‘84 was when the reformation went from grassroots to mainstream.
Whodini was snapping necks with “Five Minutes of Funk,” and UTFO killed it with “Roxanne, Roxanne.” The drums, snares and break beats of the stealthy, emerging hip hop culture provided the perfect soundtrack to the way Pearl handled the pill, made entire teams stop, lock-up and drop and laid the biggest, fastest, strongest defenders with ease.
Remember Charlie Murphy talking about seeing Rick James’ aura on Chapelle’s show? Well I saw Pearl Washington’s.
Unfortunately, the YouTube clips are really non-existent. There’s a little piece here and there, but nothing that would do significant homage to the man.
If you were fortunate enough to have seen him in the parks, at Boys and Girls HS or killin’ it in the Big East, you know what I’m sayin’. Let the beat of this classic joint bump around your subconsciousness, close your eyes and visualize the weaponry, the arsenal. Take a deep breath and experience, in the deep recesses of your mind, the sensation of what you saw the man do.
SEE WHAT I MEAN?
If you never saw him play, all I can do is sincerely apologize. I’m so sorry. You missed one of the best. EVER!
‘84 – that’s when Dwayne Alonzo Washington, a.k.a. Pearl, took his NYC asphalt boogie to Syracuse University. Before then, the wizardry was seen only in Brownsville, where his older brother Beaver noticed an insane handle when Pearl was only four years old. It grew at the playgrounds and at the Brownsville Recreation Center. The legend mushroomed as he explored the best runs throughout the five boroughs, then went national and even international with the Gauchos.
Armed with his playground arsenal, he turned a mediocre Syracuse University program into must-see theater, instantly making the school a national power.
“He was younger than us, but he was always somebody you had to watch at all times because he was so tricky,” said NYC legend Steve “All Day” Burtt. “We never wanted him to get at us because we saw how he used to get at people. Whenever we played against Pearl, we always keyed on him because you knew he was going to get off. We tried to contain him, but boy, he was something to contain. He was something else.”
photo: hoopedia.nba.com
And if you weren’t fortunate enough to peep the reformation at its grassroots, it was of the utmost importance to have ESPN at its formative stages, when he announced his arrival to the world.
Against Boston College in January of ‘84, his freshman year, Pearl raced down court in the closing seconds of a tie game and threw up a heave from half court. The ball splashed through the net, detonating a human explosion at the Carrier Dome. In the resulting pandemonium, Pearl was nowhere to be found. The TV replay showed him racing toward the locker room, never breaking stride, his index finger raised to the sky before the shot ever fell back to earth. You just had to see it. Bottom line!
The massive Carrier Dome was splattered with t-shirts that read “And on the eighth day, God created Pearl” for every home game.
In the pantheon of the most transcendent moments in Madison Square Garden’s illustrious history, you’d have to rate Pearl’s epic battles against Georgetown – with Patrick Ewing, David Wingate and Reggie Williams – and St. John’s – with Chris Mullin, Walter Berry and Mark Jackson – right up there with the John Starks Dunk, Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier’s Fight of the Century, Air Jordan’s double nickel, Bernard King’s 60 against the Nets and the Knick Championships of the early ‘70s.
Peep some of the great Big East tournament action:
“He was extraordinary, a competitor who knew the spotlight was on him at all times,” said his Syracuse teammate Herman “Tree” Harried. “And I loved coming with him to Madison Square Garden because he was going to give it to his people at home. He raised his game to another level because he was The Pearl!”
Here’s a snippet from one of my recent conversations with Pearl:
So you never heard that inner voice, while you were killing kids on the court, telling you that you were THE MAN?
Not at all. In my mind, I was thinking ‘I have to go to college.’ Bottom line! Coming out of the projects, I knew I had to get a scholarship because we weren’t rich. Our parents didn’t have money to pay for school.
What was it about Magic’s game that captivated you?
I remember his rookie year in the finals against Philly when Kareem got hurt. Magic jumped center and played every position on the floor. And I did that when I played, all through high school.
So in the 7th grade, were you holding your own against those college and pro players?
Yeah. I’d gotten a lot of experience playing with and against those guys at places like the Howard Houses and BRC. I did well. That’s how I got better, playing against the guys from Brownsville that would come back to run in the summer.
What were those older guys saying to encourage you? Were they telling you how good you could be one day?
It was never that. Everything was pretty self explanatory. When I showed up, they would put me down to run on their squad and that was it. And it wasn’t like, ‘Yo! I’m playing with World B Free and them!’ I was just ballin’, learning and loving the game, getting some valuable experience from people that really played ball.
What was that like for you, having Tiny Archibald– the blueprint for the fabled NYC point guard – as your coach with the Gauchos when you announced yourself to the nation at the Boston Shootout at the age of 15?
I was in awe because Tiny was the best guard to ever come out of NY, one of the top 5 ever in the history of the game. I got a lot from him coaching me. He would talk to me about handling the ball to the point where I could facilitate things for the team but always be in position to get my own shot. And I knew that already, but it’s always good to get that from one of the greatest who’s done it all.
What’s your favorite memory of being with the Gauchos?
Giving John Salley an opportunity to play with us. I was the one who got John on the team and he went with us to Hawaii. With John playing with the Gauchos and me working with him, that helped him become a better player. He was already 6’11’’ and all he needed was some work against good comp. You can get that in Brooklyn, but you won’t get it like you can get it going out of town.
Anybody who knows you knows that you never had a big head and were always humble, always respectful of the game and others. When you were the #1 recruit in the country in high school with over 200 scholarship offers, did any of the attention ever go to your head?
Nah. When you love the game, you just play. I didn’t look at myself as this big superstar. The only thing I looked at was being on the right track to get a scholarship.
Why did you choose to play at Syracuse? At the time, they weren’t a top program that the best players – like Derrick Coleman, Billy Owens and Carmelo Anthony down the road – wanted to play for.
They didn’t have anybody that I had to worry about at the point guard position, not that that would have made a difference anyway. I wanted to major in communications and they have an excellent communications department. They were in the Big East, the best conference. I knew I’d be on TV a lot playing against the best. The Carrier Dome had just been built and no other place had a stage that big. And, I’d be coming home to Madison Square Garden to play St. John’s and in the Big East Tournament.
That’s just a lil’ something to get your mouth watery.
To really know about the inimitable Pearl Washington and how the playground educated him, how it allowed him to blossom into one of the most loved and respected NYC players ever, you have to get your hands on the most recent issue of Bounce Magazine, #17, with Ron Artest on the cover. When you cop it, you’ll get the full story that’s never been seen before. Enjoy!
THE PLAYGROUND IS NOT THE PROBLEM. IT IS THE SOLUTION!
October 10th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
illest says:
Was he really real? When I used to watch him I was like yo this cat is the smoothest with the basketball. Then he had that cocky Brooklyn strut running down the court like youve never seen this before. Its ill because his handle was very fundamental. But intelligent with the change of pace dribbles, in and out dribbles, and between the legs mad quick. The simple right-left or left-right crossover that always works. No carrying involved like Iverson. No traveling like AND1. He was a joy to watch. I hope Bounce already mailed the issue.
October 10th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
ali says:
when it came to handles, pearl got deep like a navy seal. you’re right illest, he was fundamentally sound. but he also had that ny umph!, that swag, that confidence that when he stepped on the floor, he was giving it to whomever, whenever.
remember what he did as a freshman, when he singlehandedly took the ‘cuse to the big east finals? yo! you can forget about the Knicks, and even that great St. John’s crew. When Syracuse came to the Garden, he WAS the main attraction.
October 10th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
g says:
he had that Brownsville Bop courtesy of dudes like Fly Williams,Big George,Curt Sumpter (Sr.),Big Skip,Jeff Thomas (backcourt mate of Eric Marbury and teammate of Dominique Wilkins at the Univesity of Georgia)Leonard George,Jocko Jackson,World B. Free and i’d be remiss to not mention Pearl’s older brother “Beave” (George Washington) who used to punch Pearl in the chest when he was a kid if he let ANYONE steal the ball from him. “Youre a point guard,so that ball stays with you until YOU decide to let it go,not when THEY decide to take it from you!”
I always comment when the Big East shows its historical clips how the part where Pearl is blending Michael Jackson of Georgetown with the slow blend from the top of the key is a mainstay,lol.
Pearl was never that athletic,but he was so strong with the rock in his hands. He’d always dictate what the defense did,even with a shaky at best ratchet.
he was also part of one of the best high school backcourts in psal history in my humble opinion with him and Elmer Anderson (St.Bonaventure) along with Eric Brown (U. of Miami) at BGHS (boys and girls).
his crossover,change of direction and hesitations were retardedly classic!
so many dudes tried to pickup and implement the crossover thanks to Pearl,myself included. Luckily i got to see it up close and personal many a day as a shorty.
funny how the two “Pearls” implemented the street handles into the pro/college games. Pearl Washington with the crossover and Pearl Monroe with the spin move.
October 10th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
ali says:
yeah G!
drop that brownsville science. that was an illmatch boys and girls hs backcourt.
no wonder nobody could steal the ball from Pearl. he never told me about beave lighting up his chest.
his hezzo’s and change of direction were instinctually genius. and yes, the two pearls blessed the world.
October 10th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Randy Millard says:
I think its time for a: The Playground Gave Us Brownsville-Special Edition Ali
October 10th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
A. Ford says:
Yeah man as I was growing up playing with the Reeve Drakeford brownsville Jets midget team coached by the Dean of Brownsville basketball Dean Bentley (RIP) we use to look up to him. He was had one of the best handle I ever seen. I use to ask to workout with him every time I use to see him @ George Gershwin Junior High School. Working out with Him and listening to Beaver helped me get scholarship to Morgan State. Just wanna say thanks to the original Brownsville Jets program. Especially Beaver for being the mentor he was.
October 10th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
ali says:
whew! special edition brownsville? they ain’t ready for that one yet Randy. We gotta build ‘em up. But be on the lookout for some more individual brownsville player love in the future.
a. ford, used to pass through gershwin often back in the day. actually, it was more like a quick jog/ slow sprint, so my suede pumas and sheepskin wouldn’t get vicked! and go morgan bears! todd bozeman got this place on fire right now. they’ll be in the ncaa’s this year.
October 10th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Elliot Rosado says:
I remember Pearl’s senior year at Boy’s & Girls. I was in the 6th grade and my older brother let me tag along to St.John’s to watch pearl play a playoff game against Alexander Hamilton which featured Ed Davendar & Gerald King. Pearl put on a show and i became a fan ever since. He made it fun to stay home and watch games back then. Not many players can do what he did at the college level.
October 10th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
g says:
hey Ali,instead of a Brownsville edition (although my personal bias would love to see that), how about your favorite player’s favorite player? im sure that open up alot of flood gates as to who the league dudes think shouldve made it and which street dudes think of league dudes or even what street dudes think of other street dudes for that matter. i wanted to propose that earlier,but here it is now…..
October 10th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
ali says:
elliot,
loved watching ed davendar at kentucky. and you’re right, when pearl was coming on cbs or nbc or espn, i dropped evrything to watch, ’cause you knew it’d be something special. he was electric. he laid the modern day foundation for syracuse’s ascension to the title. the only reason derrick coleman went to syracuse was because he saw pearl entertaining 35,000 every night at the Carrier Dome. pearl, along with patrick ewing at georgetown, built the big east conference.
October 10th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
ali says:
think about the great guards in nyc schools around those times – ed davender, pearl, mark jackson, kenny smith, kenny hutchinson, radar anderson at springfield gardens, rod strickland at truman. man oh man!
October 10th, 2008 at 5:16 pm
g says:
Ali, DC chose Syracuse cause of his relationship with Dave Bing and Dave Bing’s relationship with Jim Boeheim and as an alumnus of the Cuse. DC said he wasnt even thinking of Syracuse until Dave Bing got at him about looking at the Cuse as an option,otherwise he was off to Spartan land to follow in Magic’s footsteps! But the Spartans loss is definitely the Cuse’s gain! lol!
October 10th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
ali says:
no doubt g,
dave bing was a huge influence on all those detroit cats. he was, and still is, a tremendous role model and mentor. but pearl’s exploits on national tv, in a carrier dome packed to the gizzards, was a great influence that sealed the deal for dc to head that way.
October 10th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
Elliot Rosado says:
Ali, Pearl, and Ewing help build the Big East but my favorite player of all time Chris Mullin had a lot to do with that also. Walter Berry helped along the way. Along with Cliff Robinson (U Conn) Otis Thorpe (Providence) Michael Adams (Boston college) I believe Ron Seikaly became a good pro because of the pounding he use to take in the Big East.
October 10th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
PFTB says:
FINALLY “Pearl 2″.This cat along with all the players Elliot mentioned made the big east the most dominate throughout the 80’s.Even though I was a Georgetown fan I had mad love for Pearl cause you never what he was gonna do,plus it was gonna be a show whenever he came to MSG.In MY opinion, I think the reason he never became the great NBA player he should’ve became is PROBABLY because he was ALWAYS a man among boys and was able to dominate at every level just on his physical gifts.Once he got to the pros guys were hungrier and just physical gifts wasn’t gonna cut it,plus I think (mentioned earlier in talks about NYC players) he probably just burned out by the time he got to the league.Nonetheless he made his mark on the hoop world and I thank God I was able to see him in the flesh do his damage in HIS prime.
October 10th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
PFTB says:
Oh yeah g.I think I remember when DC met Dave Bing, he didn’t even know he was a former (all-star)basketball player.He thought he was a businessman (Bing Steel)and when he found out he had played ball at Syracuse THATS WHEN he really wanted to come to Syracuse to follow in his footsteps (basketball to business)plus all the talent and notoriety of the big east didn’t hurt either.
October 11th, 2008 at 7:39 am
ali says:
in the current issue of bounce magazine with ron artest on the cover, pearl talks about the differences he had with pro ball. the love simply got lost. and i also think he may have been tired of being pearl. dude was like a rock star since high school. people think he failed as a pro but i disagree. his game was to run in the open floor and he didn’t get much of an opportunity to showcase his stuff with the nets and the heat. but in about 20 minutes a game, he averaged close to 10 points and 4 assists. if you stretch those numbers out to coincide with starters minutes, he was basically puttin’ up the digits. he walked away from the game at 25 years old. yeah, the pro game was faster and pure ability, without the work ethic, will not get it done. but i think it was more than that. sometimes, whether it’s the game or woman or anything you love, it’s time to let go when the passion is gone.
October 11th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
PFTB says:
Ali,I agree.I just think sometimes ,we as fans are selfish because we want to see that pre-pro success translate into the big league success as well and we feel kinda cheated of that enjoyment we’ve come to enjoy and don’t want to let go.
Pro ball (college too) is a business and I can understand any player losing the passion at ANYTIME,because like most of us we play or have played this game for the love,not money.All of us are different and Pearl was never a failure because we don’t know what HIS expectations were,we only know what OUR expectations of him were.Thank goodness I have memories of his greatness.
October 11th, 2008 at 4:08 pm
ali says:
no doubt PFTB. I wanted to see Pearl have that HOF career, for him, for fans like myself, for BK, for NY.
For Pearl, it was all about getting a college scholarship. that was his ambition.
but like you said, thank goodness for the memories. people get confused comparing pro, college, hs, the parks etc. when you look at pearl in the parks and in college, he was one of the greatest of all time.
October 11th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
Dan the Man says:
Ali
See video at :44 seconds DWAYNE PEARL WASHINGTON’s half-court heave
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JoCI7KjjpM
October 12th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Dan the Man says:
The Brownsville legends:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn0DwkZCHuM&feature=related
October 12th, 2008 at 12:46 am
Dan the Man says:
BOBBITO with Brownsville Legends:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9dXbHZiWeU&feature=related
October 13th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Brooklyn says:
The Pearl Was Simply ShowTime A Legend!!!
October 13th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
ali says:
brooklyn,
the man gave people their $’s worth. you’re right, he was showtime. but so very subtle. he was like a magician in that after he did something, you often would ask yourself, “how?”
October 14th, 2008 at 10:23 am
illest says:
i was watching msg’s greatest moments a few years ago and i think pearl was 47 on the list. he was referred to as a figment of our imagination. http://www.msg50.com/moment.jsp?moment_id=108
they need to post the pics and videos.
October 14th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Randy Millard says:
Whoa Ali….Norfolk State.Midnight Madness this Friday too come thru.Oh yeah Brooklyn builds the best guards in the world.