https://www.nytimes.com/1990/11/11/sports/basketball-legend-of-the-playground.html. Joe Hammond. At 59 with pogo stick legs, Hook Mitchell ran the bay area for well over a decade. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. It's a reaction. See Photos. His game has often been compared to that of Steve Francis or Nate Robinson. Most of these guys share many parallels such as drug abuse, academic trouble and attitude problems. The Destroyer set a variety of Rucker scoring records including single game record 82 points in a game. He went to summer league and then training camp with the Philadelphia Sixers. Joe Skinner. Mitchell first teamed up with Antonio Davis to star at McClymonds high in Oakland. The king and queen are still together, but the fairy tale is long over. Playground hoops legends Pee Wee Kirkland, right, and Joe Hammond (shown here in August 2003), are products of the Rucker Park courts in New York. He was an elite shooter and could finish amongst the trees around the basket. He was a deeply original writer who used his own mortality as a lens, to see familiar things anew., I'm writing 33 birthday cards for the sons I won't see grow up, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. The British writer and playwright became famous. Because of this documentary, the truth is now out there.". To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Because of this documentary, the truth is now . We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Heres a clip of him destroying the And1 team. With Coach John Mosley leading the way and the team consisting of a few former Division I players looking to revive their careers, this installment of the Last Chance franchise is like no other. 5. Since his release from prison, Hammond has been living in an East Harlem housing project with his childhood sweetheart, Beverly Seabrook, and their 16 year-old-daughter, Joy. I think that message becomes apparent through their personal stories. ", Meminger, who grew up in New York and played against Hammond when he was still in high school, said Hammond "was as talented a player at the ages of 18, 19, and 20 as anybody in the city, or the country, at that time." "The streets are where I spent most of my time, and that's where I made all of my money.". In 1969 he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls with the fourth pick in the thirteenth round. BASKETBALL; Legend of the Playground - The New York Times According to him, all he did was smoke and eat, so he wasnt fit, even when he physically got better. Common information about name Joseph Hammond - Radaris News August 7, 2009 11:23 AM By Brandon Stosuy. Its like the Pulitzer for this business. JOE HAMMOND REGRETS STREET HUSTLING INSTEAD OF GOING TO THE N - YouTube "Big in the Mind" tells the story o Read allHe can't walk down the streets of Harlem without people yelling his name. Just about all NYC DUDES I saw play all are deserving,I saw some brothers from CHI-TOWN that were incredible-EDDIE HUGHES,PAUL MCPHERSON,TEDDY GRUBBS,ISIAH OMG HE WAS BETTER IN STREETS THEN THE NBA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! he wrote in the article, which went viral. Portions of this clip is raw and has never been published. Fortunately, because Joe was in communication with Coach John Mosley, who wrote a letter to the judge on his behalf, Joe was released from jail after only 17 days. Billy The Kid Harris - Standing at only 62 Harris was a prolific long range shooter. !STEVE SPACE INCREDIBLE LEAPER. "Joe Hammond, the Destroyer?" In other words, Joe Hampton is proving his worth over and over again on the hardwood floors, and there seems to be nothing that can stop him. Variety. He was a king who ruled another domain, the Harlem summer leagues. He was a precursor to Magic Johnson and guys like that . The older man finally gave Hammond some money, and the two shook hands. Sign Up. "I look back now," said Hammond, "and I realize that I was just another knucklehead. ", "It's been a long time," said the older man. If you still don't believe he's that good heres a clip from Watson in the 35 and over league. "Big in the Mind" tells the story of the most gifted basketball wizard ever to work his magic on the asphalt of the Big Apple. Kirkland operates under the belief that we are witness to two very different Americas -- one of freedoms forged through the civil rights movement and one that governs urban youth today, which he argues is dictated by hip-hop. College football reporters' NFL draft takeaways, Snoop Dogg joins Sparks' bid to buy Senators, College baseball player hit by stray bullet at game, Bills ink vet Murray after passing on RBs in draft, Calipari thanks Bryants for package honoring Gigi, Source: Ravens decline LB Queen's 2024 option, Flames fire coach Sutter after three seasons, Kealia, J.J. 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One of the standout athletes featured in the documentary is Joe Hampton, a highly talented power forward who came to ELAC after leaving his spot on the Penn State basketball team and following a string of injuries, personal turmoil, and jail time. In 1977 he returned to the Rucker Tournament after a four year absence to set a league record with 73 points in a game. I was making thousands of dollars a year selling marijuana and heroin. His reputation was so great, the Lakers team traveled to Harlem to watch him play in the summer. In the book "Gangsters of Harlem," author Ron Chepesiuk describes the exploits of the city's most infamous organized crime leaders. Elite 24: Rucker Park legends - ESPN However, my concern here is that Arthur Sivels is missing within your top ten. Billy Patrick at 64 forward with guard skills came from Freeport, N.Y. was a scoring machine. He's been compared to NBA legends Tiny Archibald and Julius Erving, but he was probably more akin to "American Gangsters" characters Frank Lucas and "Mr. Untouchable" Nicky Barnes. Real talk. You should add Bonecollector here. He can't count the number of NBA stars he schooled. Big in the Mind: The Legend of Joe Hammond (Short 2004) - IMDb Joes average is 10.8 points and his blocks total to 15. Billy got a chance to play ProBall, with the Bulls. In his final season classmates and teacher began to notice that Jones was illiterate. Streetball players built reputations largely on word of mouth. (as Joe 'The Destroyer' Hammond) Herman 'Helicopter' Knowlings Self Earl Manigault Self Dean Meminger Self Metta World Peace Self (as Ron Artest) Kenny Smith Self Hawthorne Wingo Self Director Bahmekka All cast & crew Production, box office & more at IMDbPro Storyline Edit Details August 22, 2006 (United States) Country of origin United States Joe Hammond. But as we learn once more, or perhaps for the first time, in a new documentary about Saturday Night Live star Darrell Hammond, sometimes the clown is not to blame for his internal sadness. But Meminger was quick to add: "Joe didn't go through the system, and that hurt his marketability. Multimedia Producer In fact, there was a time when Kirkland was in so deep he actually bailed on the Chicago Bulls so he could return to the more lucrative operations he ran in Harlem. "It's all handed down by whoever everybody is listening to. His memoir is a lasting legacy: a book of consolation, wisdom, and most astonishingly wonder. Documentary A biography of Rucker Park legend Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond. He can't pay his phone bill. He can't count the number of NBA stars he schooled. 6. stars like Julius Erving, Tiny Archibald and Charlie Scott. XFL semifinals: Defenders roll Sea Dragons, set up title showdown with Renegades. To further explore the lives and works of more than 250 masters past and present, the American Masters website offers full episodes, film outtakes, filmmaker interviews, the podcast American Masters: Creative Spark, educational resources, digital original series and more. "There are lives and legacies of people who can't and shouldn't be forgotten, but there was nothing commemorating the greatness of black accomplishments in sports, or life in general, at that time. Artie Green, Sundance,Richie (The Animal) AdamsPookie Wilson,Skip to my Lou,Abjack, The Prime Objective.Alonzo (SuperKid) Jackson. Ex-pro Cuttino Mobley used to invite Sad Eye to fly out to Houston and play pickup with the Rockets players in the early 2000s. He owned all the playgrounds down here. "The A.B.A. Please disable your adblocker or subscribe to ad-free membership to view this article. And thus began Pee Wee Kirkland's renowned life of duplicity that now resonates well beyond the New York neighborhoods he once presided over. Next he attended Kittrell community college in North Carolina, and averaged 41 points per game. Profile. 8. Read More: Where is Coach John Mosley Now? Hes definitely one of the top, if not the top playground legend out here. By the time Sad Eye was 14, he was the best player in the city, as he helped his junior high school (Strawberry Mansion) beat the undefeated varsity at Ben Franklin HS. After community college he attended Norfolk State University and played with future NBA star Bob Dandridge. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. It wasn't until the man stepped directly beneath the lamplight that he came into focus; a light-skinned black man with a short beard, middle-aged, tall, and slender. You can check out his ball handling and passing exploits here. "Pound-for-pound, Joe Hammond was the greatest player ever to come out of Harlem." An all city selection in high school at Dunbar, he played college ball at Northern Illinois. Joe Hammond - Basketball-Reference.com 'Cracked Up' Review: A Master Mimic Searches for Himself Its very possible that the omission of Arthur Sivels was an innocent oversight. The stranger, wearing a baseball cap, and dressed in a baggy sweatshirt, which he wore inside-out, and a pair of tattered blue-jeans, continued on his course, forcing the game to a halt. On the sidewalk, three older men were clustered in the doorway of an abandoned building, chatting, watching the game, and hiding from a howling October wind. She can be reached at marybuckheit@hotmail.com. He can't count the number of NBA stars he schooled. "My reputation has become bigger than the reality. Kayla Keegan leads Good Housekeepings editorial growth strategies in the partnership, news, social, branded, membership and newsletter spaces. More than five decades ago, a New York City Parks employee named Holcombe Rucker encouraged Harlem kids to stay in school with a basketball tournament and league that would develop into an i Read allMore than five decades ago, a New York City Parks employee named Holcombe Rucker encouraged Harlem kids to stay in school with a basketball tournament and league that would develop into an international phenomenon. Eventually, Hammond turned to drugs, and ended up serving time in a prison in New York City. "They respect me and my past," he says. Upon his death, two of his pupils continued his work by drawing from the league's Pro Division to start the famous "Each One Teach One" program, pairing up See production, box office & company info. Author Joe Hammond dies, aged 50 | The Bookseller 10 Author and dad-of-two Joe Hammond has died aged 50 after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease Credit: Jude Edginton - The Times 10 Joe started writing his memoirs after his life-changing diagnosis in an effort to make sense of his life and death Credit: courtesy joe hammond 10 Brian Sad Eye Watson - Sad Eye is not your typical streetball player. Raymond Lewis was one of the greatest players I've ever seen nobody can change my mind about that," said basketball pioneer Sonny Vaccaro. Kriti Mehrotra March 9, 2021 Netflix's 'Last Chance U: Basketball' is an eight-part documentary series that follows the 2019-20 season of the East Los Angeles College Huskies, a well-regarded JUCO program in California, as they compete to get their hands on the state basketball championship. He knows he is able to reach today's youth through an understanding of hip-hop culture, and how adolescent culture reflects the music. In the Observer, Kate Kellaway wrote: This is a book to extend empathy, to ensure one understands what it is to have MND and to witness one man facing it with exceptional courage.. "Black Magic" is a two-part, four-hour documentary airing on ESPN without commercial interruption on March 16 and 17 at 8 p.m. Imagine that.". He can't count the number of NBA stars he schooled. A regular at Chicago Summer tournaments his team won the summer league tournament 7 years in a row. Through hustling, gambling and craps, he became so good at the game so quickly that he had a Rolls Royce before he had a driver's license. "I was the homecoming queen of my school, and he was this big basketball star everyone used to make such a fuss over," said Seabrook. . Tino's Hammond Organ 80th Anniversary Film Documentary Trailer with cameo appearances Michael Falkenstein, Joe Berger, Jon Hammond, Shuji Suzuki and Suzuki Musical Instuments Hammond Organ Team, Bernie Capicchiano Bernies Music Land Australia Hammond Distributor, Jon Hammond's annual musikmesse Warm Up Party in world famous historic jazzkeller Frankfurt - Outro music "Organ Meets Bigband" Jon . 's hardship draft of 1971 (a class that included Phil Chenier and Cyril Baptiste), but a contract dispute prevented him from signing with the team. He can't pay his phone bill. "The Jets only payed me $375 a game," said Hammond. Upon his death, two of his pupils continued his work by drawing f More than five decades ago, a New York City Parks employee named Holcombe Rucker encouraged Harlem kids to stay in school with a basketball tournament and league that would develop into an international phenomenon. Lewis lloyd shouldve been on the list,he use to come to new york and give them the business, You cant do 10 streetball legends,, 20 ,0r 50.. you have to do 100/ and Im speaking for Ny cant mix high school legends with ncaa basketball legends & streetball legends you have some that did all of the above, Im coming late to this conversation, but would like to add a name within the top ten!. But I wasn't always that way. Spanning from the Harlem Renaissance and 1970's decay to present day, this life story is an intimate look at one of Harlem's mo Read allA biography of Rucker Park legend Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond. 32 lingering post-draft questions: Will Lions have regrets? "But they only played two games a week, so it was convenient.'. "Is that you? It took a few people to move me, chip away at the diamond that was in me," he recalled to the outlet. Yet, during a practice session there, he injured his other knee, tearing his meniscus and LCL. To learn more about the history ofAmerican Masters, see this interview withseries founder Susan Lacy. Magnigut received recruiting letters from North Carolina, Duke, Indiana and hundreds of other college basketball programs. Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond - Legend has it he scored 50 points in one half against Julius Erving at the Rucker. It is that side of Kirkland that is credited with the creation of the cross-over dribble and the original spin move to the basket. And of course, I couldn't tell them why. The tandem had great success as Davis signed a scholarship at UTEP. Drew Gooden claims he saw Hook jump over a car with a 10 speed bike on top, yes you read that right. Barrie published his book "Peter And Wendy" in 1911 there have been countless film, TV, and stage versions of one stripe or another, starting with silents, and of course NBC's live. That's because they are completely enamored with the gangster lifestyle that I represent to them. With an IQ of 73, CJ didn't stand a chance of making it to a major college. The 62 guard was a thin and athletic wing who possessed big time shooting ability. Went to San Jacinto Cc but came home with 6 months. Helen Garnons-Williams, his editor, described Hammond as a remarkable person. "I thought I was a star player.". In 199798, Smith was named the Most Valuable Player of the USBL. He allegedly would dunk the ball, catch it with his left hand, switch it to the right hand, and jam it back through. Nicknamed the Destroyer, for his ability to crush an opposing defense, Hammond never played high school or college basketball, yet, at the age of 19, he had already achieved professional status, and was touted by National Basketball Association scouts as a future star in their league. Fortunately, it sounds like despite the shortened season, many of the players were still able to pursue their goals and go on to play at other major universities. He was chosen to play in the 1989 Capital Classic All-American game with players like Kenny Anderson. 45 on East 120th Street when the two were teen-agers, was sitting in her apartment with an old scrapbook, the pages filled with newspaper clippings and photos of Hammond. (modern). Log In. David Clarke, Major Support for American Masters provided by. 4. He is often thanked by mothers and girlfriends, and introduced to children by reverential fathers. All rights reserved. And from 1985-88, he split time between the Camp Gabriels Prison in Lake Placid and the Clinton Penitentiary in Dannemora, N.Y. "I damn near froze to death in Lake Placid," he said. "Everybody says, 'You're a great coach, a great motivator, you're a great person.' A biography of Rucker Park legend Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond. Watson went on to star at Ben Franklin averaging over 20 points and 14 rebounds as a junior. He can't walk down the streets of Harlem without people yelling his name.