Sidi, this is very interesting indeed.  Definitely, a good idea to pause and
remember those who made it possible for the ones who are successful today...
Thanks.
Ginny

----- Original Message -----
From: "Sidi M Sanneh" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2000 12:03 PM
Subject: NBA to honour African-American pioneers


> Ginny, Jabou and Bro. Habib,
>
> As the new NBA season kicks off, it is in order to pause and pay homage to
> the African-American pioneers of what it now the NBA .  These trail
blazers
> made it possible for the late Wilt Chamberlains, the Karim Abdul-Jabbahs
> (the inventor of the sky-hook and the man responsible for the NCAA to ban
> dunking at the college level which was subsequently lifted), the Dr. Js,
the
> Dave Bings, the Michael Jordans to play, refine and, in the process,
define
> the game to what it is today. The list comes on. Tribute also goes the
> African-American pioneers of MLB of the likes of Jackie Robinson, Hank
Aaron
> and many more who played the game under the harshest and most hostile of
> conditions.  Below is the story of one such pioneer of professional
> basketball, as we enjoy the season opener.  Sidi Sanneh
> __________________________________________
>
>
>    NEW YORK, Oct 27 (AFP) - While America are to celebrate Halloween
> Tuesday,
> the National Basketball Association will open its 2000-2001 season. It is
> also
> the 50th anniversary of Earl Lloyd becoming the first African-American to
> play
> in an NBA game.
>    Lloyd, who was part of a teleconference call here Friday, remembered
the
> landmark game.
>    "It was totally and unequivocally uneventful," he said.
>    A man with a sense of humor, he added: "It was Halloween, maybe they
(the
> crowd) thought I was a goblin or something."
>    The game was played in Rochester, New York.
>    "There could not have been a better place to play the game. In the
1950s
> it
> was integrated and a sleepy New York town," Lloyd said.
>    On Tuesday, Lloyd, who played with the Washington Capitols, the late
> Chuck
> Cooper and the late Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton and Hank DeZonie will be
> honored
> here at Madison Square Garden before the New York Kicks-Philadelphia 76ers
> game.
>    Lloyd will take part in a ceremonial opening tip and will be joined in
> pre-game introductions by DeZonie, Clifton's daughter, Anita Brown, and
> Cooper's son, Chuck Jr., and widow, Irva.
>    Cooper was the first to be drafted by the Boston Celtics and Clifton
was
> the first to sign a contract with New York.
>    DeZonie played five games in 1950 with the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, now
the
> Atlanta Hawks.
>    Lloyd said he could not recall much about the first game, except his
team
> lost.
>    After the game he said the team went back to the hotel where he was
> allowed
> to stay in the rooms, but not to eat at the restaurant.
>    "I went to Coach 'Bones' McKinley's suite and saw sandwiches and beer.
If
> this happens when we lose ...," said Lloyd.
>    He said that McKinley was "very special to me" because he was
sympathetic
> to what African-Americans were going through at the time. "He said, 'I
can't
> change it,'" said Lloyd.
>    The two would eat their meals in his room when they were on the road.
>    ps/jlp
>
> _________________________________________________________________________
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