans took him to heart, an unfamiliar experience for one so maligned. "I think the most pleasant times he had in the NBA were the times in Portland," said Trail Blazer general manager Stu Inman. "He came to Portland terribly insecure. He was scared to death of failure. But this warmth that he sensed from the fans was there. He's a very sensitive person to begin with, who has been deeply hurt in the past. Now, in Portland, he becomes a kind of hero with the fans. I think Kermit had trouble understanding that. He kept asking himself, 'How come they keep clapping for me?' "
His injuries cut short that one rewarding season, but Washington worked hard in the off-season to get back in shape, and in the summer of '83 he approached Portland owner Larry Weinberg about returning to the team. His contract proposal stunned the usually unflappable Weinberg: Washington wouldn't sign for a penny more than the NBA minimum of $40,000. Here was a nine-year veteran demanding the lowest salary possible. Weinberg found himself in the curious position of arguing in favor of paying a player more, much more, than he was asking. Why, Weinberg asked, was Washington doing this? "Because I'll feel good about it," Washington replied. "I owe those people [the fans] so much." When Weinberg reluctantly agreed to underpay him, Washington brought forth an even more disarming proposal: Anonymously, he would give his salary away to the fans. By mail to the Trail Blazer offices, the fans should nominate worthy candidates for Washington's largess and the money should be distributed at halftime of home games. The gifts wouldn't go strictly to the needy but to those who would use the money to get back on their feet. "I really believe that the majority of people want to work," said Washington. "They have pride and they want to take care of their families. All they need sometimes is a little help to get over the hump, to get their lives back in order."
Washington signed the minimum contract, but his charitable scheme was abandoned at the suggestion of the front office on the grounds that it would prove impractical and might be misunderstood. Washington would give his salary away privately. The comeback attempt failed, however, because Washington's age, 31, and injuries wouldn't allow him to play up to NBA standards. But though he is far from a rich man, he told his teammates that he would continue with charitable work. Indeed, Far West Federal Bank of Portland has decided to sponsor the 6th Man Foundation, an assistance program similar to the one Washington envisioned, and has asked the former player to help administer it. The members and management of the Trail Blazers will also contribute to the fund.
Washington's extraordinarily good intentions last year left an impression on his former employers. "I think that the world is going to be a better place because Kermit walked through it," said Inman. "I've had conversations with prime ministers and with presidents," said Weinberg, a high-ranking member of the Democratic National Committee, "and I'll probably forget those, but if I live to be 120, I'll probably never forget that conversation with Kermit. It wasn't just the money. It was that he felt he owed it to the fans and owed it to us, and it was what he wanted to do with it and with his whole attitude about responsibility to people."
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