Dyckman Park – My Home Court
I’m from Dyckman. When I played as a shortie and coached on the summer pro-am circuit, there was nothing like being in Dyckman park participating in a game. After running uptown I would hit the Rucker and watch Tiny, Clyde, and Joe Hammond run. I love summer ball and I want to know which park do you think is the best park to watch summer league ball?
While EBC has been criticized, their chip was packed and Greg Marius has successfully kept the crowd entertained. While many say that Rucker Park is down and the comp waning, keep in mind the years of success and the clean presentation that Rucker has displayed over a 20-year period. Looking forward to next year, next summer, on the playground. Get your pick up game on…
September 5th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
kenny Patt says:
Rucker Park is the absolute best from a fan’s view with Kingdome 2nd, Dyckman 3rd, and 145th and Lenox 4th. All other parks that I can think of have limited seating and view. I use to like Soul in the Hole before they tore it up.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Sean Couch says:
Ken,
i remember sitting on a watercooler in rucker park on the sidelines and watching a game while my pops coached a team called the Uptowners. A beautiful thing. Nowadays, the stand around court ala west 4th are gaining fandom like the Together We Chill tournament which got alot of buzz this summer.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:42 pm
kenny Patt says:
Sean,
I am a few years behind you , and I had no shame hanging on the fence to watch games at Rucker Park. Atmosphere is almost as Imoprtant as talent. When the Pro Rucker fell off in the early 80’s, we use to stand on 139th to watch the EBC, so I am 100% with you on this. I was speaking from a comfort prospective, but I can see that it runs in cycles.
September 6th, 2008 at 7:48 am
g says:
Kenny-
Wasn’t nothing like the Hole in the late 80’s,early 90’s. Incredibly hood,complete with fights,shootouts,burning and drinkin’,but yet it stayed crowded cause the comp was tough and local based. I remember Mousey bringing Kareem Reid,Alimoe and Strick there to play against Kenny’s Kings. Mousey was boss talking, saying Kareem was gonna stretch out on Boogs and no one in Brooklyn could guard Alimoe and Strick. Strick played well,no antics or jokes,but Reem and Alimoe didn’t get off at all. The fence along Monroe street was flooded with hood,but ball knowledgable fans. Don’t see that too often in any venue any more. (That movie along with the gentrification of Bed Sty destroyed the Hole)
Closest thing I’ve seen to the Hole is Watson. Park is packed, great comp, just tough to get good angles of the game when the park is packed.
The best venue is HITS,as far as environment and scenery. Almost comparable to a video game! Lol!
55th had the benefit of ambiance and history behind it, but its fallen off like Pookie from New Jack City! I remember clinging to the light pole by 8th ave @ 55th to watch Master Rob’s last official game there (dude hit 5 consecutive 3’s and got an and 1 to bring the Flavor Unit back against the Posse…..sick game!) no way I’d do that these days for 55th….besides,I’m not a VIP,so I’d doubt I’d get close enough to do that anyway!
Most festive is Dykman, especially when Dominican Power is ballin’. Joint feels like labor day with the drums,dancing,flags and singin!
Kingdome is a good look,just seemed to change after it got clapped up last summer,which by the way,that incident didn’t have anything to do with ball at all!
I think a slept on park/tourney is the Dog show. Comp was better than I’d thought it would be and the park was cool,meaning you could see the games from various angles even if it was crowded. Tri State is cool as well.
But ultimately,the comp has to be good enough to merit you going to where ever to watch,so here’s my humbly assembled list,with no cemented order:
1)hits
2)tri state
3)dykman
4)kingdome
5)watson
6)twc
7)west 4th
8)ebc
9)dog show
10)goat
September 6th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Sean Couch says:
Ken,
Real thorough list. Brooklyn and Queens is not really repped on the list, how about wingate park?
September 6th, 2008 at 3:37 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
kingdome and ebc are probably the two best situated crowd seated courts that i can immediately think of. if i break it down, though, ebc has a longer court, so if you under the basket, the action is far away. kingdome’s length is shorter, so no matter where you are, a good view is viable. the exception, of course, is when it’s super packed like when the and 1 tour stopped there to play the kingdome all-stars in ‘05. it got so crowded, the table and players couldn’t even see the scoreboard! people didn’t care, they just stood up right in front of it! haha! classic, man.
a little known court with great seating is right in douglass projects on 101 bet. columbus and amsterdam. ray diaz ran his tournament there for a brief two years in ‘97 and ‘98. it hasn’t been used since, though. hmmm . . .
September 6th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Sean Couch says:
bob
that court is no joke, mini kingdome. only draw back
is the supports for the baskets are concrete. u would need a new sort of pole pad for protection. .
September 7th, 2008 at 2:41 am
Kenny Patt says:
G,
Only thing I cant stand about HITS is no shade anywhere, and too damn expensive to park LOL. Other than that, It’s a great venue.
September 7th, 2008 at 10:02 am
g says:
Kenny-
dead right on the shade,and doubly right on the parking!!!! ive gotten into clubs for cheaper than that!!lol!!
Sean-
Wingate is a good venue as far as comp and the park. my problem with them is accessibility and parking…. there are trains in the area,but its a nice little trek from the train station to the park. and if you drive theres NEVER any parking, which the cops obviously love since they give out double parking tickets like there autographs!!!!
September 8th, 2008 at 12:30 am
the stuy says:
Anyone familiar with the 8-Ball Tournament?? The closet thing left to Soul In The Hole in Bed-Stuy.. An unfortunate incident happened last week @ the championship game but that’s Brooklyn ball for you.. Watching one minute then running the next!! I’ve seen streetball legends there(Charles Jones, Ron Artest, etc.)
September 8th, 2008 at 5:53 am
Jacek says:
Is there any chance of seeing any action (indoor tournaments, indoor high-school) between 29 Sep – 4 Oct, because I will be visiting NYC?
Is there any place (in NYC) where I could buy those archive issues (1-15), other than online store?
September 8th, 2008 at 5:53 am
Jacek says:
Of course archive issues of Bounce Mag.
September 8th, 2008 at 8:01 am
Elliot Rosado says:
Without a doubt Rucker is still the best place to watch a game. I remember buying a milk crate from a kid for $5 the day Allen Iverson teamed up with Stephon Marbury so i can see the game. Tri-State is also a good site if you can get a seat you are right on the court. Kingdome is also a good spot.
September 8th, 2008 at 8:55 am
funkalot says:
EBC is the best park for seating large crowds, but anytime you connect “Beaches and Ball”, you have created an ethereal atmosphere, so good looks to Pops Cruz and sons Randy and Joe for giving us HITS.
I know you can “sea” what I am saying!
September 9th, 2008 at 1:19 am
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
jacek-
hit me back closer to sept. 29th. i’m looking at my calendar and i don’t konw if any games going on that week, but perhaps something will pop up that we’ll hear about. my email is bobbito@somosarte.com
September 9th, 2008 at 5:58 am
Jacek says:
Thank you very much. I will write email before I will arive to NYC.
September 9th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Kiki says:
funkalot, have to agree with you on the HITS statement. i alos believe anytime u combine basketball with the beach, its phenomenal. its rare to see an atmosphere like that in today’s streetball realm, especially in NYC. NYC is filled with regular parks and playgrounds…the norm…but a NYC beachside pro league is a crazy idea..you get basketball, the beach, the women in bikinis walkin up and down all day watching the games, the people, its amazing, i kno it hits out there lol, like playing a home game for the dolphins, but maybe HITS doesnt get alot of props cuz its all the way in the bx and not your typical “Streetball” league but its top 3 bar none, ebc and k-dome fell off but still felt HITS was in top tier regardless, im a bx native myself and im glad to have HITS reside in my borough, much love to joe and randy for turning HITS into one of the premier and elite summer leagues in NYC and possibly on the east coast, its def become one of those takeover t’ments aside from dyckman, HITS and dyckman are my fav’s
September 9th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Kenny Patt says:
Kiki,
Everyone says that Kingdone fell off , but I strongly disagree. I saw the same talent level this year as always. I think the fanfare waned some without the support of Dame Dash and the emergence of TWC. The Chip had very good talent on both teams. I agree with EBC because a lot of top players left and B level players became stars there.
September 11th, 2008 at 12:17 am
Dan the Man says:
Greg Marius talkin’ about Vinsanity’s windmill cuff dunk !
September 12th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Dan the Man says:
Whole lotta game vs. Vinsanity !!!!
http://raptors.fandome.com/watch/77483/Vince_Carter_vs_A_Whole_Lotta_Game/