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 > > _________________________________________________________________________ > Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com. > > Share information about yourself, create your own public profile at > http://profiles.msn.com. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- > > To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L > Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html > You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] > if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask] if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------