Say the word auction, and I confess, it sets me back to my failed attempt to auction off a signed basketball for charity–no bids, no excitement, just me shyly raising my paddle to repurchase it.

However, the auction to support the Wilt Chamberlain Scholarship Fund (live now through April 9)—featuring pieces of the hardwood floor from Wilt’s 100-point game—is a time portal that bore witness to an unmatched feat on March 2, 1962.

And suddenly, I got lured into the excitement of auctions again.

The Voice of the Hardwood

Imagine if the hardwood could narrate the tale of that evening when every bounce and pivot accumulated to a century of points. Thankfully, the accounts of that game and its attendees breathe life into a moment otherwise sealed in silence—no video, sparse journalistic record, just fragments of stories for the skeptics to dissect if it happened.

And yet, if disbelief clouds the event for some, John Gabriel stands as a beacon of testimony. John, who was six years old, was there amidst a crowd of 4,124 and witnessed sports history beside his family.

It was a local game for them, just down the road in Hershey—a game that seemed big enough to make an impatient boy forget his need for a restroom break at his father’s behest, “Something big will happen here; we’ve got to wait.”

A Lifetime Inspired by Greatness

That game set footprints not just on the court but deep in the hearts of those present, guiding their futures. For John Gabriel, it was the start of a love affair with basketball—a beacon that led him to play in first grade for the Mighty Ducks to a profound career in the NBA, eventually becoming a name etched in the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame.

John didn’t just witness greatness; he absorbed it. He made it his own by going from a lawn mowing business to doing anything and everything for the 76ers as part of a staff of one of thirteen and then by making his indelible mark on the Orlando Magic.

Never able to emulate Wilt’s prowess on a court, he cherished the view from the sidelines by cherishing the scoreboard on that remarkable night, recreating it in his office. It was a constant reminder of what can happen when individuals strive to better themselves and transcend barriers.

On March 2, 2022, to the day and hour of Wilt’s memorable game, John was inducted into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame. As John gave his acceptance speech, he was able to relive that game again.

It was easy for John and his family to get down to the court from their seats – there were no security guards to stop them from getting on the court. He got so close to Wilt he could almost touch him.

Later, Harvey Pollack became a good friend of John Gabriel. As the statistician, Harvey kept scraps of paper. Sitting next to Harvey on a bus one day, John learned that Harvey supplied the scrap paper so Wilt could display his record—the infamous photo of Wilt in the locker room that day.

From Hardwood to Canvas

John’s footprints, from the Hershey Sports Arena’s courtside to the Orlando Magic ranks, have brought John to his greatness, but the story doesn’t end there.

Just as Wilt made an incredible mark on John, John likewise left one on Shaquille O’Neal. As Director of Player personnel, John signed Shaq as a rookie in 1992. As a unique way to commemorate his gratitude, Shaq gifted John one of the sneakers he wore that first year.

As the gift that keeps on giving, Quantum Leap raised $60,000 for the Team Fox Fund auction in 2021. John was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2012, and the Michael J Fox Parkinson’s Foundation means as much to him as basketball always has.

It’s all about the footprints we leave, and it all started with that hardwood floor in Hershey, PA.

A Legacy Imprinted

The footprints from that historic game on the hardwood floor depict more than a milestone in sports—they sketch the narrative of every person touched by that moment of brilliance.

They exemplify the path one can pave by standing on the shoulders of giants or, in this case, striding on the soles of legends.

We follow these footprints as we forge our paths—remembering, rejoicing, and retelling the tales of those who have tread before us or alongside us.

Each auction item becomes a slice of history – replete with a story—a priceless narrative of human potential realized in wood, leather, and indelible ink.

In the end, whether or not you cherish the experiment of auctions or revel in the magic of memorabilia, there’s a universal truth to tell: Relics are worthless when they stand alone, but the stories they encapsulate? They withstand the test of time.

The Wilt Chamberlain online auction ig going on live until April 9 at 11:59pm. All proceeds benefit the Fund’s scholarship program, which provides assistance to students from the greater Philadelphia area for their college and vocational education. https://e.givesmart.com/events/BSd/