SPORTS
"Best Job In The
World"
That's the consensus among these
members of the Pistons'
Ball Boys crew.
SUSAN WEINGARDEN
Special to The Jewish News
I
t is two-and-a-half hours
before game time for the
World Champion Detroit
Pistons. Brad "Bubba" Urdan
turns onto Championship
Drive at The Palace of Auburn
Hills. He parks his car in the
section reserved for the
Pistons, walks in the back en-
trance and heads for the
Pistons' locker room. He finds
his locker in the equipment
room, changes into his
uniform and is ready to begin
his night's work.
"It's the best job in the
world," says Urdan of his posi-
tion as a Ball Boy for Detroit's
National Basketball Associa-
tion titlists. "We are expected
to make everything run
smoothly for the players and
the coaches."
Urdan, 19, is in his fifth
year as a Pistons Ball Boy.
"This year there are 24 ball
boys — 10 full-time and 14
part-time. Six of us are
Jewish."
The six agree if you can't be
a player, being a Ball Boy is
the next best thing. "It is
great being around the players
and feeling like part of the
team," Urdan says.
Berent mans the basketball cart.
Urdan has been privy to breaking news.
46
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1990
But it is a job that comes
with work as well as glory.
"We are responsible for both
the Pistons' and visiting
team's locker rooms," says Ur-
dan of the nightly routine.
"First, we put a clean uni-
form in each player's locket
Then we prepare the carts
with water and we fix ice bags
to be used on the players in
case of injury.
"The players arrive about
two hours before game-time
and often ask us to do errands.
Sometimes they watch video
tapes of their opponents. Each
player prepares differently
before the game; some read
books, some listen to music
and some watch the news.
And there is always a lot of
kibbitzing."
When the players are ready
to warm up, some of the Ball
Boys are selected for "shagg-
ing": the players practice
shooting and the Ball Boys re-
bound the balls for them.
And then it is game-time.
"There is a rotating schedule
for the positions Ball Boys will
work during the game," con-
tinues Urdan. "We are divid-
ed between the visiting bench,
the home bench, the visiting
basket and the home basket.
"Ball boys who work the
bench take care of the players'
uniforms and give them
towels and water."
Urdan always arranges to
work under the home basket.
"It is the best seat in the
house, but working under the
basket is the hardest job
because you are constantly
wiping the floor to keep it
clean. The players perspire
and the floor has to be wiped
up before someone has an in-
jury."
After the game, the Ball
Boys put the dirty uniforms in
cleaning bags and provide the
players with soap and towels,
as well as juice and pop in the
sauna and steam room. They
clean up, load vans and tend
to whatever needs tending.
When they leave, about an
hour after the game, they will
have put in approximately six
hours' time for their volunteer
job.
The Ball Boys, who range in
age from 8 to 21, work under
Piston trainer Mike Abednour
and assistant trainer Bill
Nyeholt.
"The Ball Boys make the
game a lot easier for the
Herkowitz says the job's not easy.
players and management,"
Nyeholt said. "We really need
them. Someone has to do their
job. Without them, the whole
game would take longer. We
usually have about 10 or 12 at
a game and it gets very dif-
ficult if only a few show up."
The Pistons provide the Ball
Boys with uniforms and shoes.
They generally get tips from
the visiting team. Nyeholt
says in addition to having the
opportunity to be around the
players, the Ball Boys receive
Pistons tickets when they are
available.
How does one become a Ball
Boy? According to Nyehold,
"Some are selected according
to whom they know and some
are selected from letters of ap-
plication."
All the Ball Boys earn
celebrity status, in addition to
the envy of their friends. The
question they are asked most
often: What are the players
really like?
"All the players are friend-
ly," says David Jacob, a senior
at Cranbrook. A guard on the
Cranbrook basketball team,
Jacob was invited by Isiah
Thomas to work out at his
house and also appeared in a
commercial with him.
Jacob misses his friend,
former Piston Rich Mahorn.
"Rick gave me advice on
basketball and everyone was
in awe when he came to one
of my games last year," Jacob
says.
Another perk Jacob has
received is old shoes from
some of the players. "I have
shoes from Rick, Isiah and Joe
Dumars that I keep as
souvenirs."
Though none would trade
places, a few of the boys found
drawbacks in working as Ball
Boy. Kenny Berent, 15, says