THE NOTORIOUS RANKIN GANGSTERS
It’s important to note that I don’t do this often, but in this moment in time it’s a must-do, so that you have the history to reference what’s coming your way in a few days.
I can never, never, ever, forget… IT WAS THE SUMMER OF 1975 when I met the great Connie Hawkins in the front of the Homewood YMCA. He was joined by the legendary Kenny “KD” Durrett, recognized as the greatest player in Western PA history, Will Graham, considered the Charles Barkley before Charles Barkley, and Connie’s “right hand man,” Sterling Smith. Without question, this was one of the most important moments of my life, and I truly owe my professional career and success to Connie Hawkins.
I had just graduated from Slippery Rock University in May of ‘75, and trust me when I tell you, as a born-and-bred football player, establishing a basketball league that would go on to glory had never entered my mind. I was just hired by one of my early mentors, Mr. Joe Lewis, and I was immediately instructed to create a program that would further unite the Black community following the destruction that came with the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was then that I asked Mr. Hawkins if I could name a basketball league after him that I assumed would be a part of the healing process that the Homewood community would need. BUT NEVER IN MY RIGHT MIND DID I IMAGINE THE HISTORY THAT WAS ABOUT TO UNFOLD. Shortly thereafter in 1979, we relocated to East Hills Park where over 1,000 people a night attended the games, and then on to Pennley Park, aka “Champions Park” as the national recognition continued.
CLARENCE HOPSON, KENNY DURRETT, COACH HARRIS, MAURICE LUCAS, RICKY COLEMAN
I can look back on the moment and attribute it to good luck, great timing, or for that matter, DIVINE INTERVENTION. Call it what you want, but when “The Hawk” said yes, it set the wheels in motion for what would become The Connie Hawkins NCAA-Pro/Amateur nationally and internationally recognized Summer Basketball League. The three games a night, five nights a week event would go on to run for 35 consecutive years while being recognized as one of the top five basketball leagues in the nation along with the king of them all, The Harlem Rucker League in New York, #1; The L.A. League run by the Lakers, #2; The Baker League run by the great Sonny Hill in Philadelphia, #3; The Mid Summer Magic League in Detroit and the Capital Coalition League run in Washington, D.C., tied for #4; and The Hawkins League, #5.
SAM CLANCY
It’s equally important to note that all of the other cities had professional basketball teams to help anchor their success, and funnel players into their league to play…we did not!
Amidst all that notoriety, we were still ranked top five by The Atlantic Constitution and top ten in Marquette University Basketball Coach Al McGuire’s best-seller basketball book entitled, “Heat In The Street.” That went on to identify and rank all the top summer leagues in the nation from 1975 to 1990. It was quoted by Coach McGuire that “if you were to play in the Connie Hawkins League, you would need two pairs of tennis shoes. The competition was just too hot for one pair.”
During that time, summer league basketball had become a phenomenon from coast to coast showcasing the world’s best, the likes of which were never seen before and will never be seen again!
CONNIE HAWKINS AND BILL NEAL
In that period, here are just a few of the legendary players who came to “Fly with the Hawk!” Kenny Durrett, Will Graham, Walt Szczerbiak, Ricky “Black Magic” Coleman, Norm Nixon, Ron Carter, Craig Prosser, Bobby Byrd, Bill Chamberlain, Sam “Bam” Clancy, Hosea Champine, “Big John” Marshall, Myron Brown, Jason “White Chocolate” Williams, Rico Abbondanza, Bobby Franklin, Ron Brown, Bruce Atkins, BB Flenory, Shawn Hawkins, J.R. Holden, Tim Appleton, Stu Lyons, Jeff Baldwin, Terry Knight, Chip Harris, Mark McCloud, Billy Varner, Alex Johnson, Charles Smith, Darrell Porter, Jerome Lane, Curtis Aiken, Chris Seneca, Kevin “Dr. K” Walls, Anthony “The Greyhound” Rivers, Nate Duck, Levy “Ice Cream” Taylor, Chad McCrummon, Donny Williams, Vince Lackner, Clarence Hopson, Jeff “Junkhead” Burton, Tom “Bum” Coates, Darrell Gissendanner, “Magic Mike” Williams, Len “Houndini” Johnson, Darrin Walls, Jeep Kelly, Lenny Pruett, Kirk Bruce, Morrie “Sky Lab” Cox, Jeff Singleton, Maurice Brown, Jimmy Nichols, Thomas “June Bug” Howard. And what would a league of this stature be without great coaches like Eddie Jefferies, Ringo Saunders, LaVaughn “Meatball” Johnson, Roland Slade, and yours truly. Needless to say, the names of the players and coaches are endless.
AUTOGRAPHED CONNIE HAWKINS…
It goes without saying every King has a Queen and ours was University of Pittsburgh Hall-of-Fame legend Jennifer Bruce. While running a league in her name, it featured great stars like Karen Hall, Margo Hinton, Carlita Jones, Connie Hurt, Robbin Smith, Shayla Scott, Carmen Bruce, and countless other great lady ballers setting the game on fire long before the WNBA.
We could go on with names forever. But here’s what’s most important. The players…“The Voice”– Mike Booker & Mike Nichols…and the leadership of league directors Vicki Slater and Debbie Coleman, both of whom were the first women to orchestrate a league of this magnitude in the nation…the staff…the volunteers…the spectators…and most importantly our sponsors over the years including the Senator Jay Costa, former Allegheny County Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald, former Mayor Bill Peduto, Frank B. Fuhrer Wholesale Company, UPMC, Dwayne Woodruff, Pittsburgh Steelers, Goodrich and Geist, PC, Diversified Municipal Services, Goodrich and Associates, Pittsburgh Transit Authority, Franco Harris/Super Bakery, Bowser Chevrolet of Monroeville, Elite Corvettes of Pittsburgh, the Highland Park Tennis Club, and the numerous other sponsors and contributors…helped to establish one of the greatest community service agencies in W. PA history….Champions Association Inc., now known as Achieving Greatness Inc. that went on to provide 20-plus programs a year for 51 consecutive years including The Franco Harris All Pro Football Camps, The Kenny Durrett High School All-Star Basketball Classic (second in years only to the Dapper Dan Round Ball Classic, 24), The Willie Stargell Pittsburgh MVP Awards, The Highland Park Mixed Doubles Celebrity Tennis Tournament, Toys For Champions Christmas Party, “Safe Summer” Youth Programs, The Rev. Duane Darkins Veterans and Senior Citizens Thanksgiving Dinner and the first-ever Pittsburgh City League High School All Sports Hall of Fame Inductions, just to name a few !
NOW AS “TIME STANDS STILL” . . . WE FLASH BACK to remember those of glory who helped make those times glorious as they reunite from far and wide all over the country to return to greatness and score points just one more time. IT IS IN FACT THE LAST SHOT!!!
Many and most of the names mentioned here will converge at the Dave and Busters Showroom on Saturday, June 7, from 6 to 10 p.m. to remember, salute, meet and greet and slam dunk one more time…that while the nation was naming kings of the court, WE WERE THE ONES WHO “FLEW WITH THE HAWK!” For ticket information, call Achieving Greatness Inc. at 412-628-4856. Proceeds from the event will benefit AGI “Safe Summer” youth programs.
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