Reilly: Have you ever thought about what your rivalry and friendship has done for race relations?
Larry: I never got into that. I don't care nothin' about that. When I was a kid, like 14 or 15, I played with the waiters from the hotel, 'cause that was the best game. And these guys, they'd let me play. And they were black guys. And they'd go over and sneak a drag on their Kool cigarettes, but they let me play.
Reilly: Didn't your Michigan State teammates think Bird was black?
Magic: They did! Until they saw that SI cover. I told 'em, 'cause I played with him, this is the baddest white boy you'll ever see.
Magic: People, I'm telling you. There will never be another Larry Bird. This man was a genius. The things he would do!
Bird: I used to get bored. One night, I had this idea that I'm gonna try to shoot every shot left-handed.
Reilly: Didn't you spend a summer with your right hand tied behind your back, just so you could improve your left?
Bird: Well, not ALL summer. ... Anyway, (that night, teammate) Bill Walton asks me, "What are you doing? Don't do that. This team is pretty good." I think I made 11 of my first 14 left-handed.
Magic: Oh, my!
BIRD: Anyway, finally, my coach (K.C. Jones) calls a timeout and brings me over, 'cause we weren't too far ahead anymore. And he's pissed. And he says, "Use your other damn hand."
Here's the transcript.
http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7651958/talking-bird-magic
