Knicks' Walt Frazier at 81: 10 cool things we learned about the icon
Clyde Frazier holds a PUMA Clyde as PUMA celebrates his birthday with a special collaboration with Packer Shoes at Madison Square Garden on March 29, 2017. Credit: Getty Images/Cindy Ord
Newsday's Barbara Barker recently sat down with Walt "Clyde" Frazier to talk about what it's like to be the coolest guy in the room at age 81. Here's 10 things she learned about the Hall of Famer.
1. He owns more than 100 suits. His favorite? “It has to be the cow," he said. "I have two or three of them. The cow suit is symbolic of my audacity. Everybody loves it.”
2. He was the first basketball player to have a signature shoe, the Puma Clyde, which he helped design and is still made today.
3. His secret to keeping in game day shape at age 81? “I still do my own cooking," he said. "I have a George Foreman Grill. The smaller ones cook the best.”
4. Former Knicks trainer Danny Whelan nicknamed Frazier “Clyde” his rookie season in 1967 because he often wore a fedora like Warren Beatty did in the movie “Bonnie and Clyde,” which was released the same year.
5. His happy place is St. Croix, where he owns five acres, which include some rental property. “I do the landscaping. When I go there, I work," he said. "I do carpentry. I do the floors. I’ve hired people, but no one can do the floors like me.”
6. He lists Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Earl Monroe as the three toughest players he defended. He also gives props to Pete Maravich, Dave Bing and Nate "Tiny" Archibald. “I had to go up against them every night," he said. "Defense was my favorite part of the game."
7. He can’t stand the way traveling is not called in today’s game. “These guys wouldn’t have been able to move the way we played. Everything would be a travel," he said. "[Nuggets star Nikola] Jokic would get [called for traveling] every time he touches the ball. Come on. We would never have stopped Wilt Chamberlain if he could do that. He would have dunked every time.”
8. He doesn’t think much of the way today’s players dress, rolling his eyes when he mentions that Golden State star Steph Curry attended a recent Knicks game in a plaid hoodie and cargo pants. “The players are very casual," he said. "Look at how Steph Curry came to the World’s Most Famous Arena. I was like, look at that guy. I have to have my best clothes when I come here.”
9. He thought the Knicks were going to be a dynasty after they won their second — and last — title in 1973. “I thought we are going to be like the Celtics and string some together," he said. "When [coach Pat] Riley was here, we should have won in 1994. That was our year. It just shows when you are there you have to capitalize.”
10. He loves interacting with fans. “When I’m out, I’m Clyde. I want it," he said. "New Yorkers will say, ‘Excuse me, I hate to bother you.’ But that won’t stop them. They come up to me everywhere, because they know Clyde won’t reject you man.”
Barbara Barker is an award-winning columnist and features writer in the sports department at Newsday. She has covered sports in New York for more than 20 years.
