THEY CALLED ME COCHISE

AuthorHouse

Chapter One

Framingham, Massachusetts is the city where John Leslie Fultz was born. It is about three quarters of an hour from Lowell where another famous Bostonian was born, the legendary Jack Kerouac. Maybe that's how you can explain the fact that "Cochise", a legend of Italian basketball in the Seventies, has a fast paced style in his book that is similar to "On The Road" with a setting in northern Italy. It is set in the world of American basketball stars who made Italian fans dream while playing on our courts.

Fultz had the intention of writing this book for some time. And now, finally, he can show it to the basketball world, who certainly have not forgotten him. Don't expect the usual biography, though, "They Called Me Cochise" is an autobiographical novel. It does speak of basketball, but it is above all a social story, the tale of a era, the early seventies of his experiences from Varese to Bologna in Italy. Seen through the eyes of a young man who finds himself in Italy after coming a step away from fulfilling his dream. The dream of all basketball stars, playing in the NBA!

John came so close to fulfilling his dream, but when Laker's GM, Red Shaus, offered him a minimal contract, even if with the glorious Lakers, he thanked them and headed down the road to Italy. Nevertheless, he had the capabilities and the Lakers hadn't drafted him by chance. When playing for the University of Rhode Island, he left his mark and was one of the all-time top scorers and rebounders. The memory of his encounters with a young man from Roosevelt that played at UMass, the University of Massachusetts will always remain. These two rivals played to a draw, their talents were taken to their maximum! John would later cross the ocean to play in Italy. The other, Julius Erving, would become the legendary Dr. J, a legend in the NBA!

John's history passes from his stint with the European championship team, Ignis Varese, losing in the finals to a great CSKA team to his days with Porelli's Virtus Bologna where he was the superstar. In the meantime a new lifestyle was adopted by John. He adopted the ideals pacifism, freedom of thought and action and as a symbol of these hippie ideals let his hair grow to shoulder length and, henceforth, earned the nickname Kociss. He welcomed others with these ideals in his home with typical generosity deriving from his free spirit. It was a life like "On The Road" but without forgetting his duties on the basketball court. His duels with Gary "Baron" Schull were the beginning of the great rivalry between the Virtus and Fortitudo teams. John and Schull, igniting he passion of Italian fans, built the foundation for what became known as Basketball City!

"They Called Me Kociss" is an intense, fast paced, vibrant story. It is pure, sincere and honest like the man who decided to write it always was both during happy and difficult times. A great and important message that should be beneficial to the new generation. It is story that is not only for those who love basketball!

Marco Tarozzi – Won Coni-USSI's Award as "Sports Writer of the Year" (2004)

PROLOGUE- DESTINATION ITALY

The book I wrote is entitled "They Called Me Cochise" due to the fact that the Italian fans nicknamed me Cochise or Kociss in Italian. It's a autobiographical novel regarding my life as a pro basketball player during the early seventies, during the hippie generation. After playing at the University of Rhode Island and becoming one of the all-time top scorers and rebounders, I was drafted by the Lakers but went to Italy to play on the European Championship team, Ignis Varese. From there I went to Bologna to play on the Virtus team and, in the meantime returned to L.A. only to lose a contract due to drug problems.

Through exciting life experiences described page after page we not only learn basketball history, including the European scene and the basketball boom in Bologna, but also analyze hippie principals and their resulting effects. Of course, some of the hippie doctrine like world peace, sharing and helping the disadvantaged, appreciating and protecting nature were positive but others which include attempting to achieve higher consciousness with experiences induced chemically and the promiscuity resulting from the concept of free love were dangerously negative. This book is a realistic and transparent trip through a life haunted by consequences caused by the application of these wrong principals and in its ending offers an alternative that could be beneficial to today's youth. Because of its honesty and transparency it should become an important tool to help today's youth make the right choices.

Probably the greatest satisfaction I have had has been due to the reviews that I have had from critics and writers who appreciated the book. One accomplished sports writer, Marco Tarozzi who is such an admirer of Jack Keroac that he went to the States to visit his grave, generously compared it to "On The Road" due to its page turning adventurous life descriptions and fast paced style! He also wrote that he believes that all sports fans and basketball fanatics should read my story since it does describe my times with the Lakers, my encounters with Dr. J and even hippie-like experiences with John Belushi as well as the basketball scene and life in Italy!

SAYING GOODBYE

I said goodbye to my beautiful Mom Lucille, intelligent stepfather Frank, and studious brother Bob the night before I was to depart for Italy. They treated me to a lobster dinner at Anthony's Pier 4 overlooking Boston Harbor. Of course, my cute and witty girlfriend Betty was there as well.

Missing was my lovely sister Barbara who was on the west coast with her husband Don. I had seen a lot of them when I was with the Lakers and they were living in Newport Beach. I really love both of them, they're such a great couple! Maybe they should have put me in chains and not let me leave the Lakers!

My Mom told Betty, "How can you stand him being over there, so far away? I just don't understand why he's not staying here and playing for the Lakers!", and nearly broke down in tears.

Betty replied with her usual timely wit, "Well I really don't know he hasn't gone yet. Personally I'm going to do my best to go over for a long visit. I think it will be a great experience for John."

"Yeah, I'll do the same. I've never been to Italy and sure would like to visit," agreed my Mom.

"You can both come any time you please cause you'll always be my number one and number two girls!", I said emphatically.

"I don't even think you should be going. You should stay here and graduate and then think of hoopin," said my brother Bob intelligently.

"Well, intervened Frank, I think it's a good experience going over to visit Europe, even if I've always thought that throwing a ball through a hoop was a stupid activity."

"Oh stop that please Frank," said my Mom nearly in tears, "he's just doing what his real Dad Jack would have wanted him to do. He was a pro player with the Boston team, didn't you know that?" Actually, he had played for a team called the Whirlwinds in the Eastern League and at Michigan before joining the marines.

"Yeah, you've only told me about a thousand times," he objected irritated.

"Well listen, I'll be back soon and I'll go to summer school to complete my studies, OK?" I promised.

"That sounds good Johnny, make sure you do get back soon," urged my studious brother Bob. "You know that Julius will come back to summer school even though he'll soon be making huge money in the pros. He always was a harder worker than you," he concluded. It was his way of saying that he was better because he had a great work ethic. He must have been very impressed since he knew that I was a hard worker as well.

"Yeah, if you say so bro. You told me that in that early morning call you made before our first game with UMass," I replied. "Too bad we came to your home court in Amherst and my U.R.I Rhody Rams kicked your butts, or should I say rammed you Redskins? If I remember right I had 26 points and 13 rebounds and Doctor J had only 20 and 12 and the University of Rhode Island won the game handedly." It's hard for me to believe now that I had once outplayed a player who went on to become one of the all-time greatest! He would someday be inducted into the hall of fame and many fans consider him the Michael Jordan of the seventies. Actually, MJ claimed that Dr. J was his mentor and he learned more from him than any other player. I guess he learned to fly and hover like a helicopter from Julius because they were the only two players I had ever seen that could hover and change directions in mid-air!

"Yeah and what about the next decisive encounter between you and the Doc?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Well, UMass did win and Erving did get the better, but in the last game when he had 40 I did get my 33 and we only lost 83-74 despite missing "Snowflake" English. If we hadn't lost him due to a broken wrist we would have won the conference title and Rhode Island would have gone on to a post season tournament!" I asserted..

"Yeah Johnny, and if the dog hadn't stopped to take a shit he would have caught the rabbit," he said joking. "Well Johnny, I gotta hand it to you, Julius couldn't stop you but you couldn't stop him either," he conceded.

"That's right Bobby, no-one in the country could stop him but with English's help in the first game we did!" I reminded him.

"Ya know Johnny I think you should just stay here and someday maybe we'll see you two match up against each other again in the pros," he urged.

"I'll be back bro, just got to get some more experience and I really want to see Europe and enjoy what should be a great cultural experience. I'll be playing and travelling with the great European championship team from Varese."

DEPARTURE

Betty had driven me to the airport in her old Plymouth convertible. It was the same one she had in high school. I loved the way the wind swirled through and got under her skirt, lifting it up and revealing those beautiful legs that supported her lovely self. The doors were a bit creaky when you opened and closed them, and the rust spots had been getting the better of its body but the memories that accompanied the old ride were still bright and vivid. Somehow, maybe it was her cute turned-up nose but probably it was her charismatic self-confidence and natural class, when she was driving that old Plymouth it seemed like a majestic limousine!

"Sure gonna miss you, honey," I whispered in her ear as I bent down to kiss her at the departure gate. "You know Johnny," she said looking me straight in the eyes, "You were my first love and your first love you never forget. I know that you weren't always faithful at university but I wasn't perfect either. Even if both of us might have been a bit naughty at times, the love that we have between us, though, will always live on even in other people that we meet."

"Ha, ha, is that what you mean when you say out of sight out of mind?" I inquired giggling .

"No silly, I mean that what we have will always be no matter what happens," she replied seriously. "Don't worry, Johnny, I'll be here for you when you decide to come home. Promise me you won't stay there for more than one year, OK?"

"Don't worry I hope to be back next year in Los Angeles. At the very most I'll stay over for two. You're going to join the Peace Core this year so if I stay for a second year you could come over for the whole year. Anyway, I hope you can come over someday soon, at least for a while."

"I sure hope so. I'd love to see Europe and, especially Italy. We'll keep in touch, big boy. I love you," she whispered as she pulled me down to kiss her goodbye.

"I love you, too Betty." I grabbed my handbag and rushed out the gate only looking back once to see Betty drying off the tears that were running down her cheeks.

THE FLIGHT.

I was enjoying a smooth ride first class in a TWA 727. My leather seat was wide and comfortable with plenty of room for my legs.

"Would you like something to drink or snack on, sir?" asked the cute blonde stewardess named Carol.

Please call me John or Johnny," I urged. After all I had been calling her Carol from since we took-off. Of course, I had read her name on the name tag that all hostesses were required to wear. Hers was attached just above her perky upturned-breasts on the left of TWA hostess sheer see-through blouse.

If one of my buddies had been there I would have said something like, "Hey Bro, look at them High beams that cute blonde is sporting! Don't you just love this no-bra fashion?" I couldn't help thinking what my friend Joe Lopes might have responded, probably, "Yeah Big-John, she sure does have some high beams on her, they're pointing up towards the stars and just as enchanting!" I couldn't help but to thank God for the hippie generation.

Needless to say, we enjoyed some advantages due to the Hippie fashion but we weren't real Hippies yet. We were called "Jocks" which meant that we were sports freaks that liked the girls and to party. The long-haired Hippies were okay in our books because there were more parties and the girls were becoming easier due to the "free love" concept that was fashionable.

I guess it was the same kind of thinking that had influenced my main squeeze, Betty, to come up with the kind of reasoning that made her believe that the love we had found would live on in all the relationships we would encounter. I suppose it was the same principle that allowed me to have a serious relationship with a beautiful and mysterious Chinese-American girl while she was sharing our love with a UMass baller, or should I say basketball player.

Of course, these more serious relationships didn't stop me from testing this trendy tendency during wild Phi Mu Delta fraternity parties if a stoned and drunk co-ed happened my way. The Phi Mu Delta fraternity wasn't known for its hippie tendencies but as a jock house where partying was an integral and important part of college life! I met great lifelong friends there like Poochie, Jimmy DeNuncio, Catman, Yoz, and Joe Lopes. If there was one hippie principle practiced there it was that of a true feeling of brotherhood and sharing and I knew I'd miss them all while on my Italian adventure!

I had noticed Carol and so did the bald Italian businessman named Salvatore sitting next to me in comfortable first class seats. "Summa times deez Americanas ara just fantastica, like that blond that is our stewardess!"

"Yeah," I agreed wholeheartedly. "I hear there are some fine chicks from Italy, too. Right, Signor?"

"Dats a right. Italy isa famous for itsa beauty, food, anda women," he assured me.

"Yeah, I always liked Italian food and Sophia Loren and Gina Lollibridgida are certainly beautiful!" I declared enthusiastically.

"Si, Mr. Johnny, thata true butta I love your Maryln Monroe anda Jane Mansfield, anche," he said with enthusiasm.

"Hey Johnny, would you like something to drink or eat or tea or me?" Carol teased, bending down and whispering in my ear and suddenly becoming very friendly.

"OK, I'll have Bud and ham and cheese sandwich. I would like you, too," I replied with a shy giggle, "but seeing as I can't, right now, I think I'll try to get a couple of Zees in after the snack and if I'm lucky I'll dream about you," I added to our flirtatious exchange.

"Why are you going to Italy John, just for a visit?" she inquired with what seemed to be sincere interest.

"No, I'm going to play basketball for the European basketball team in Varese near Milan. Guess I'll be there for some time," I replied.

"Oh really, I'm in Milan a couple of days two or three times a month. Maybe we could get together."

"Oh that sounds far-out, fantastic!" I responded surprised by her proposal.

"Hey Stewardess," called out a masculine voice impatiently, "could you come over here and bring me another Jack Daniel's on the rocks when you do. That boy isn't the only passenger you gotta take care of you know."

"Sorry sir, I'll be right with you," she assured the impatient passenger. "Gotta go, Johnny. I'll see you later."

(Continues...)

Excerpted from THEY CALLED ME COCHISEby John Leslie Fultz Copyright © 2012 by John Leslie Fultz. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.