Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, on June 17, 1775.

Today is N.B.A. Finals Game 6, in Boston, on June 17, 2008.

Bunker Hill in Charlestown overlooks Boston Garden.

Coincidence? I think not.

You remember the Battle of Bunker Hill from history class?

It was the first time the Patriots built a fort, resulting in the first great battle of the American Revolution. It was the one where the Patriots were running low on ammo, so Colonel William Prescott gave the order, “Don’t shoot ’til you see the whites o’ their eyes!

After they ran out of musket balls, the Patriots resorted to stones, rocks, and fists. It was bloody.

Sounds like an old Celtics game. Or a new Celtics game.

It tells me that to win, coach “Doc” Rivers will be quoting Prescott. The Celtics will need to bang inside, up close and personal, where they can see the whites o’ the Lakers’ eyes.

I grew up around Boston, but had never been to Bunker Hill. In those days, at the height of forced busing (i.e., “desegregation”), black people didn’t really go to Charlestown or Chelsea or “Southie”.

Things are different now. I have kids.

Yesterday, I finally went to Bunker Hill because my kids insisted. They learned about Bunker Hill and Concord and Minutemen and Paul Revere and “the whites ‘o their eyes” from that newly re-released special anniversary edition Schoolhouse Rock DVD.

So I took my 3 boys up inside the 20-story Bunker Hill Monument, went up the 296 stairs, and took that photo (above) of Boston Garden.

One of the National Parks Service rangers there reminded me and my kids that the Continental Congress didn’t declare war via the Declaration of Independence until 13 months after the Battle of Bunker Hill, a clear indication, he said, of their restraint and desire for reconciliation. War was the last and least desirable option.

Meanwhile, remember Schoolhouse Rock?

It was that educational musical 3-minute animated short-film series that ran in between cartoons on Saturday morning television some 35 years ago (on ABC).

The short that teaches about the American Revolution is “The Shot Heard ‘Round The World”:

While we’re on that tangent, another favorite of my kids is “Great American Melting Pot”:

“Great American Melting Pot” is cute, fun, and clever, but I always wondered why it doesn’t explain Slavery and has no black people in it. That’s always bothered me. All these immigrants jumping into the pot, but no black people. Maybe they thought we were the pot itself. Or the seasoning.

Seems like ABC tried to compensate for this Afro-omission (Afromission) with two shorts that featured mostly African American characters: “Verb, That’s What’s Happenin’” and “I Got Six”.

“Verb, That’s What’s Happenin’”:

“I Got Six”:

Speaking of “I Got Six,” that’s likely what David Stern will be saying, when counting up how many games he was able to squeeze out of the 2008 N.B.A. Finals at, reportedly, $80 million in revenue per game.

(Support the National Parks Service.)

When Kevin Garnett was traded to the Celtics, this became my favorite jersey:

While throwbacks were still hot, I had this idea that “branded” Black Fives basketball jerseys might work. In other words, authentic style jerseys with just the Black Fives logo on the front, and no team identification.

So I made up a few samples like this one, in different colors, to see if people would like them. They did. I never produced these jerseys, because the throwback trend collapsed right around that time.

They were never made available for sale in stores or online.

But I did hold on to 2 of each of the mint condition samples (the one being auctioned is still in original packaging), because I thought they were so great. I still do!

These Black Fives jerseys had our famous Black Fives logo on the front and the number “5″ on the back.

The front logo is embroidery on a layer of felt, and the back number is chain stitched on felt.

This jersey color is Celtics green. It has a green body and a white torso stripe, a black “5″ on the back, and black trim.

As you may know, KG does a tremendous amount of charitable giving. In the past, his efforts to help inner city school kids in Boston and with Katrina Relief to build homes in New Orleans were memorable and successful.

So I decided to auction off this rare jersey on eBay, and to donate the entire proceeds to KG’s charity efforts. The donation will be from The Black Fives Foundation.

You can bid on this jersey by following the link below:

Limited Edition Green Black Fives #5 Jersey (Proceeds To Kevin Garnett’s Charity

I only have this in one size, 2X (54). The way it fits is that if you’re 6 feet, 2 inches tall then the jersey length will be about even with your fingertips.

But I’m not sure you’ll want to wear it. Maybe you’ll just want to get KG to sign it, then frame it.d

This auction will only go for a few days so go there now and place a bid:

Limited Edition Green Black Fives #5 Jersey (Proceeds To Kevin Garnett’s Charity

This auction will only last a few days. If you act quickly, you might even be able to wear this jersey while watching the N.B.A. Finals!

Celebrate KG, the Celtics, and charitable giving … all at once!

Thank you in advance!