The AP reports that more than $50,000 worth of farm equipment was stolen from a Hamburg farm owned by former NBA star Scottie Pippen. Two tractors were stolen from the farm, which Pippen owns with his brother. The Pippens are offering a $2,500 reward.
Pippen is originally from Hamburg and played basketball at the University of Central Arkansas before a Hall of Fame career in the NBA.
I hope that Pippen’s farm equipment turns up. And I hope that he won’t think it too unlovely that I am going to use the sad news to tell my own Scottie Pippen story.
Pippen was one of the greatest defensive stoppers in the history of the NBA, and also one of the league’s most famous penny-pinchers. In the service industry, he was known as “No Tippin’ Pippen.” He reportedly once even tried to negotiate down the price charged by strippers at New York’s Penthouse Executive Club.
Around fifteen years ago, I was out late drinking at Midtown Billiards in Little Rock, which was the sort of thing I did quite a lot fifteen years ago. It was a dull night, but I thought I’d have one more drink. I walked up to the bar to order my drink and looked down toward the front door and…in walked Scottie Pippen!
But there was a problem when he got to the bouncer inside. Midtown charged five bucks to get in. That was too much for Pippen, who began to haggle. I got my drink and ambled over to watch. At first, Pippen insisted that he and his buddies shouldn’t have to pay at all. Then he tried to get a discounted price. Again, the cover was five bucks. He was indignant, insistent, unrelenting. He haggled with the same tenacious flair that he used to shut down John Stockton in the NBA Finals. But Midtown wouldn’t budge: $5.
It occurred to me — one beat too late — that I could pay for Scottie Pippen to get in to Midtown. I fumbled around in my wallet but before I could get out my cash and holler, “Scottie, I got you!” he was gone, a wild Bull seeking cheaper deals in the Little Rock night.