By Jerald L Hoover
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
Gus And Ray The Pride of Mount Vernon
By Jerald L. Hoover
Ray Williams
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
Mount Vernon, New York – Growing up as a kid in Mount Vernon after migrating from the
Patterson Houses in the South Bronx, and joining the South Side Boys and Girls Club, the two names
that would ring in my ears, like chimes in the wind, were Gus and Ray Williams. They became
the hallmark of all things basketball in our fair city.
No, they weren’t the first of the long line of great athletes to ever call Mount Vernon home, but
as brothers, they were one of the best to do it. In fact, as NBA pros, other than the Hall of Fame
Van Ardsdale twins (Dick and Tom), no other brother combination has ever averaged 20 points
per game for a single season at the same time as the Williams brothers. Each set did it twice. To
date, there have been over 70 sets of brothers to grace the NBA. Gus won a NBA Championship
With the Seattle SuperSonics In 1979 and was an NBA All Star twice. Ray played for both the Knicks
and Nets on two different occasions.
On January 15th, Gus transitioned from this life after a lengthy illness; he was 71. He is now
reunited with Ray, who passed away from colon cancer on March 22, 2013, at the tender age of
58.
The Williams Brothers were our shining stars, but they never failed to not only rep our city, but
they also gave back to pave the way for others to go forward.
Jerald L. Hoover is a guest correspondent for the New York Beacon. Mr. Hoover is the author of “A Hopeful Hero.”
www.TheHeroBookSeries.com/books
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
Recent Comments