Ellery

In 1971 Patrick Ewing's mom Dorothy Left him and his 6 siblings With their dad Carl Back in Jamaica And moved To the US Alone She did it because She wanted her children To have a better education She arrived in Cambridge Mass. Had a job waiting for her As a nanny/maid Under immigration rules During that time She was tied To her job She had to work it off But she "got her freedom," Patrick said years later, "Got her freedom." As Dorothy worked She sent money Back home One by one The family joined her Patrick was one of the last Arriving January 11 1975 He was 12 Almost 6 ft Had never touched a basketball He was a goalie Too tall for his frame Wore an old man's coat And spoke with a thick patois The local kids didn't get him "Everyone looked at me Like some kind of freak" But one day On a court near his house They needed another player He checked in And "fell in love" So as Dorothy worked doubles At Mass. General Hospital, And Carl on the 2nd shift At the American Biltrite Rubber factory Making hoses, Patrick Ewing learned basketball In his first high school game Patrick fouled out He had 1 point And lost by 17 In his last high school game Against the same team Patrick vowed To score 40–– Plus 1 more To match His debut And he did: The nation's #1 High school player Dropped a career-high 41 Including 30 points on dunks In the state championship game Which Cambridge won For the third straight year Capping a 77-1 run of games Made even more astounding By what the team had to face: Cambridge Rindge & Latin Was one of the area’s few Mostly Black teams Away games with signs Calling Pat a monkey Huge banners in all caps: "YOU CAN'T READ" Bus tires slashed Windows shattered "It was crazy" one player said "There were so many incidents." As a 7 ft kid from Cambridge Patrick Ewing's idol Was of course Bill Russell Russell had also faced Searing racism in Boston Yet won 11 titles for them So "we endured it" said Ewing "Whatever things were said We took it out on The opposition” "We defied all the odds Everyone rooting against us We kicked everybody's butts" Ewing left Cambridge for college Already a dynastic player Already his hometown's Greatest athlete Before he left for Georgetown Reporters asked Carl about it; A man of few words He simply said: "Patrick will stay 4 years To get an education" It was another Ewing prediction That turned out true: Patrick got his degree Along with three Final Fours One national championship Then two Olympic golds Two NBA Finals The Knicks all time leader In points, rebounds Blocks and steals And the Hall of Fame. Dorothy missed almost all of it Passing away in 1983 Patrick devastated He kept going Carl stayed in Cambridge Before his son's Boston games Carl would cook for him Curried chicken Sometimes Patrick would drive Carl To Mt Auburn Cemetery To Dorothy's grave "And thank them For bringing me To this country" Patrick always came back “Cambridge is still A huge part Of my life" "I felt like I was blessed Not only to have mom Bring me to America But to Cambridge" And yet when one looks Around Cambridge Patrick Ewing's name Does not ring out Over the years Attempts were made: "Patrick Ewing Park" "Patrick Ewing Way" But none happened No park No plaza No street … On this day 10 years ago August 24, 2016 Carl Ewing died He was 91 Still of Cambridge. He joined Dorothy's side At Mt Auburn Cemetery Some time later, quietly A request came in To name a tiny patch of land Outside the Ewing home Not after Patrick But after its longtime residents And so You won't find it online Nor in the travel guides But if you go by the house Off Western Ave It's there Carl & Dorothy Ewing Square Named after two immigrants Who came here Built a life Raised a family Children, grandchildren And great grandchildren And one of the greatest players In history