Maurice Lucas: Cool Hand Luke, 1978

[Call it Maurice Lucas Week at the blog. I’ve got three articles ready to post on the late-great “Enforcer.” Up first is a profile of Lucas published in the April 1978 issue of the magazine Black Sports. It comes from the pen of journalist Ed Kiersh, whose career would wend its way wonderfully to golf and collectibles. Kiersh also published the 1983 book titled, Where Have You Gone, Vince Dimaggio? I don’t have a copy on my bookshelf, but the title sounds like a real fun read. Without further ado, let’s meet Ed Kiersh and Maurice Lucas on the loose somewhere in the wilds of 1970s New Jersey.] **** The Portland Trail Blazers are sitting in a motel dining room, their faces glued to basketball stories in morning papers. Suddenly, a loud wail splits the sleep-eyed silence. “Hail to the bald-headed emperor.” Fiery coach Jack Ramsay, who has a lot more talent than hair, pops out of his seat and stares Sherlock Holmes-like around the room. But he can’t locate the culprit. Only sees cackling…