It’s not often you read an item in the New York Daily News praising a columnist for the rival Post, but as a succession of hoops legends are due to be introduced as Basketball Hall Of Fame inductees this Monday, Frank Isola can think of a glaring omission :

One name you won™t hear mentioned on Monday is the long-time basketball writer, Peter Vecsey, a former New York Daily News reporter. At the very least, Vecsey deserves the Curt Gowdy Award which singles out members of the electronic and print media for outstanding contributions to basketball.

Peter Vecsey has been covering basketball for more than 40 years. He was writing about the NBA when no one covered it. He spawned a whole generation of basketball writers making the transition from newspaper to television.

He has an original style and we all know that he can be brutal on anyone who plays, coaches or covers the NBA. He™s hit me a couple of times over the years. When I was breaking into the business he took me under his wing. We shared dinners together, played some basketball and always talked about the NBA. And he still hit me.

Chris Mullin once told Vescey that he™ll scan is column and if he doesn™t see his name in it then he™ll continue reading it.

There is probably somebody in Springfield that Vecsey has been critical of in the past which is why he hasn™t been considered for the Hall of Fame. But if you where to ask anyone over 30 years old, when they hear œNBA writer who is the first person that pops into their heads most will say Peter Vecsey.

He belongs in Springfield. And one more thing; if Dick Vitale can get in as a contributor, so can Vecsey.