If you were yearning for a bit of a break to learn about Wilt Chamberlain’s history in the Borscht Belt, check out Grantland’s 30 for 30 Shorts. The short film looks back to when Wilt the Stilt worked as a bellhop at Kutsher’s Country Club in the Catskill Mountains.
In 1954, before his senior year of high school, Wilt Chamberlain took a summer job as a bellhop at Kutsher’s Country Club, a Jewish resort in the Catskill Mountains. By day he was making $2 an hour and getting great tips from the awestruck guests as he lifted their luggage through a second-floor window … while standing outside on the ground. At night, he played on the Kutsher’s basketball team and was coached by the resort’s athletic director, Celtics coach Red Auerbach. Mixing rarely seen archival video and interviews with people who lived and worked with Wilt, this short chronicles a pivotal chapter in the life of one of the game’s greatest players, and gives a fascinating glimpse into a time when basketball met the Borscht Belt in its heyday.
I’d suggest we all go grab a bite to eat at Wilt Chamberlain’s, the restaurant, in Florida’s lovely Boca Raton. But, alas, I think it’s closed. No hamburgers and arcade games for us. At least we have this documentary.
Previous: 30 for 30 Shorts: Wilt Chamberlain: Borscht Belt Bellhop
(Photo by Sporting News Archive/Getty)