My dad made an investment when I was still in elementary school that produced one of the best returns he ever enjoyed. No, basketball didn’t pay for our college educations or anything like that (though my basketball career did produce a point on one-of-four free throw shooting on my ninth grade basketball team). The goal did highlight Dad’s resourcefulness in supporting a family of six. A cut-off creosote pole and a piece of aluminum-coated trailer door that he salvaged from his job at Fruehauf formed the framework for our “brand new” basketball goal. He added a goal and a net, and we were in business.

I can’t even begin to imagine the number of hours of enjoyment our basketball court produced. The court was located to the left of our house, facing my parents’ and my sisters&...

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