Reggie White Tournament Registration 2023 Theme by SiteOrigin Theme by SiteOrigin A McDonald's All-American at Brooklyn Tech, McCrae was the No. Wilt Chamberlain The Rucker Park weekend schedule is: Anyone around, show up and play. A basketball paradise is just a block away. Find Camps & Activities for your Active Kids, Basketball Workouts to Increase Explosiveness. insights, ACTIVE Works is the race management LeBron played for Jay-Z's team S. Carter in 2003 at Rucker Park. It encouraged me to work even harder.. He has witnessed players like Bryant, Durant and Klay Thompson performing there. For more information about the SLAM Summer Classic and real-time coverage of the event later this month, follow@SLAM,@SLAM_HSand@WSLAMon all social media platforms. 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. Read More. Rucker Park, in her estimation, looked decrepit, with the blacktop cracked and uneven and the bleachers in disarray. Well be telling the history.. There was an error submitting your subscription. By Brewtown Andy @brewtownandy Jul 15, 2022, 11:00am CDT / new You just never know what can happen. Have a team in the 14U-8U age groups? We dont care where you from. All told, the work will "reestablish the court as a state-of-the-art basketball venue," the city said in its presentation. Monroe was a late-bloomer to the high school game; he started at center his final year at Bartram and averaged 21.7 ppg. 3 seed in the Rucker Park Region for the 2022 The Basketball Tournament (TBT). As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. . Sports achievements are always in need of reflection. The game began, but afternoon showers postponed it for 4 hours making it the first rain delay in TBT history. You could step on someones foot and break your leg if youre not careful, Mensah noted. As you mentioned to me earlier, AEBL games have an HBCU vibe to them, and its an experience. For us, Drew League, Rucker Park, and AEBL were no-brainers because they are legendary summer basketball leagues. Known as the elite high school basketball players' favorite all-star game, the SLAM Summer. We have to be lenient to what is going on. XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? Cordell is the nephew of the late Greg Marius, who ran Rucker . 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. Nate "The Skate . Actually, thats the exact path many officials in the greater New York City area have followed in their quest for development and advancement. Rucker Park is something that just about everybody knows, and people understand the history and the heritage of playing basketball outside. Success! Well give all the young men and women a weekend to remember, full of energy,competitionand fun. Naming the 24 best players famed Rucker Park ever produced will stir plenty of debate. The former N.B.A. Thanks to NBA's original documentary 'The Doctor', aired in 2013, we were able to get a glimpse of Julius Erving playing at the famed Rucker Park.. Julius put on a show for the crowd. Rucker does a good job with security, but theres always that element when youre officiating a game.. Its no secret its across the street from one of the most dangerous housing projects in New York City, the Polo Grounds. 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. These days, Rucker Park is best known as the site of the famous Entertainers Basketball Classic summer league, which features the top streetball talents in New York along with occasional celebrity cameos. He straightened things out by his senior season, when he was named all-city for a 21-0 team that won a mythical national championship. Dr. J producing TV series based on Rucker Park book 'Asphalt Gods' By Ian Mohr February 27, 2022 | 12:30pm Enlarge Image Julius Erving is an executive producer on an upcoming series on famed. It needs to have the support that we used to have.. Another benefit of working the park leagues is the camaraderie of the officials from all levels. All rights reserved. NEW YORK -- The B train takes you to the 155th street stop on the north edge of Harlem. The land that the park is on was once the site of the 8th Avenue Railroad Company. In fact, Earl Manigault followed in his footsteps as a forward that could sky near the top of the backboard. "Jumpin" Jackie Jackson Scott is one of the most accomplished players ever to roll through the Rucker. I soon realized it could definitely become a career.. The 1960 ESPNHS Mr. Basketball USA would have been a cinch All-American at the University of Iowa, but a gambling scandal cost the Hawk eight years of his prime. Nobody drew a crowd like the Doctor and he was the player all playground legends were judged against. Its almost all one-on-one.. Rucker Park typographic word cloud basketball shape design Sticker. or The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Power Memorial (New York, N.Y.) '65 Ben Franklin (Harlem, N.Y.) '64 Probably the greatest high school player of all-time (sorry, LeBron), Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, led Power on a 71-game winning streak. 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. Along with being home of a more flashy game of streetball, Rucker Park is also charmed by fast-talking MCs who call the action, make fun of bad play, and come up with nicknames for great players that often stick around forever. Mcrae was drafted in the first round of 1993 draft but decided to play in Europe. He was an overlooked contributor at powerhouse Rice, but earned NJCAA All-American honors at Penn Valley Community College in Missouri. Its just us today in the park. Commerce (New York, N.Y.) '55 Said to have brought in the greatest crowds ever seen at Rucker Park, Erving earned several nicknames during his time on the court, including "Little Hawk," "The Claw" and "Black Moses." They just want to see a good basketball game., The people in New York City know all the facets of good basketball, added Morrissey. The new black-and-gold court features a mural designed by ASAP Ferg, an artist and Harlem native, and produced by Set Free Richardson, an artist and filmmaker. Nominate your program for the 2022 season. The future of the NFL combine: Is there really a chance it could end forever? All of his experience brought Gilbert, now 50, back to where he first learned the game, the parks of New York City. After high school, Streety went upstate to play at Broome Community College and was selected to the NJCAA Hall of Fame in 1992. 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. "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 . You got to earn it. Julius Erving and the rappers Fat Joe and ASAP Ferg spoke at the parks reopening after renovations. Rucker died at 39 of cancer in 1965. The court formally reopened on Saturday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, youth basketball clinics and games. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. You get to talk with the other officials, whether its halftime or after the game, Mensah said. 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. Copyright 2023 SLAM Media Inc. SLAM, SLAMTV, SLAM MEDIA and the SLAM logo are registered "It's cold, it's raining, we were sweating . You cant rely on a jumper when the wind is blowing 20 miles per hour, noted Morrissey. Connie "The Hawk" Hawkins Downtown, the United Nations headquarters had gone dark. Morrissey said the way he improved from a skills aspect, and gained the respect from players and fans, was officiating games as often as possible. Basketball junkies would have beef if we ranked the 124 best players to come through the famed park in Harlem. With Rucker Park, I think about History. Roberts said that the renovation would also extend the legacies of those who brought fame to the park and court. Brooklyn Tech (Brooklyn, N.Y.) '89 Streety has an appropriate last name for a streetball legend and he's another who put in work with the Harlem Globetrotters. Holcombe Rucker, a playground director, established a youth basketball league and summer tournament nearly 70 years ago to keep children away from temptation even as others warned him to disregard a sport designed for the winter. The SLAM Summer Classic is unlike any other high school basketball game! Zarba, Kane Fitzgerald and Marat Kogut are three recent products of thePro-Am Referee Training and Development Programthat have made it all the way to the NBA. By COURT-VISION. Morris (Bronx, N.Y.) '87 Rucker Park was called the P.S. It's a run-down subway station, never too crowded, and a set of stairs will take you back above ground. Sign In. Is refereeing a game outdoors different than one thats played in a gym or stadium? "At a very young age, [I] learned to appreciate how the Rucker is essentially holy ground," Roberts said. From June 30-July 2, Holcombe Rucker Park in Harlem, New York will play host to a 16-team, invitation-only 17U bracket. 22.6k Followers, 805 Following, 473 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from EBC at Rucker Park (@ebcruckerpark) Earl "The Goat" Manigault Holcombe Rucker, a Harlem school teacher, staged the first summer Rucker tournament in 1946. Rucker started a basketball tournament in 1950 in order to help less . That's how much his game was revered and he did most of his serious work teaming up with Hawkins and floor leader Ed "Czar" Simmons in legendary schoolyard battles with names such as Satch Sanders, Cal Ramsey, Tony Jackson, Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and countless others. Hollans: The environment is going to be something that people can connect with. The March Madness-like tournament was founded by Jonathan Mugar, TBT's CEO and a film . He once scored 100 points in a Police Athletic League game where his team scored 102. These days, Rucker Park is best known as the site of the famous Entertainers Basketball Classic summer league, which features the top streetball talents in New York along with occasional celebrity cameos. A post shared by SLAM HIGH SCHOOL (@slam_hs). Since the '50s, Rucker Park in Harlem hosted summer tournaments that brought names as big as Wilt Chamberlain and Connie Hawkins to the blacktop to play a version of the game where style was as essential as the . When it comes to fans, the crowds at Rucker Park are notorious for their zest for basketball and the players. Street ball, a basketball Sticker. You have to let them know why you made a certain call. He is looking forward to sharpening his game on a functional court. Its real success has been building a community. Entertainers Basketball Classic (EBC) founder Greg Marius can only recall one player he wishes would've graced the famed court within Rucker Park: Michael Jordan. 156 Playground when it opened in 1956, and an influential Harlem teacher named Holcombe Rucker soon saw its potential. Frank "Shake N' Bake" Streety Jamar Jones, whose nickname is Papa, was anticipating playing on the renovated court after its reopening Saturday. You will see a celebrity sitting in the audience out there. Rucker Park definitely represents history. Separate from the renovations, the players' association will also fund a new three-year staff position based jointly at the Rucker and at Jackie Robinson Recreation Center, charged with running youth programs. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Such as:He got game, Above The Rim,Hallowed Ground. Most know him as Dr. J, ABA and NBA ambassador of the 1970s and '80s. Officiating In Perspective with Barry Mano, let some of the stars get away with a violation or two, Next Level Softball Umpiring Free Email Series. 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. Summer basketball is back! Copyright 2022 Referee Enterprises Inc. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Roberts visited Rucker Park after moving back to New York when she became the executive director of the players union in 2014. Adding family members helps ACTIVE find events specific to your family's interests. Glen Springs Academy (Lakemont, N.Y.) '72 By The Circuit, 12/06/21, 6:00AM EST. Partnering with SLAM to put on the SLAM Summer Classic Vol. Calvin Ramsey 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'. "When I was in 9th grade, I saw the Helicopter, with my own two eyes, pick a quarter off the top of the backboard to win a bet, and I was in complete shock," said former NBA all-star Bernard King. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Despite all the success the community experienced through the youth league and summer tournament, Mary Rucker-Thomas does not feel that her husband's legacy . Cookie Settings. It was the NBA's loss, however, as the Hawk soared with the Globetrotters, the ABL, the ABA and, of course, on the playground. The Bronx native is a one-on-one specialist and can defend players of all sizes. 5 dunker of all-time, behind guys named Doc, Dominique, Jordan and Vince Carter. The Ex-Pats will take on sixth-seeded Big 5, a team comprised of talent from Philadelphia's Big Five . Cardozo (Queens, N.Y.) '94 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. History. Rucker is more than a hoops heaven--it's also a city-maintained park that has a children's playground, a baseball field, handball courts and other perks. But on the playgrounds, Archibald was known as "The Skate," the man who returned to Rucker every summer even after he made it to the big-time. Please see your Privacy Rights for how your information is used. At a shade under 6-foot-5, Jackson was one of the game's first great leapers. In the NBA, Archibald was known as "Tiny," the man who ran the point for the 1981 NBA champ Celtics and the only player to lead the league in points and assists in the same season. Another member suggested that the union also fund renovations to Rucker Park's playground and landscaping, which are also in disrepair. The joining of forces between adidas Basketball and the hallowed leagues will further illustrate their shared commitment to providing mentorship, resources and opportunities to underrepresented and aspiring players while adding unique access to the adidas brand. [2] 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. So fans can expect a great environment for sure. Every game and every person is different. You have to be strong, you have to communicate and you have to be good. From $19.84. 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). That mystique may be gone. View. Erving played in the Rucker Park League back in the 1970s before the days of the nickname "Dr. J" and set the bar for many of the young, up-and-coming players. College coaches will need to pick up a basketball map at the airport when arriving in New . The notion that the park would be in any state of disrepair is a heartbreaker to me, she said. One of the premier streetball leagues providing weekly access to some of not only the city's, but also the nation's brightest stars gracing the hardwood is, of course, the Rucker Park Entertainers Basketball Classic. If you get the chance, check out some of the videos on the internet. His legacy was in place, though, and it was cemented when the city of New York renamed P.S. North (Riverside, Calif.) summer league team in 1993 before returning to New York and creating history at the Rucker. Holcombe Rucker, a playground director, established a youth basketball league and summer tournament nearly 70 years ago to keep children away from temptation even as others warned him to. Although many professional basketball players have played at the court after gaining prominence, many others developed their basketball skills at Rucker prior to becoming notable in the sport, including: Other amateur players who made a name for themselves at Rucker but never played in the ABA or NBA included Earl Manigault, Joe Hammond and Pee Wee Kirkland. Thegirlsgame will tip off at 5 p.m. and the boys game will tip off at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2022. Its all the relationships that will hopefully come back and support the brands thats out there and the tournaments thats out there, and that will help bring back the mystique of what it was and what it is. The NBA legend didn't suit up . The red tour buses come to Harlem and go to that park. That is the Madison Square Garden of street basketball courts in the world.. Know someone who'd like Harlem news in their inbox? But the stars returned, and not just on the court. In August, the players union announced it had joined with the citys Department of Parks and Recreation, among others, to give the court a substantial face-lift that would cost $520,000 and to create a recreation position for Rucker Park and the nearby Jackie Robinson Recreation Center. players playing out there. However, that summer eventually became the. Rucker Park - The true Mecca of basketball - Old school style Sticker. Rucker opened the court in order to start up a legendary basketball tournament amongst Harlem's greatest street ballers, nicknamed the "Rucker League", with a generous mission of providing. career, matched against Adrian Walton, better known as Whole Lotta Game. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Far Rockaway (Queens, N.Y.) There he played on the same team as Lamar Odom, Jamal Crawford and Sebastian Telfair. With thousands of fans in attendance and thousands of dollars on the line, the teams arrived at Rucker Park with the city experiencing its biggest blackout since 1977. Its not just the renovation, Wells said. You may not be able to say one thing to one person that you could to another., Gilbert developed a slogan that he uses to promote the Pro-Am program. Like Earl Manigault before him, Scott finished his high school days at Laurinburg Institute in North Carolina before Dean Smith recruited him as UNC's first African-American scholarship athlete. But the court, widely known as "the Rucker," has seen better days: its pavement is cracking, its gates are missing and broken, and its bleachers were damaged by a recent winter storm, Parks Department officials told a Harlem community board this month. For us this means family. Photo by Caleb Ferguson for the . Gilbert admits that refereeing at Rucker when the pros show up is slightly different, so officials may let some of the stars get away with a violation or two. Everybody wanted it.. Officiating at Rucker Park has allowed Gilbert, Morrissey and Mensah the chance to work alongside and learn from current NBA referees. On this list, you'll find NBA icons, streetball legends and -- in some cases -- both. Youre dealing with people with multiple emotions, he said. At any point any coach, player or fan can lose their mind. Teams play at Rucker Park during the summer before renovations. Officiating a park league game can be like a class in conflict resolution. He compared it to a junior varsity basketball player who wants to improve by playing against the varsity players. The players are different, the games are different. Secondly, its one of the only outdoor venues where a league has three officials, shot clocks and NBA rules. Well start with Drew League. All these guys came down there because it was basically mano a mano, he said, with you against somebody, not being told how to run a set, but your best skill against my best skill, and your knowledge against my knowledge, on this even playing field where the crowd can become an opponent too., He added, You was pushed into a different level of playing because you didnt want to fail in front of all of these people, and you want them to see you perform, because it gave you so much more energy and more life, and then your legend grew., Wells recalled the time Carter, who recently retired after a 22-year N.B.A. Can you break down what this adidas partnership means to each individual league? That led the National Basketball Players Association the union representing the league's players to approach the city, offering to fund $360,000 in renovations that are set to begin this summer. Crews worked on the court starting in August, leveling the asphalt and installing black bleachers, a state-of-the-art scoreboard and N.B.A. 16U, and 15U teams participate in The Circuit League this spring and summer? Fridays: The Rucker Park (not EBC) has afternoon and evening games. As an official, if theres a lot of jump shots, it makes life easier, he joked. Sometimes when youre outside theres an issue of security, Morrissey noted. It is the first time in TBT's nine-year. 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 Boulevard home. We won't send you spam. St. Raymond's (Bronx, N.Y.) '94 Known as the elite high school basketball players favorite all-star game, the SLAM Summer Classic will again bring together the top boys and girls from across the country to take part in a weekend filled with community,cultureand competition. A lot of these guys, all they want to do is take it to the rack where you have to make the decision foul or no foul? A prolific scorer, Kirkland had a legit high school and college rep, teaming with future NBA all-star Bob Dandridge at Norfolk State before being drafted by the Bulls in 1969. Their son came up with the concept of the Drew Crew. The park was renamed after him as the Holcombe Rucker Playground in 1974. Dino, our founder, is a real family man. Slam Magazine even named Jackson the No. Corey "Homicide" Williams 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 Boulevard home. Archibald returned to Rucker Park every summer, even after he had made it to stardom. Which non-quarterback group will define each top-25 team's season? NYC Weekend Events: What's Going On March 4-5, NYC Rent Drops For 5th Straight Month, Study Finds, NYC Restaurants Ordered Closed Feb. 24 - March 3, 125th Street Could See Another Apartment Tower As Lot Goes Up For Sale. The article is made available for educational use by individuals. Taft (Bronx, N.Y.) At least 500 people left the park to go to the Gauchos Gym across the bridge in the Bronx, Morrissey said. What can they expect when they go to a game this summer? He even had a regular spot on the Globetrotters' 1970s cartoon show. Teams 12U (8 teams) 14U (7 teams) HIGH SCHOOL (13 teams) MENS UNLIMITED (12 teams) We dont care who you are, he said. Kareem "Best Kept Secret" Reid You cant get that for free basically nowhere else like that.. Rucker Park, 280 West 155th Street, NYC. 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. Veterans: Wilt Chamberlain, Julius "The Doctor" Erving, Connie Hawkins, Joe "Destroyer" Hammond, Tiny Archibald . They often do so by playing in as many games that they can, be it pick-up, AAU or park league. He's best known for hanging in the air. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. This article is the copyright of Referee Enterprises, Inc., and may not be republished in whole or in part online, in print or in any capacity without expressed written permission from Referee. For one, the park features a wooden court as opposed to concrete or asphalt. N.B.A. The EBC has a men's division which headlines the league, but it also has a high school league, and U15, U12 and U10 divisions. With a roster of 24 amazing athletes and eight great partners, this years Classic will be the biggest one yet.. So if the players can improve by using this blueprint, why not referees? The JR Circuit will be debuting in January 2022. Bernard King, former all star for the New York Knicks once said, "When I was in 9th grade, I saw the Helicopter, with my own two eyes, pick a quarter off the top of the backboard to win a bet, and I was in complete shock," Knowlings never played professional basketball and was killed in a car accident at the age of 37. Sign In, Join Active You got to earn it.. If somebody asked me to go, I went, he said. Cookie Policy But Rucker Park has always been home to true ballers who forge their identities, as Williams said. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. If you grew up in New York probably ever, but certainly in the 60s and 70s when I grew up, you could not help but understand what the Rucker meant to New York basketball, said Roberts, 63, now the executive director of the N.B.A. by AmNews Staff Reports March 2, 2017. Credit: Bill Moore. Action in this summer's tournament gets started in the Omaha and Rucker Park regionals. Since 1980, Rucker Park Streetball League has been the basketball Mecca of NYC's Harlem community. Here I am now refereeing with an NBA official, Morrissey said. Even more than his handle, Williams' biggest asset is confidence. RUCKER PARK STREETBALL LEAGUE Schedule June 14 - August 29, 2021 NEW YORK, New York Info Schedule Teams Venues Documents Travel/Lodging Download the Tri-State Classic / Jordan Brand App Click on a division below or search for a team to view the schedule. Many of them., A Street Basketball Mecca Gets a Face-Lift, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/10/sports/basketball/rucker-park-renovation.html.