Of all the SJU games I have attended over the years this SYR- SJU game was the closest to watching the pros I ever saw. The talent and size of both teams was incredible.
A Game Grows in Brooklyn / Peter Vecsey
- Thread starter jerseyshorejohnny
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This Brooklyn piece starts out with a mention of "my" playground, Foster Park in Flatbush. Some fantastic games on the "first" court there, unofficially reserved for the best players and the best full court games. I never got to play in those games, but it was fun to watch them.
Mike Dunleavy a classmate of mine from Nazareth High School got to play in those games, he held his own. I am talking senior not junior.
No mention in the article of "Rodney" from Foster Park who was a big part of Heaven is a Playground, Rick Telander's book about that park. Rodney was not much of a player, he was older, and always hung around the best players. He steered kids to BB programs and colleges. A real "street agent" if you will.
Anyway, decades later I meet him outside a St. John's game at the Garden, hustling tickets. He said he remembered me, I know he didn't. It didn't matter we reminisced for a while and I headed into the game and probably later so did Rodney to a much better seat. I beleive he passed away some time ago. A flood of Brooklyn and Foster Park memories came back to me that night of Fly Williams and World B. Free, and a great Erasmus palyer named "Earl" (don't know his last name), a big guy, but Earl never went on to greatness. He might not have had that killer instinct, soft-spoken nice guy.
I was out of the neigherhood by the time Chris Mullin came along, as I am 10 years older, but I am sure he did his time at Foster Park, always looking for real competition which he couldn't find at the courts in Marine Park.
In my opinion Chris is still the best ballplayer to come out of Brooklyn, and looking at that list that is saying a whole lot.
Mike Dunleavy a classmate of mine from Nazareth High School got to play in those games, he held his own. I am talking senior not junior.
No mention in the article of "Rodney" from Foster Park who was a big part of Heaven is a Playground, Rick Telander's book about that park. Rodney was not much of a player, he was older, and always hung around the best players. He steered kids to BB programs and colleges. A real "street agent" if you will.
Anyway, decades later I meet him outside a St. John's game at the Garden, hustling tickets. He said he remembered me, I know he didn't. It didn't matter we reminisced for a while and I headed into the game and probably later so did Rodney to a much better seat. I beleive he passed away some time ago. A flood of Brooklyn and Foster Park memories came back to me that night of Fly Williams and World B. Free, and a great Erasmus palyer named "Earl" (don't know his last name), a big guy, but Earl never went on to greatness. He might not have had that killer instinct, soft-spoken nice guy.
I was out of the neigherhood by the time Chris Mullin came along, as I am 10 years older, but I am sure he did his time at Foster Park, always looking for real competition which he couldn't find at the courts in Marine Park.
In my opinion Chris is still the best ballplayer to come out of Brooklyn, and looking at that list that is saying a whole lot.
beast of the east
Active member
Billy Schaeffer tells a great Jim McMillan story. Of course, Schaeffer had one of the best seasons a St. John's player ever had after Mel Davis went down with a knee injury. Very skilled at telling the story, he says that Coach Carnesecca questioned to his team that they had to find someone to fill the void lost by Davis' injury, and Schaeffer raises his hand while telling the story. I believe he averaged 24 points per game his senior year, and was on the NBA radar. Sure enough, he gets drafted by both the NBA and ABA. The Los Anggeles LAkers made Schaeffer the 5th pick of the second round (23rd overall). Schaeffer loved everything about the Lakers and he thought it was a perfect fit for his game. Only one problem existed in his mind - Jim McMillan was on the Lakers, and as Schaeffer tells it, was the exact same type of player he was. HE couldn't figure out why the LAkers would waste a pick on him when they had Jim McMillan. He agonized over the decision, and finally decided he would never get a chance to play with McMillan ahead of him on the Lakers. So he signs with the Nets. Two days later, The Lakers trade McMillan to Cleveland, and Schaeffer then knew why he had been drafted but it was too late. The Nets didn't work out too well for Billy, but even though he says that played 3 ABA seasons, averaged 6 points per game, and shot about 47% from the field. Not bad for a kid from Bellerose and Holy Cross HS.
beast of the east
Active member
Maybe the Kangaroo Kid? I'm partial to Connie Hawkins, possibly one of the greatest players ever to play.BrookJersey Redmen" post=416174 said:
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In the early to mid 70s we used to go to a gym in Queens to watch World B Free, Fly Williams, Tiny Archibald and others in summer league games. Wish I could remember the name of the gym but watching those guys was something I won't forget. Fly was a character for sure.
fan since 65
Well-known member
NCJohnnie" post=416185 said:
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