On this date in 1972, Phil Jackson visited North Dakota in support of George McGovern’s presidential campaign, briefly engaging in political events before returning to train with the New York Knicks.

Here is the complete story as it appeared in the paper that day:

By PHIL MATTHEWS

Staff Writer

Professional basketball player Phil Jackson has been a familiar figure on the basketball floor and at other sports events in North Dakota for several years.

But when he arrived in Fargo Wednesday, sporting a beard and a haversack, he was on a new mission.

He came to spend a couple of days on the political stump in North Dakota on behalf of Sen. George McGovern, the Democratic candidate for president.

“I don’t really know what influence an athlete has in something like this,” he said with a mod

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