The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.C., John McCann column
By John McCann, The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.C. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
The game is life. The players are kids, some with considerable odds against them.
But the John Avery club always has had great coaches.
This isn't about footballs or baseball bats or 3-pointers, although those things play roles here.
In this regard, though, when it comes to keeping score, the wins are measured in how many boys and girls become productive citizens. Period. For more than seven decades, that's what it's been about at the John Avery club.
"It's pretty amazing we've been able to do this with pretty much a hand-to-mouth budget consistently for 75 years," John Avery club board chairman
"The key has been the dedication of the people in the community."
The community has an opportunity to get in the game and help the club when the Harlem Wizards come to town to deal with the Durham All-Stars at
Now, the
The Durham All-Stars are your kids' teachers and principals from schools around here. It could be a long night for them, but they'll get help from players who suited up for high schools in
Once upon a time,
"I was a shooter," Kent said. "When we needed to score points, that was my thing, because I was going to put it in that hole.
"Nobody knew there is a Harlem Wizards legend living in
Kent, 67, said he played for the
"Can't get in it," Kent quipped. "We had them short shorts."
"Tojo was on the team when I was there," Kent said. "Tojo's a clown. Tojo is a bad boy. When it comes to that clowning, he was born for that kind of sport. He was born for it."
Henderson, who joined the
Juice said he has no plans of coming out of retirement to help the home team -- to which all of the reverend's church folks would say, "Amen!"
"One 67-year-old guy on the court is enough," Harlem Wizards president
The basketball game is one of several anniversary events benefitting the John Avery club. There's a
Frasier said his great-uncles,
"That's my motivation and the reason for my dedication," Frasier said.
Ride by the John Avery club,
But it still works.
"The community, for 75 years, has been adamant about its survival, and that is why it has survived," Frasier said.
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Wordcount: | 680 |
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