My favorite Pearl memory

[Consigliere]

Sorry this comes so late but had to wait until I got home to avoid the "Pictures or it didn't happen" responses.

I was at a Big East tournament in the early 90's and enjoying a great family style Italian meal at our favorite Mulberry Street restaurant. We walked through the front of the restaurant where Pearl was sitting with a good friend. Gave him a quick hello to not interrupt his meal then went to the back room where tables were set up for larger groups. We had a table of UConn fans next to us who were pretty boisterous and the trash talking ramped up in proportion to the wine bottles emptied.

Well, these guys were significantly younger than we were and ultimately a challenge was thrown down. We'd find a hoop in the morning and our best 3 guys would play their best 3 with the losers coming back the next night to buy dinner for the winners. We said it would be me, one of the other guys in the picture (no not the guys in the Nova or Florida shirts) and our third was in the mens room and would be right back. I stepped out front where Pearl had finished his meal and said hello again and asked him if he would mind coming back and saying hello to our group of Cuse fans. He smiled and joined me as we returned to our table. The UConn kids collective jaws hit the floor, they began to fawn over Pearl and profess that he was an all time favorite and Cuse was their second favorite Big East team. Needless to say, talk of the challenge died right there. Never said a word to Pearl about how he undoubtedly saves us a few $$$ that week.

 

[MSOrange]

These stories are so awesome. We all realized what a great player he was on the court but I really had no idea what a great person Pearl truly was. It's amazing how nice and accommodating he was about "being The Pearl."

 

[HoustonCuse]

That's a good story!

 

[Roger N]

Sorry this comes so late but had to wait until I got home to avoid the "No pictures or it didn't happen" responses.

I was at a Big East tournament in the early 90's and enjoying a great family style Italian meal at our favorite Mulberry Street restaurant. We walked through the front of the restaurant where Pearl was sitting with a good friend. Gave him a quick hello to not interrupt his meal then went to the back room where tables were set up for larger groups. We had a table of UConn fans next to us who were pretty boisterous and the trash talking ramped up in proportion to the wine bottles emptied.

Well, these guys were significantly younger than we were and ultimately a challenge was thrown down. We'd find a hoop in the morning and our best 3 guys would play their best 3 with the losers coming back the next night to buy dinner for the winners. We said it would be me, one of the other guys in the picture (no not the guys in the Nova or Florida shirts) and our third was in the mens room and would be right back. I stepped out front where Pearl had finished his meal and said hello again and asked him if he would mind coming back and saying hello to our group of Cuse fans. He smiled and joined me as we returned to our table. The UConn kids collective jaws hit the floor, they began to fawn over Pearl and profess that he was an all time favorite and Cuse was their second favorite Big East team. Needless to say, talk of the challenge died right there. Never said a word to Pearl about how he undoubtedly saves us a few $$$ that week.

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I clicked Like but love the story

 

[DownTheField]

That's an awesome story

I'm not sure if this is true but it seems too ridiculous to be made up. A buddy of mine told me he was in the bathroom at Carousel about 20 years ago and he saw Pearl in there. He chatted with him for a second and as Pearl was leaving he smiled and said "You better not tell anybody you saw Pearl in the shitter".

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Sorry this comes so late but had to wait until I got home to avoid the "No pictures or it didn't happen" responses.

I was at a Big East tournament in the early 90's and enjoying a great family style Italian meal at our favorite Mulberry Street restaurant. We walked through the front of the restaurant where Pearl was sitting with a good friend. Gave him a quick hello to not interrupt his meal then went to the back room where tables were set up for larger groups. We had a table of UConn fans next to us who were pretty boisterous and the trash talking ramped up in proportion to the wine bottles emptied.

Well, these guys were significantly younger than we were and ultimately a challenge was thrown down. We'd find a hoop in the morning and our best 3 guys would play their best 3 with the losers coming back the next night to buy dinner for the winners. We said it would be me, one of the other guys in the picture (no not the guys in the Nova or Florida shirts) and our third was in the mens room and would be right back. I stepped out front where Pearl had finished his meal and said hello again and asked him if he would mind coming back and saying hello to our group of Cuse fans. He smiled and joined me as we returned to our table. The UConn kids collective jaws hit the floor, they began to fawn over Pearl and profess that he was an all time favorite and Cuse was their second favorite Big East team. Needless to say, talk of the challenge died right there. Never said a word to Pearl about how he undoubtedly saves us a few $$$ that week.

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I do thought Pearl was go man suit up for you the next day. THAT would have been an all time great story. Still very cool.