Kirkland man is world’s largest seller of ‘Pistol’ Pete Maravich memorabilia

Snagging a pass just outside the key, he dribbles once, fakes a shot and fires a bounce-pass between defenders to a teammate who quickly dunks the ball. Chasing an opponent across the half-court line, he reads a fake, steals the ball and is halfway down the court. Screeching to a halt, he pump-fakes, sending his pursuing opponent jumping out-of-bounds. He pivots, shoots and scores. “In the ‘70s, Pete Maravich was somebody the average tall skinny kid could look up to,” Norm Vener explained about his lifelong hero. “Everybody wanted to be like him.”

By Justin Vorhees • February 2, 2010 9:18 pm
Kirkland resident Norm Vener stands with some of his 'Pistol' Pete Marvich memorabilia in his Finn Hill home.
Kirkland resident Norm Vener stands with some of his 'Pistol' Pete Marvich memorabilia in his Finn Hill home.

Snagging a pass just outside the key, he dribbles once, fakes a shot and fires a bounce-pass between defenders to a teammate who quickly dunks the ball.

Chasing an opponent across the half-court line, he reads a fake, steals the ball and is halfway down the court. Screeching to a halt, he pump-fakes, sending his pursuing opponent jumping out-of-bounds. He pivots, shoots and scores.

“In the ‘70s, Pete Maravich was somebody the average tall skinny kid could look up to,” Norm Vener explained about his lifelong hero. “Everybody wanted to be like him.”

Anyone who followed basketball in the 1970s remembers the legendary “Pistol” Pete Maravich. Vener remembers. He’s the largest known seller of Maravich memorabilia in the world, and helps “Pistol” Pete’s legend live on.

“Pete broke just about every NCAA scoring record that existed and still holds most of them,” reads Vener’s Web site. “At 44.2 points per game and 3,667 career points in three seasons, these records are not likely to be broken in our lifetime.”

Vener, of Kirkland, started in the memorabilia business selling Ken Griffey Jr. baseballs in 1996, and quickly realized profits. He said, “At the time I brokered a Pete Maravich jersey, bought it for $12,000 and sold it for $18,000, and ultimately had enough money to get started.”

Vener’s company, Yes I Can, and Web site specialize in everything “Pistol” Pete. Vener also refs, gives lessons, creates memorabilia and recently published a children’s book, “Floppy Socks and Moppy Hair: The Legend of Pistol Pete Maravich.”

“In high school I had the floppy socks and the moppy hair, you know everybody did,” Vener remembered. “As far as him as a person, you know what, I just admire him – that he changed his life after being an alcoholic. … He left a legacy that was different than just the average, selfish, superstar athlete, where he gave back.”

Vener, who volunteers in Bellevue as a coach, said of fellow Maravich fan, “Ryan Appleby (will) pass that (admiration of Maravich) on to their kids – because he was one-of-a-kind.”

Ryan Appleby holds University of Washington basketball records for most three-pointers in a season and in a career, and is admittedly obsessed with “Pistol” Pete, according to his Web site, applebybasketball.com.

“Growing up the things that I admired the most were his showmanship on the floor and his work ethic,” said Appleby during a phone interview. “A lot of the workouts, ball-handling drills, things like that I did growing up – my whole life, every day – were based off his routine.”

“His personal relationship with the Lord was one of biggest things for my life, that affected me the most,” continued Appleby regarding Maravich’s Christianity. In the two years after retiring from pro ball, Maravich explored spirituality. Then in 1982, he dedicated his life to evangelism.

According to the book “Maravich” by Wayne Federman, the “Pistol” once said, “I want to be remembered as a Christian, a person that serves Him to the utmost. Not as a basketball player.”

“Pistol” Pete fired his final shots in 1988 at a pickup game promoting a Christian radio show. He collapsed and died from arrhythmia caused by a rare heart defect: he was born without a left coronary artery to help blood flow to the heart.

“The legend lives on,” Vener said. “We’ve seen more footage on YouTube in the last couple years than I’ve ever seen of footage of Pete Maravich in my lifetime. His name lives on through his tapes, through his preaching, through his books, through video and his records.”

Justin Vorhees is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.