my hoops playing days - Page 2 - Horse Racing Forum - PaceAdvantage.Com

JustRalph · 03-12-2021, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

Sounds like you must have been a good hitter.

In Junior High my skill level really took off. Prior to that I couldn't hit a good curveball at all. But I had a gym teacher and part-time baseball coach that was rehabbing from the majors and he taught us a ton.

He was a great teacher. I had him in 1st grade (then he goes to play in the majors) and in the 8th and 9th grade again.

He was never right after shoulder surgery, but he a was great hitting instructor all things considered.

I was never a long ball hitter but I always flirted with .500 batting average.

my teacher

https://www.baseball-reference.com/p...orlajo01.shtml

Half Smoke · 03-13-2021, 04:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustRalph

In Junior High my skill level really took off. Prior to that I couldn't hit a good curveball at all. But I had a gym teacher and part-time baseball coach that was rehabbing from the majors and he taught us a ton.

He was a great teacher. I had him in 1st grade (then he goes to play in the majors) and in the 8th and 9th grade again.

He was never right after shoulder surgery, but he a was great hitting instructor all things considered.

I was never a long ball hitter but I always flirted with .500 batting average.

my teacher

https://www.baseball-reference.com/p...orlajo01.shtml

I also loved baseball - but I gave it up because it was too hard to get a game going if you weren't playing in a league - not like hoops

when I was very young I went to a baseball camp run by 2 former pros - twin brothers Don and Deward Williams - both pitchers

Deward never got out of the minors but Don made the majors and pitched a few games

in one game for the Pirates Don hit a triple. it must have been very exciting for him because I'm sure he knew he wasn't going to last long in the majors

Don Williams was larger than life to me

when you're a kid - - it's easy to have heroes

I enjoyed reading your remembrance

https://www.baseball-reference.com/p...illido01.shtml

*

Half Smoke · 03-13-2021, 08:47 AM

..........................

I wrote about some of my disappointments
and also mentioned that I knew I wasn't alone in this

this best player that ever came out of my County - a guy that set a County record of scoring 61 points in one game - a record that still stands more than 50 years later....................

he got a full scholarship to West Virginia

but in the summer before he stepped onto the campus he injured his back in an auto accident

he never played competitive basketball again

wow.....................that's really, really, rough

*

Robert Fischer · 03-13-2021, 10:20 AM

I met a guy named 'Monk' who had recently got of jail. He was about 6'3" 220lbs or so. We had been having a few drinks and doing some music, and he said he could beat me in basketball. I was surprised because, I had met him as far as music and not as an athlete. So we ended up out on a fraternity basketball court. Little bit of snow on the ground. We played about 20 min and the score was 2-2 in a stalemate. He was very strong and could dunk from a standstill.

A few years later, I was at his house, and he had a VHS of a HS player dominating and dunking highlights. I was surprised, it was him!

Had he pointed that way from a young age, - could have been a good Wide Receiver in the NFL. I don't what became of him.

Robert Fischer · 03-13-2021, 10:38 AM

Another guy was in that 6'3+ range, could do multiple crossovers behind the back while shifting side-to-side like Barry Sanders.
This was during the crack epidemic in the late 80s/early90s and he didn't have much support. Couldn't get the grades on the HS team. One day he burst out crying on the basketball court. Could have played somewhere in basketball and another NFL WR body type guy. Went to jail.

Ray Donovon · 03-13-2021, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamboguy

i never knew this until today, but i heard on the news that Patrick Ewing is the head coach for Georgetown.. i somewhat lived through the year when Georgetown won the National Championship, and i had followed him in his high school career. he was a nice kid too.

I went to see a Lionel Ritchie and Tina Turner concert at Worcester Centrum with Pat’s sister back on the day. Those Cambridge Ringe and Latin squads were the best high school teams ever in Mass.

Half Smoke · 03-13-2021, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

Another guy was in that 6'3+ range, could do multiple crossovers behind the back while shifting side-to-side like Barry Sanders.
This was during the crack epidemic in the late 80s/early90s and he didn't have much support. Couldn't get the grades on the HS team. One day he burst out crying on the basketball court. Could have played somewhere in basketball and another NFL WR body type guy. Went to jail.

there was a guy that used to show up at our main court from time to time
nobody knew his real name
we called him Superman
he was a real muscular guy with huge legs and thighs
he was only about 5'11" - he played in the post and snagged rebounds and got passes and then would dunk from a standstill over anybody

he was like a mini Wilt Chamberlain

there was another guy who had the nickname Helicopter

and of course the legendary Chicken Breast who was featured in the article I linked

it's fun remembering those guys - playground legends

*

JustRalph · 03-13-2021, 01:26 PM

Believe it or not, one of the best pure shooters I ever saw play was this guy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_J...rican_football)

Wiki link is acting weird. Just click on Pete Johnson

I played with and against him in a rec league in the summers while he was at Ohio State. Coach Hayes refused to let his guys play 2 sports. He could have made the Buckeye basketball team

Robert Fischer · 03-13-2021, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Half Smoke

we called him Superman

there was another guy who had the nickname Helicopter

and of course the legendary Chicken Breast who was featured in the article I linked

it's fun remembering those guys - playground legends

*

I've heard guys say "Superman" and they would say "Helicopter Man"

must be talking about the same guys

Half Smoke · 03-13-2021, 05:13 PM

.......................

it's amazing how things can change in college basketball

Mount St. Mary's is a tiny college in rural Maryland

we were a lowly college - basketball wise

during my time there Mount St. Mary's was even lowlier than us

their coach tried to schedule us - our coach refused - they were too lowly - even for us

we did scrimmage them - they were really bad

I kind of drifted away from following basketball

then in 1995 I happened to follow the NCAA Division 1 tourney and found out that Mount St. Mary's was in the tourney as the no. 16 seed - they lost in the first round to Kentucky

what a shock it was when I saw that

they actually appeared in the NCAA Divsion 1 tourney in 4 subsequent years

I really have no words - I just couldn't believe it

*

Half Smoke · 03-14-2021, 05:45 AM

..........................

Georgetown under Ewing crushed Creighton last night to win the Big East Championship

they were big dogs - 8 points

because of this they're headed to the tourney

they weren't doing very well - if they hadn't won last night they wouldn't be headed to the tourney

*

mountainman · 03-15-2021, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

Played on and off the court with some pros in the NFL and NBA and some guys who went to jail that were on that on that same level.

Very cool. Along the same lines, I played hoops and baseball with lots of future pros.

As a pitcher, I was getting interest from pro scouts right before a freak injury ended baseball for me. I could also hit with some power.

As to basketball, I was a gifted shooter, and as recently as three (or so) years back could still draw a crowd shooting free throws at Kennywood Park. But at 6'2 , slow, and 'burly,' I was NEVER bound for the NBA

Today at a local sporting goods store I spotted an in-ground Spalding hoop on great discount. 60 inch glass backboard..padded stanchion..attractive logo. I'm going to buy it for the 30x30 court in planning for top of driveway to new house. I miss shooting.

Robert Fischer · 03-15-2021, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountainman

Very cool. Along the same lines, I played hoops and baseball with lots of future pros.

As a pitcher, I was getting interest from pro scouts right before a freak injury ended baseball for me. I could also hit with some power.

As to basketball, I was a gifted shooter, and as recently as three (or so) years back could still draw a crowd shooting free throws at Kennywood Park. But at 6'2 , slow, and 'burly,' I was NEVER bound for the NBA

Today at a local sporting goods store I spotted an in-ground Spalding hoop on great discount. 60 inch glass backboard..padded stanchion..attractive logo. I'm going to buy it for the 30x30 court in planning for top of driveway to new house. I miss shooting.

That would be fun to have. Doesn't even feel like exercise when you are performing your shooting routines and that form and shot that you have ingrained in muscle-memory and then when the ball goes in... It's like a healthy, positive release of almost 'OCD'-like activity.

I could go for a sunny day and some free throw shooting.

myohmyjustify · 03-15-2021, 04:07 PM

Half Smoke :

Mount Saint Mary may have been a div. 2 type school and usually did get thumped by the likes of Pitt, Penn State and other large schools as you say but they weren't patsies when they played similar sized schools.

They were coached by Jim Phelan who won over 800 games in a long career and the collegeinsider.com 'coach of the year' award is named after him. He is amember of the NCAA hall of fame.

The best player to ever play there --- not counting you, of course

--- was Fred Carter, Mad Dog to old NBA fans.

Yes Carter was no Oscar Robertson or Michael Jordan but he was an excellent player that had a very good NBA career and scored almost 10,000 points.

Thanks for sharing your memories and thoughts.

Half Smoke · 03-15-2021, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by myohmyjustify

Half Smoke :

Mount Saint Mary may have been a div. 2 type school and usually did get thumped by the likes of Pitt, Penn State and other large schools as you say but they weren't patsies when they played similar sized schools.

They were coached by Jim Phelan who won over 800 games in a long career and the collegeinsider.com 'coach of the year' award is named after him. He is amember of the NCAA hall of fame.

The best player to ever play there --- not counting you, of course

--- was Fred Carter, Mad Dog to old NBA fans.

Yes Carter was no Oscar Robertson or Michael Jordan but he was an excellent player that had a very good NBA career and scored almost 10,000 points.

Thanks for sharing your memories and thoughts.

you are right - it just so happened the year we scrimmaged them they were really bad -

but still - pretty astonishing that a school that small could appear so many years in the Div. 1 tourney - they're there again this year

I did not fully appreciate Mt. St. Mary's history - my bad

the madness is close upon us - here's the bracket
good luck to all

https://www.google.com/search?q=ncaa...3x3X0NPcGznBKM

*