By Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love
Clark “Mr. Backboard” Elie was born into the world on December 20, 1954. Growing up in Manhattan’s Upper West Side neighborhood, he played ball with his friends and wasn’t the best at it. At Brandeis HS, he ran intramurals, not varsity. In the early ’70s, the group of cats he rolled with all got recruited to play college ball outside New York. Left behind, he decided to attend City College. And that’s when the legend started . . .
“We used to tease him,” childhood friend Greg “Elevator Man #2″ Brown reminisced with me. “But when we all went away, that’s when Clark got 20 times better!” Elie wound up taking a couple of CUNY chips at CCNY, but his legendary tear in the parks began when Greg Brown returned home. The two, along with Clark’s little brother Mario, wound up terrorizing every playground in the vicinity. Read More »
Tags: clark elie, feature, goat park, greg brown, harlem usa, leroy shaw, mario elie, sam worthen, sid jones, United Brooklyn, west 4th st
29 Comments » | Posted in The Latest |
By Sean Couch
Milton “UltraReady” Lee (back turned) and Sean “In Fin” Couch demonstrate closing out on a defender. Photo: Alton Ritter.
Baruch College turned into one big turntable early Sunday morning as players from NYC’s Public School Athletic League got into the rhythm of basketball conditioning on the run. Over 90 boys and girls representing 10 P.S.A.L teams came out to work on their conditioning for the upcoming season. With sneakers stuttering against waxy wood, the players got into our world-famous tap rebounding drill that takes players out of the gym, up staircases and back into the gym to catch a basketball on the far side of the court, tap it against the backboard and take off again. Trainer Milton Lee dropped cones like they were hot during the drill, turning the straight run into a defensive sliding, shuffle cutting, stutter-stepping frenzy that had the gym in a rhythm that lovers of straight ball and the street game appreciate. Read More »
Tags: Arnie Jacobs, Baruch-College, Evander Ford, feature, Jim Couch Foundation, leroy shaw, Lincoln Sessoms, Milton Lee, Nick Davis
4 Comments » | Posted in The Latest |
By Sean Couch
My Fritz League Jersey
This is my rookie year in the Pelham Fritz Basketball League. The tournament hosted by Lawrence House, Sr. is the premier 38-and-over run in New York City. Former NBA players Charles Smith, Gus Williams, Mike Bantom, and Steve Burtt play with the likes of former overseas and pro veteran streetballers Molloy “Future” Naismith, James “Speedy” Williams, “Master” Rob Hockett, Wes Correa, Troy Bowers, Leroy Shaw, Chad Woodley, Omar Booth, Daren Rowe, Jack Ryan, Jose Alvarez, Tony Greer, Curt Middleton, Ed Duncan, Gerald “Doogie” Thomas, Bobbito Garcia, Tony Hargraves, Drederick Irving, and Dexter “Twin” Gardener.
Our record is 10-2, one game back from the Bulls who feature the legendary “Future” whose legs are still young. One of the highlights of the league is the announcer, AZ – the voice of Harlem. AZ speaks straight James Brown griot-chant, dispensing the nicknames and keeping everybody’s feet semi-light. My fellow Sun’s teammates – “Twin” and Correa are respectively called “The Eradicator” and “Wild Wild Wes,” but my nickname is “Coach Couch.” I’ve decided to gun for the game over, grimy, I’m straight destruction nickname. I’m not sure, however, if my hamstrings are going to allow me to do it though… Read More »
Tags: "Master" Rob Hockett, AZ, Bobbito Garcia, Chad Woodley, charles smith, Curt Middleton, Daren Rowe, Dexter "Twin" Gardener, Drederick Irving, Ed Duncan, Gerald "Doogie" Thomas, Gus Williams, Jack Ryan, James "Speedy" Williams, Jose Alvarez, leroy shaw, Mike Bantom, Molloy Naismith, Omar Booth, steve burtt, Tony Greer, Tony Hargraves, Troy Bowers, Wes Correa
4 Comments » | Posted in Hoops Culture |
By Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love
Joy . . .
This Fall I’ve been playing in two Sunday leagues, and I’m always amped on Saturday evening looking forward to the next day’s activities. Yesterday started off in the morning with the Pelham Fritz 38 and Over Harlem Legends League (IS 201 Gym, 127th St. bet. Madison/Park, Harlem). My squad the Warriors were matching up against the defending two-time champs Celtics. Speedy, Charles Smith, and Mike Bantom were missing, but anytime Leroy “La Luscious Lee” Shaw a.k.a. “Mr. Catarak” is on the floor they are still capable of winning. He had a try-out with the Celtics back in the early ’70s, was a Rucker Park bonafide All-Star, and in his mid-50s now still gives young players PROBLEMS! I got amped cuz he normally likes to guard me. I checked in the game, went 3 for 5 in eight minutes before I got subbed, giving me nine points as all my field goals were from behind the three point line, one literally a step from the hash mark by the halfcourt line with Chad “The Architect” in my face. Bong!
And Pain . . . Read More »
Tags: Andre Johnson, bounce magazine squad, leroy shaw, ncaa dre, pelham fritz 38 and over league, sbl, sunday basketball league
9 Comments » | Posted in legends |
