John Brisker Lives

Finally catching up on my ESPN mags and found a riveting story from a few weeks back on the strange tale of former ABAer/ NBAer John Brisker.

Brisker was an ABA star that then moved on the the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics. He left the Sonics in contract dispute and allegedly moved to Uganda at the invitation of Idi Amin. He was never heard from again and it was rumored that he was killed by firing squad after Amin left.

Any how the ESPN writer while working for network tv was assigned to go to Liberia for a story on Charles Taylor. While in Liberia one trail lead to another and he actually found John Brisker alive and well.

Can't find a link but well worth a read if you can find.

 

In "Loose Balls" Terry Pluto reported that Brisker was a nut, one of the meanest dudes to ever play pro basketball. His teammates were terrified of him.

 

Definitely walked around with a chip. He punched out his coach at Toledo and was booted.

 

Is this what you were referring to, Boom? This is by Gare Joyce and was actually in ESPN's fiction issue but it sure reads like a true story.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?id=6157633

 

Gotta love 60's and 70's MAC basketball.

 

Yes that's it. Man am I embarrassed. I did not even realize that the story was fiction. The State department cables made it seem so authentic.

Good story non the less but I guess John Brisker now only lives in spirit.

 

From the story:
Gare Joyce has been a contributor to ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com since 2003. He lives in Toronto. After seeing Brisker's name on a Wikipedia list of missing persons two years ago, Joyce filed a Freedom of Information request with the Department of State for files relating to the investigation of Brisker's disappearance. Excerpts from those declassified and redacted communications are included in this story, along with information from interviews of those who knew Brisker. This is Joyce's first piece of published fiction.

 

I went back and realized that the entire magazine was devoted to fiction for that week.

Actually some really good stuff that has "New Yorker" feel to it. Surprised that it never hit the radar here since there is so much discussion of ESPN. In a way it seems "ground breaking" . Would not mind seeing some more.

 

No wonder you're such a Fox News fan, Boom.

 

Hey give me a break. I read story at dentist office and cover was off .

 

OK. Just this once.

 

Just copying your post for the record as you've been known to go back on your commitments.