In this column, the usual roles are reversed, and I answer questions about my new book, “Franklin High School: Two Basketball Dynasties.”
Question: What is your new book about?
Answer: It is a book about the memoirs of Michael Ferrara. He was a legend in basketball in Sussex County during the 1970s.
Q: What inspired the book?
A: I caught up with Mike a year or so ago. He was keenly interested in recording his life in the sport of basketball and getting his experiences for others to have.
As we are alumni of Franklin High School, we were aware that there were two times when basketball at our school was tremendously popular and successful. One era was in the 1950s or so with Coach Reginald Purdy. Another time was in the 1970s with the Stefkoviches and also Mike Ferrara.
Q. Tell me about Ferrara.
A. Mike grew up down near the city and his family moved to Pleasant Valley Lake in Vernon. He went to Franklin High School, which was still operating as such and had done so until the early 1980s. The kids now go to Wallkill Valley Regional High School.
Mike became an outstanding player on the high school basketball team and went on to play at Colgate University and then was drafted into the NBA.
Q: What are the highlights of his career?
A. He started out in college at Niagara University and then moved to Colgate. While at Colgate, he scored 1,763 points, which was then a school record. He still holds the school record for points in a season, which is 772, and also the number of steals in a season of 94.
He finished a very close second to the leading scorer in NCAA Division I during the 1980-81 season. During that time, Mike had a fantastic 28.6 points per game average. He was also named the Patriot Conference prestigious Player of the Year.
Mike went on to be drafted by the Washington Bullets. He had a number of fascinating stories that he speaks about in the book.
We also bring into play several of the important people in his life and athletic journey. Chiefly among them are the coaches he had. One was Coach Frank Virtue of his time at Franklin. Coach Virtue was beloved by many from the town.
Through the book, Mike describes how influences by special people impacted his life, broadened his horizons and aided in the development as an exceptional player.
Q. How is this book different from others you have written?
A. This happens to be the seventh book that I have published. It is the first book where we were working on a memoir.
The vigor that Mike had when we got together a year or so made me laugh. I had known him for some 40 years and he was always high-energy. But he still possessed the same level of enthusiasm and eagerness as way back when.
He worked out daily near his home in Tampa, Fla., and had a strong regimen that he followed.
Making the book was a fun time with him and interviewing our mutual old adviser, Coach Virtue.
Q: Where can we get the book?
A: “Franklin High School: Two Basketball Dynasties” is available at the Sparta Bookstore and Broad Street Books in Branchville. You also can get an e-version (Kindle) on Amazon along with a soft cover and a hard cover.
Q: Any parting words?
A: I certainly have mixed feelings on the book. You see, Mike, ole’ #44 as he liked to be referred to (his retired number at Colgate), passed away on Sunday June 15.
While he was full of his lifelong enthusiasm just a few months ago, he had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), often called Lou Gehrig’s disease.
While we didn’t know it at the beginning, we worked hard to get the book done as soon as we could. As it turned out, I was only awaiting his last “yes” of approval on the back cover layout when he took deathly ill and was unable to reply with that one word.
So, while the book is fantastic, the culmination was disheartening.
“Franklin High School: Two Basketball Dynasties” is the testament to a great athlete and human being and a long tradition of a small-town school.
Bill Truran, Sussex County’s historian, may be contacted at billt1425@gmail.com