w « «
P,g* 2 Th« Portland Observer July 18, 1990
.= a 1
T he L ocker R oom
A .c. Green camp more than basketball
H V Ao
A _ __ __
By
Aaron I? Fentress
Los Angeles Lakers forward,
A.C . Green, is winding up his annual
_•
back to the community and show these
children that athletics is fun but not life ."
The com m unity Green has
chosen to give that something back too is
a special one to Green. Grow ing up in
North East Portland, Green attended
Benson Highschool where he led the Tcch-
mcn to the the Oregon highschool state
basketball championship his senior year,
in 1981. Green noted that he never had the
opportunity to attend a camp as a youth
and feels good about being able to offer
something to children that he missed out
on himself.
“ 1 love this city a great deal. This
is my home town,” saidGrccn. “ 1 wanted
to pul on something here in the state o f
Oregon that 1 never had growing up. 1
That way the teams are fair.
Team names included the Bulls,
Pistons. Blazers. Timberwolves and o f
youih basketball camp ai Concordia
course, the Lakers Each game consisted
CoUcgc in N.E. Portland ihis week. The
o f tw o 12 minute halves. Although time
tw o week camp, which started in 1986,
was kept,
score was n o t
Coach
provided an opportunity for approximately
Schulguide explained that the object o f
180 children, ranging m age from cigut-
the camp w as fo r kids to have fun.
l°-1 5 , to learn about basketball from an
"We re trying not to stress the
A ll-S ta r. But according to Green, the
importance o f w inning or keeping score at
camp stressed not only the fundamentals
this point in the camp," said Schulguide.
o f basketball but the fundamentals o f life.
"W e re just letting them play fo r fun now.
A lo ng w ith giving instructions
Later on w e ll keep score."
on d ribb ling , rebounding, passing and
When asked i f putting on a
shooung Green, and a host o f assistant
basketball camp has maybe influenced
coaches, in clu d in g Concordia head
him to coach in the future Green quickly
basketball coach Joel Schulguidc, conduct
pointed out that a serious career in coaching
bible study classes and hold devotion
is not in his future.
periods.
want to awake the kids spirit, pul a seed
"I don't plan to stay in basketball
“ W e're trying to teach these kids in their heart, try to open them up. A lot
all my life," said Green. " I f I coach it w ill
that there's more to life than basketball.” o f these kids arc closed.”
be in a church league or boys c lu b .'
said Green. “ I f they can hear that coming
In a sports world where star
W hile four different teams
from me, then maybe they w ill listen.”
athletes exploit their fame sim ply to make
engaged in tw o separate games Green
Indeed Green is someone more money A.C. Green is doing
opted to run the time clock in order to give
children should listen to. U nlike most something positive. And according to
this interview. A t the end o f a session o f
people who attempt to inform children Green there arc many others who try and
games, a boy, no more than 10, approached
that athletics is not everything, like do the same thing.
Green in an attempt to offer his sen-ices
teachers or guidance counselors. Green is
“ The players I know in the league and help Green operate the clock. Green
an accomplished athlete who has walked and my teammates all try to give something
informed the boy that he w as supposed to
the path o f athletic fame. When someone back to their communities,” said Green.
be down stairs w ith his team watching a
o f Greens' stature tells you there's more “ They do these kind o f things out o f the
video tape. The boy, who realized his
to their life then basketball. You're bound kindness o f their heart N ot for p ro fiL ”
plan had failed, turned with a smile and
to listen.
Children attending the camp
headed to re-join his teammates. W ith a
“ A camp is a good way fo r me to were divided into eight teams determined
playful tone Green yelled out after the boy-
influence youth. “ Green continued. “ I by age and size by Coach Schulguidc.
calling him , “ Sneaky !!,” then laughed.
like having them here in the gym and not "W hat I did was take the two tallest kids
Green definitely seemed toenjoy
outside maybe getting into trouble. By and split them up and so on and so on
the children as much as the children
starting this camp I can give something down the line," explained Schulguidc.
enjoyed him
Handy Tips for Preparing Sports Gear
-•* .t'
Dreaming o f getting out into
the fresh air to cure your cabin fever?
Before you bead for the great outdoors,
make sure that your recreational equip
ment is ready fo r you. The fo llo w in g is
a collection o f sports equipment prepa
ration tips compiled from a free booklet,
sponsored by the Boo A m i corporation.
Bicycles should be checked or
overhauled before you take them out on
the road. Make sure that tires are in
flated to their proper level and that the
chain is free o f any mud or rust. To
thoroughly clean the chain, remove it
from the bicycle and soak it in a pan o f
used motor o il overnight. Wipe w ith a
rag the next day, and it is as clean as
new. Chrome on bicycles can be re
stored to its natural luster by polishing it
with a rag and a m ildly abrasive cleanser.
I f you plan on “ roughing i t ”
fo r the fa m ily outdoor vacation, check
your tent fo r any rips and make sure that
the zippers work. Test your lanterns and
C
cookstove so they’ ll be ready when you
need them. D on’ t forget the sleeping
bags and insect repellent!
Use these tips and suggestions
to help get the most from your outdoor
recreation. You can get more cleaning
advice from a f-ce booklet: ‘ ‘ When You
Care About W h#t You Are Cleaning” .
For a copy, w ine the Faultless Starch/
Bon A m i Company, 1025 West Eighth
Street. Kansas C ity, M O 64101.
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A |,. G r e a t M en D je T w jc e
Letter to
the Editor
Portland Observer
The House o f Umoja is planned for
tw o buildings owned by the Black Edu-
cation Centers NE 16and Alberta. Their
addresses are 1626 and 1634 NE A l
berta. Both are in redemption fo r back
taxes. This means the BEC has not paid
property taxes fo r three years, and w ill
be foreclosed upon by the sheriff shortly.
N ot only that, but the taxpayers picked
up the tab fo r cutting the grass at 1626
after it was posted for the nuisance, even
though BEC offices are mere yards around
the comer. In other words, BEC man
agement has been so inattentive that
they d id n ’t notice their own property
had been posted for a nuisance!
The House o f Umoja project w ill
bail out BEC. Its director and Ronnie
Herndon are tight. He is chairman o f the
o u tfit which w ill get the funding to
gether for this project.
I f all this happened among white
politicians, they’d be hounded out o f
office. I think the matter deserves expo
sure.
Call 248-3326 for exact inform a
tion about the back taxes owed. This is
the county tax info number. Give the
property address and they w ill give you
the exact dollar am ount
This is the “ piece o f the Pie”
mentioned in your recent issue: one
politician bailing out another with the
p u b lic’ s money.
•Anonymous
By LUyssec Tucker, Jr.
“ ...every black champion until
Muhammad A h has been a puppet,
manipulated by whites in his private life
to control his public image. His role was
to conceal the strings
from which he was
suspended, so as to
appear autonomous
and se lf motivated
before the pubhe. But
w ith the coming o f
A li, the puppet-Mas
ter was left w ith a
handful o f strings to
which his dancing
doll was no longer
attached...” Soul On
Ice, 1968.
Final Weekend of
’’Hunter” Arrives
PassinArt: A Theatre Company would
like to remind the public that this week
end, July 20-22nd, is the last four per
formances o f Hunter by Nuba-Harold
Stuart at the Intersate Firehouse C ul
tural Center located at 5340 North Inter
state. Show times are 8:00 p.m. on
Friday and Saturday (July 20-21); and 2
p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday (July 22nd).
Tickets are S9.00 for evening perform
ances on Fnday/Saturday (8:00 p.m.),
and Sunday at 7 p.m. YoupayS9.00and
your guest w ill be FREE. Discount
prices for groups o f 10 or more, and
S5.00 for seniors. For reservations please
call 243-7930 or 323-5731.
* ♦ ♦
Paasinart would like to thank those o f
you who have already attended the play.
We appreciate your support. PassinArt
is a non-profit, community-based, sea
sonal (summer) theatre m-nup that has
performed w ithin the a «» Jieast com
munity and Portland Public Schools since
1983 focusing on male and female rela
tionships, and highlighting prim arily
A fricn-A m erican writers. The Com
pany also provides a forum for new and
seasoned artists to perfect their craft.
Form ore inform ation please w rite Passi
n A rt at P.O. Box 8582, Portland, Ore
gon 97207.
If a child you know has suffered
serious orthopaedic or burn inju
ries. there s a place that can help
Shriners Hospitals accept and treat
children up to their 18th birthday
if. in the opinion of the hospital's
chief of staff, the child can be helped,
and if treatm ent at another facility
would place a financial burden on
the family Shriners Hospitals are
open to all children without regard
to race, religion or relationship to a
Shrtner There is never a charge to
the patient, parent or any third
party for treatm ent
To refer a child to Shriners
Hospitals, oi for free brochures,
call toll-free 1-800-237-5055 <In
Florida the number is 1-800-282-
9161
c .
4
■
.'3Í/
There are not many men who have en
joyed greater recognition than Muham
mad A li. Whether cruising through an
American ghetto or m aking his annual
pilgrim age to the
Holy City o f Mecca,
A li E always in the
lim elight. He is the
only man to get
three keys to New
Y ork C ity.
I n
When I saw the
Louisiana Pacific
helicopter about to
land on the estate o f
the
c o rp o ra tio n s
Ullyases Tucker, Jr. with Muhammad Ali
C E O / P r e s id e n t ,
Harry A. M erlo, my heart danced a Lango
announced his name change. Some experts
because one o f my childhood fantasies
say that the name change, his associa
was about to come true. I had always
tion w ith M alcolm X , and the Nation o f
dreamed about meeting Muhammand
Elam led to the “ system” trying to
A li and now he was dropping out o f the
bnng Ah down. The system took from
sky, like an angel from heaven.
A h and he took it back, the heavyweight
W ithin moments, my m ind flashed back
title that is. W ho could forget the classic
to the L ou isville L ip , the m ovie entitled
fights against “ Sm okin” Joe Frazier,
“ The Greatest” , and to the controversy
Ken Norton, George Foreman, Ernie
surrounding A lis ’ decision to not par
Shavers, Leon Spinks, and Floyd Patter
ticipate in the Vietnam. A li was always
son. Muhammad Ah brought some golden
his own man. I f I learned nothing else
moments to the boxing ring and inspired
from A li, 1 learned that it is im portant fo r
some great boxers.
a ll people to stand up fo r what they
When the helicopter fin a lly landed,
believe in. It may cost you at some point,
A h got out slow ly w ith the help o f the
like the loss o f a heavyweight title and
p ilo t, who left him fo r a moment to
m illion s o f dollars in his case, but at
secure the champs baggage. A li had
least he can live w ith him self and sleep
traveled, via lear jet, from South Bend,
at night. A t the time he refused to take
Indiana to Portland fo r the P .A .L (Police
proper induction steps into the United
A ctivities League) Benefit put on by
States m ilita ry, A li said that he “ was 90
Paul Brown Productions, Inc. L ike a
percent a M uslim m inister and 10 per
magnet pulling a piece o f metal, I g ravi
cent a fig h te r.”
tated towards A li and his small entou
Bom Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.
rage waiting fo r him on the ground.
forty-eight years ago in L ou isville,
W hile others reached fo r his hand to
Kentucky, the late Clay Sr. believed that
shake or pat him on the back, I asked him
his son would be great one day because
i f I could help him w ith his bags and put
he had a large head like a king. Through
them in a safe place. A li acknowledge
out his early career, A li fought under his
my suggestion w ith a positive nod and a
“ Christian name” , which he later c riti
w ink o f the eye. Imagine, carrying the
cized as a “ slave name’ ’ . He breezed
bags o f a great King and hero/role model
through the 1960 O lym pics at age eight- fo r m illions o f people around the world,
een and captured the gold Medal. A li
* *•.*** * 4
.-V
swept a ll o f his early fights as a profes
sional and it was not until after his vic
tory over Sonny Liston (February 25.
1964) in M iam i Beach, Florida that he
Methodist Groups
ask U.S. to Halt
Israeli Aid
A coalition o f U.S. and Cana
dian organizations, including several
United Methodist groups, is calling on
the U.S. government to suspend aid to
Israel until that nation ends violations o f
Palestinian human rights and is w illin g
to seriously com m it itse lf to peace talks.
Several resolutions regarding
the M iddle East were passed during the
annual symposium o f non-govemmen-
tal organizations at the United Nations
June 27-29 in New York. United M eth
odist Board o f Global M inistries o ffi
cials sent President Budi a message calling
U.S. suspension o f dialogue w ith the
Palestinian Liberation Organization a
“ serious obstacle” to peace negotia
tions.
Free Money From Uncle Sam
The federal government has many
programs to give money to just about
everyone: students, teachers, a rt
ists, farmers, would-be business
owners, single mothers, veterans,
the elderly, and others—maybe you.
For example, the government gives
away up to $25,000 to help people
write books or poetry. Those with a
college degree can get $4.000 to
further their careers
You can learn more about gov
ernm ent give-aways from a report
called Free Money From Uncle
S a m — Yours For The Asking. For a
copy, send $12.50 to the Govern
ment Information Service. P.O.
Box 96901. Washington, DC 20090-
6901. Governm ent Inform ation
Service is a private publishing
company not affiliated with the U.S
Government.
* * *
Around two million retired Ameri
cans each get almost $300 a month
over and above their regulhr Social
Security checks Moderate income
families can get $18,000 from the
government to buy a new home.
T hat’s ju st for starters...
*
AhltmTL
» •
*
. r
,
*
t
1
m any
w ays, I
wished that I had
never m et and
talked w ith A li
because it made me
rearrange m y per
ception o f him .
Gone is his quick
tongue, lig h tin g
movement, intellec
tual spontaneity,
and showboating. I
was happy to see
him and sad at the
same time. Slowed
by the effects from the medication he
takes fo r Parkinsons disease, A li E not
the man I once knew. He was sluggish in
his movement, and he chose hE words
very carefully. A li cracked a few jokes
and talked about his experiences in the
brutal sport o f boxing. A li has no regrets
about his choices or how he lived hE
life. Despite his physical lim itations, A li
signed every autograph and agreed to
take pictures w ith all those who made a
request. A true champion.
Before he was taken to his lim o , I
slipped near A lis ’ ear and asked the
champ how he fe lt-’ ’old and tire d ” , he
replied.:” But you’re still p re tty” , I re
sponded like his left jab o f old. “ I guess
you have a p oint” .he countered after
rubbing the smooth ja w that Ken Norton
once broke w hile A li was running his
mouth during a fig h t “ You could be
old, tired, and ugly like Joe Frazier” , I
whispered. “ I guess Joe is kinda ugly
now that you mentioned i t ” , he said.
Slowly, A li walked to the white lim o
and before getting inside, he turned to
me, winked, and gave me the victory
sign. He then thanked me fo r putting hE
bags in a safe place...
It has been stated that great men die
twice.The first time when they fa ll from
grace and later when they are laid to rest.
A li w ill never die in my heart and mind.
Drug Help Stations
Open in Washington
Sprawling, dun-colored, 20 by
50 foot tents, dubbed “ United M ethod
ist saving Stations” opened at five
churches on June 27 in Washington D.C.,
the centerpiece o f the bishops’ initiative
against drugs and violence.
The saving stations w ill oper
ate 24 hours a day until late August to
minister to parents, children, drug ad
dicts, crack cocaine dealers, the home
less and hungry. The name was sug
gested by the pastor o f A.P. Shaw United
Methodist Church here, the Rev. Ever-
ette Stevenson, after the bodies o f two
young men shot to death were found on
the church steps, apparently in a vain
effort to get inside the locked church
and escape their assailants.
Bishop Felton E. M ay, on spe
cial assignment to lead the anti-drug and
violence initiative, said the tent m inistry
is designed to “ garmer the whole fam
ily ” and bring the word o f God th c h il
dren in the comm unity. The programs
w ill vary from site to site, but most w ill
offer dnig and fam ily counseling, A fr i
can culture and history, Bible school fo r
youth and adults, shelter and food to
'fo lk s where they arc,’ ’ the bishop said.
PORTLAND-
TROUTDALE AIRPORT
RUNWAY CONTRACT
AWARDED
The Port o f Portland Commission
has awarded a contract to rehabilitate
the runway at Portland-Troutdale A ir
port (P I A ) to Western States Paving o f
Camas, Washington.
The asphalt concrete pavement
runway at PTA is more than 40 years
old. The contract includes reconstruc
tion ot 4,200 feet o f runway, pavement
marking, and shoulder grading. The
1 edcral Aviation Administration is fund
ing 90 percent o f the $415.330 projecL
The project w ill begin approximately
August 1 and take 45 days. Taxiway B
w ill be used as a temporary runway
during the pro je ct
I
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