Pistol Pete
Persuasive Essay Pistol Pete
The book Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich, by Mark Kriegel, brought up many important issues. It told the story of a ballplayer transformed by his father’s dream, which brought many consequences along with it. Growing up, Press Maravich’s life revolved around basketball. If it didn’t have to do with basketball, it wasn’t important, nothing was important except for his love for the game. When Press’ son, Pete Maravich was born, he not only inherited the “basketball gene” he also shared the passion and love of the game with his father. Press Maravich had high expectations for Pete, maybe too high. Press was always pushing Pete, putting a great amount of presser on his son, never letting up. Mark Kriegel helps to portray a message through the eyes of basketball player Pete Maravich. He argues that people look for happiness in all the wrong places.
The fear of losing prevented Pete from playing and enjoying the game of basketball. He played for everyone else except for the most important person, himself. Kriegel states, “Pistol Pete [Maravich] was, in fact, his father’s vision, built to the old mans exacting specifications” (2). Pete was always being pushed to do better; nothing was ever good enough for Press. Pete would recall, “ I could score thirty points in a crucial game, but Dad would point out all of the mistakes I made hoping I would not repeat them again… [they] seemed to override any of the positive points” Press believed that, “only perfection brought salvation,” (109). Pete never stood up to his father, who once stated, “Pete will do what I tell him” (184). Starting when he was a boy, he did everything that Press threw at him, making no decisions for himself. With tears in his eye, Pete would explained to people that, “Press had made him dribble until his fingers were raw and bloody” (206). For Pete, “being overworked and underweight had left him chronically fatigued” (215). As he grew up, this pressure took a toll
The book Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich, by Mark Kriegel, brought up many important issues. It told the story of a ballplayer transformed by his father’s dream, which brought many consequences along with it. Growing up, Press Maravich’s life revolved around basketball. If it didn’t have to do with basketball, it wasn’t important, nothing was important except for his love for the game. When Press’ son, Pete Maravich was born, he not only inherited the “basketball gene” he also shared the passion and love of the game with his father. Press Maravich had high expectations for Pete, maybe too high. Press was always pushing Pete, putting a great amount of presser on his son, never letting up. Mark Kriegel helps to portray a message through the eyes of basketball player Pete Maravich. He argues that people look for happiness in all the wrong places.
The fear of losing prevented Pete from playing and enjoying the game of basketball. He played for everyone else except for the most important person, himself. Kriegel states, “Pistol Pete [Maravich] was, in fact, his father’s vision, built to the old mans exacting specifications” (2). Pete was always being pushed to do better; nothing was ever good enough for Press. Pete would recall, “ I could score thirty points in a crucial game, but Dad would point out all of the mistakes I made hoping I would not repeat them again… [they] seemed to override any of the positive points” Press believed that, “only perfection brought salvation,” (109). Pete never stood up to his father, who once stated, “Pete will do what I tell him” (184). Starting when he was a boy, he did everything that Press threw at him, making no decisions for himself. With tears in his eye, Pete would explained to people that, “Press had made him dribble until his fingers were raw and bloody” (206). For Pete, “being overworked and underweight had left him chronically fatigued” (215). As he grew up, this pressure took a toll