At NYU, Ramsey earned All-American honors and teamed up with future Boston Celtics legend Thomas "Satch" Sanders to form one of the greatest playground frontcourts in history. Rucker Park is well-known for building the game of basketball, and some of the games most storied careers. Its a staple. or just love the game who may live in the vicinity of the park and may not fully appreciate its history, and if thats the case, then we hope that this project will revive the history, she said. Copyright 2023 SLAM Media Inc. SLAM, SLAMTV, SLAM MEDIA and the SLAM logo are registered This annual summer youth league has been instrumental in developing young players and cultivating academic growth and community building. You cant rely on a jumper when the wind is blowing 20 miles per hour, noted Morrissey. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Worthen even played two years in the NBA, but his real calling was on the playgrounds. [2] The land that the park is on was once the site of the 8th Avenue Railroad Company. May 31, 2022 A year before its 50th anniversary season, one of the most recognized summer basketball pro-am associations, Los Angeles' Drew League, is switching its key brand partner. In New York City, the arrival of the summer season guarantees a few things, including some of the best and most exciting streetball around. This is where Bryant and Anthony played, while recent appearances have included NFL stars Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. In 2000 he came back to the NBA to play with the Orlando Magic but died after collapsing during the first day of practice with the Magic. Thegirlsgame will tip off at 5 p.m. and the boys game will tip off at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. Greg Marius, a former hip-hop artist, revitalized the atmosphere by starting the Entertainers Basketball Classic in 1982. You treat Rucker Park like you treat Central Park, the Empire State Building, Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty. He didn't play big-time college ball, but Wilson was a big-time scorer and playmaker at John Jay College in the early 1980s. Julius "The Claw" Erving CEO's and brothers Joe Jr., and Randy Cruz host a Pro-Am Men's League with NBA and former college standouts opening day July 3rd. 4 areGatorade, Spalding, Def Jam, CLOT, the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA), Champs Sports,SHOWTIMEandNike. Theres no set way to deal with people. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. As his tournament gained in popularity and the Rucker League transformed into a summer pro-am, Rucker managed his connections to secure hundreds of college scholarships for the teenagers he viewed as students before athletes. ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Another member suggested that the union also fund renovations to Rucker Park's playground and landscaping, which are also in disrepair. [18][19], Rucker Park in 2008, with Frederick Douglass Boulevard at left, Last edited on 25 February 2023, at 02:43, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, "Holcombe Rucker Playground Highlights - Greg Marius Court: NYC Parks", "A Street Basketball Mecca Gets a Face-Lift", "How The Basketball Tournament Landed Harlem's Famed Rucker Park As Its First Outdoor Venue", "Empty Garden: Why did New York stop growing basketball stars? Rucker Park will host one of the tournament's early "regional" rounds, between July 16-20, with all games open to the public. "That is THE place. Greg Marius Court at Holcombe Rucker Park is a basketball court in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, at 155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, just east of the former Polo Grounds site. The NBA legend didn't suit up . $ The Basketball Tournament played on the Marius Court at Rucker Park will be open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis! Kevin came to the park and brought along Jason Williams (former NBA first-round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls and current ESPN analyst) and some other pros to play against the Sean Bell All-Stars, the best team in the city, he said. You get the idea what kind of mood the player is in. His goal was to provide leadership and a leg up for thousands of boys and girls. The more plays you see, the more you have in your memory bank, Mensah said. Established as a proving ground for amateurs and pros, as well as a portal to the neighborhood's own basketball dreamscape, Rucker Park Streetball League has endured and evolved with the game, showcasing basketball's best to step between the lines. He's also been putting in work at the Rucker ever since, earning the moniker as the most dangerous player in the EBC. You have to be strong, you have to communicate and you have to be good. Which non-quarterback group will define each top-25 team's season? LeBron played for Jay-Z's team S. Carter in 2003 at Rucker Park. As an official, if theres a lot of jump shots, it makes life easier, he joked. (Officials) get to see the size, speed, quickness and skills of players who have pro-like ability.. Officiating a park league game can be like a class in conflict resolution. In the Rucker Park League there are no set plays. They recognize good players, good coaches and they recognize good referees.. In 1946 -- several months before the National Basketball Association played its first game -- Rucker started his first summer youth league through Saint Phillips, with games played at the park on 138th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues. Rice (New York, N.Y.) '95 By the 1980s, N.B.A. Find Camps & Activities for your Active Kids, Basketball Workouts to Increase Explosiveness. Many of the game's future pros tried to emulate the moves of "Black Jesus" -- the hesitation fakes and the famous 360-degree finger-rolls -- but few, if any, performed like him. 2005 EBC RUCKER PARK STREETBALL PLAYOFFS: Monday, August 15th 6:00 PM (1) Black Wall Street vs. (4) Certified 7:30 PM (1) Don Diva vs. (4) Full Surface/Ruff Ryders Tuesday, August 16th 4:30 PM BOYS Championship 6:00 PM (2) H3/DBand vs. (3) Pearl Harbor 7:30 PM (2) Terror Squad vs. (3) Rich Soil Monstars Wednesday, August 17th Underneath the 155th Street bridge is Rucker Park, quite possibly the most famous playground in basketball. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. As you mentioned to me earlier, AEBL games have an HBCU vibe to them, and its an experience. He would sometimes roll through Rucker to rep the City of Brotherly Love, often with spectacular results. MackenzieMgbako, Gill St. Bernard School (Gladstone, NJ), Robert Dillingham,DondaAcademy (Simi Valley, CA), SimeonWilcher, Roselle Catholic HS (Roselle, NJ), Jared McCain, Centennial HS (Corona, CA), Judea Watkins, Sierra Canyon HS (Los Angeles, CA), Jadyn Donovan, Sidwell Friends School (Washington DC), Hannah Hidalgo, Paul VI HS (Haddonfield, NJ). I would not have progressed as quickly in my career if I didnt work at Rucker and some of the other leagues around the city, Morrissey said. Recently, it's players like Corey "Homicide" Williams, who made a huge name for himself during the early 2000s and later went on to play professionally overseas. For Jones, a 16-year-old resident of Harlem, its still just his home park, the one he has played at ever since he can remember. All of his experience brought Gilbert, now 50, back to where he first learned the game, the parks of New York City. The Ex-Pats will take on sixth-seeded Big 5, a team comprised of talent from Philadelphia's Big Five . He didn't play in the League, but earned his nickname at the Entertainer's Basketball Classic up at Rucker. Sure, Skip has California connections, helping Ventura College win a state chip in '95 before moving on to Fresno City College and Fresno State, where he played for noted playground recruiter Jerry Tarkanian. Its real success has been building a community. Join Active Wilt Chamberlin - Overbrook (Philadelphia, Pa) Class of 1955 These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Not only do the players want to do well, you want to do your best job so you can grow from it, he said. On this list, you'll find NBA icons, streetball legends and -- in some cases -- both. Boys (Brooklyn, N.Y.) '58 Many of them., A Street Basketball Mecca Gets a Face-Lift, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/10/sports/basketball/rucker-park-renovation.html. One of many streetball stars who attended Ben Franklin, 'Cop was better known for putting in work up at the Rucker. legends like Wilt Chamberlain, Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Julius Erving, who went by the nickname the Claw at the park long before he was known as Dr. J. All in the family: how three generations of Jaquezes have ruled West Coast basketball, Alonso says Aston 'living a dream,' eyes podium, Top moments from Brady, Manning, Jordan and other athletes hosting 'Saturday Night Live'. Its paved the way for so many people, Williams said. The renovation has meaning for him beyond just the return of celebrities and N.B.A. As Kevin Durant's Legendary Night At Rucker Park Turns 10, Brooklyn Nets Could Use 66 Points In Game 5 More From Forbes Jan 29, 2023,08:45pm EST As John Tavares Hits 1,000 Games, His Toronto. Careers He is looking forward to sharpening his game on a functional court. players had mostly stopped playing at Rucker Park out of fear of risking their increasingly lucrative contracts. It needs to have the support that we used to have.. He has witnessed players like Bryant, Durant and Klay Thompson performing there. If youre a hooper, your dream was to play at that park, said Corey Williams, who goes by the nickname Homicide and turned impressive performances at the Rucker and other playgrounds into a lengthy international professional career. Nominate your program for the 2022 season. A windy day likely means more drives to the basket. But it's at Rucker where Erving turned 155th into his own personal playground. Partnering with SLAM to put on the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. All rights reserved. That summer he also played in the Rucker League, played at the Rucker Park in New York City, and was the second leading scorer, averaging 23 points along with 12 rebounds per game; during the competition he faced professional players like Stephon Marbury, Ray Allen, Zach Randolph and Omar Cook. His wife Chaniel is the commissioner. What can they expect when they go to a game this summer? These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Officiating summer park-league games, like those held at legendary Holcombe Rucker Park in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, gives referees invaluable experiences, according to veteran official Terry Gilbert, director of the Pro-Am Referee Training and Development Program. Hollans: The environment is going to be something that people can connect with. Wells is hopeful that the renewed interest in Rucker Park will restore the courts allure. Holcombe Rucker died of cancer in 1965 at the age of 38. We dont come there giving you roses, one player said. Larry "Bone Collector" Williams That leaves roughly 14 open weekends during the dead period . An elite ball-handler at 6-foot-5, Worthen was a poor-man's Magic Johnson, but those types of players weren't hyped until after Magic made his mark with the Showtime Lakers. He spent some time in the CBA, and with the Globetrotters, before adding to his legend by winning Last Man Standing -- a street ball competition for charity -- at MSG in 2007. In the late 1960s and early '70s, his playground rivalry with "Tiny" Archibald was legendary. She wondered if her memories had deceived her into a sunny nostalgia. Morant to miss two games after video with gun, Las Vegas prepared to give A's 'better opportunity', Richardson sets QB mark for vertical, broad jump, Curry, Iguodala probable to return vs. Lakers, Sources: Suns hiring Pistons' Bartelstein as CEO, Mbappe breaks PSG's all-time scoring record, Bruins stroll past Kane, Rangers, win 10th in row, Horns' Robinson: Versatility worthy of early pick, UFC 285 live results and analysis: Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Over generations, the asphalt court honed its reputation as a siren calling and name-making mecca for soon-to-be N.B.A. NEW YORK -- The B train takes you to the 155th street stop on the north edge of Harlem. Beginning in 1947, Rucker organized a tournament around Harlem for area players as a way to bond the community and give local kids an extracurricular activity. Since 1974, the park has been named after Holcombe Rucker, a local teacher and a playground director for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Wilson held the EBC single-game scoring record for 21 years. For over 50 years the Each One Teach One summer league, also founded by McCullough and Crawford, has called Rucker Park home. trademarks of Slam Media Inc. All rights reserved. or NBA icons of yesteryear frequently played at Rucker, names like Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. After high school, Streety went upstate to play at Broome Community College and was selected to the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 1992. Williams took the hard road to streetball stardom. Its odd how I got started, said the 40-year-old Mensah. June Schedule 14 & under and Woman's Men's Men's 4:15PM 6:00 PM 7:30 PM June 20 Monday N/A Men's Game Men's Game . But I felt a sense of accomplishment. Naming the 24 best players famed Rucker Park ever produced will stir plenty of debate. All told, the work will "reestablish the court as a state-of-the-art basketball venue," the city said in its presentation. The March Madness-like tournament was founded by Jonathan Mugar, TBT's CEO and a film . Are you sure you want to delete this family member? That mystique may be gone. During the Rucker Pro League in 1985, he averaged nearly 35 points per game. "The Rucker summer league, staged throughout Harlem, was a proving ground for top college and pro stars by the 1960s, and eventually came to call the courts at 155th Street and Frederick Douglass . From $19.84. Its just us today in the park. By Brewtown Andy @brewtownandy Jul 15, 2022, 11:00am CDT / new Roberts said that the renovation would also extend the legacies of those who brought fame to the park and court. You got to earn it.. The city's most important sporting event of the summer was suddenly in the balance. More than a few previously under-the-radar players have made their mark at the Classic and saw their college and pro stocks rise after the weekend. For those who saw him play with the St. Louis Spirits, it was a memorable experience -- just like those that saw him at Rucker, the Hole in Brownsville or any other street court. He turned down a $50,000 offer from the Lakers and a three-year deal with the ABA. Can you break down what this adidas partnership means to each individual league? Today is a special day for hoops and streetwear fans. Players from Philadelphia, like a young,. The park was established in 1956 next to PS 156; the school closed in 1981. Were so excited to bring it to the legendary Rucker Park and give these athletes an authentic NYC hoops experience, says Les Green, CEO of SLAM Media Inc. SLAM is all about celebrating the game of basketball as well as the culture surrounding the game. 156 Playground when it opened in 1956, and an influential Harlem teacher named Holcombe Rucker soon saw its potential. Sam Worthen Rucker Park is something that just about everybody knows, and people understand the history and the heritage of playing basketball outside. Veterans: Wilt Chamberlain, Julius "The Doctor" Erving, Connie Hawkins, Joe "Destroyer" Hammond, Tiny Archibald . Invite them to subscribe to Harlem Patch. Connie "The Hawk" Hawkins Find out about free street basketball in NYC, including locations and schedules for streetball at West 4th, Rucker Park, Dyckman Park, and Orchard Beach. [6] The park underwent $520,000 in renovations between August and October 2021, funded in part by the National Basketball Players Association and New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The renovations at the Rucker are personal for many NBA players, who have personal histories at the court, as well as for Roberts herself, who said her brothers took her to the park to shoot hoops while she was growing up in the South Bronx. All it took was a good game, or one nice move, against "The Claw," and anybody was instantly somebody at the Rucker. Chris Rucker, Holcombe Ruckers grandson, said that the park is a symbol and reference point to what my grandfather did and what he accomplished over the years, so without a basketball court in good working order, the legacy wouldnt be complete., He added, Rucker Park is as much a part of the Harlem community as the Apollo Theater.. The players are different, the games are different. It wasnt like he was off. Over the last five years, he worked 65-70 games a summer. Sitemap 5 dunker of all-time, behind guys named Doc, Dominique, Jordan and Vince Carter. He made his name and became famous, however, at the Rucker. I was nervous. In celebration of the official partnerships, adidas Basketball athletes James Harden, Anthony Edwards and Donovan Mitchell will debut each leagues partnership jersey ahead of this years summer league season. But when those games were on, everybody stopped.. Youre dealing with people with multiple emotions, he said. The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? Having grown up in the city, Mensah is familiar with NYC park ball, where the games can get physical and tempers often flare. 1,489 were here. I hate to use that term, but Atlanta is truly the culture from music, to food, and even fashion. NBA 2K19 Summer Circuit My Career Kobe vs Cortez Rucker ParkStay Updated & Follow Me:Twitter https://twitter.com/HoodieShawnnInstagram https://www.inst. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The one thing everybody on this list has in common is that they regularly thrived on the most famous outdoor court in the world. His lasting legacy is actually coaching kids throughout New York through his work with the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation.