HAM AVE

About a decade ago while visiting my older sister in Greenwich Ct, I took her daughter to the basketball court that I grew up playing at. In my opinion from 1989-1993 that was my court. I did not own the court, however I was the baller that you had to earn respect from. The court and area was so different. It was much nicer. It had nice clear backboards and break away rims. It also had two hoops and not four like the Ham ave court I grew up playing on. It was nice to shoot on the new court however I could not keep the visions of the old court and moments that took place there. I mean from games such as butts up, stick ball, kickball, basketball, football, and tag to the after school fights. Not to mention riding bikes down the steps and skateboarding. Ham ave was my home away from home. It was not only the place where I went to elementary school, it was the place where I groomed my basketball game and the place where I met my older son’s mother.
When I was in fifth grade Ham ave was the all in one park for me. We had our gym classes and our baseball and football practices too. We played basketball, football and baseball there all the time. Most of us were neighborhood kids that would meet there after school. I would ride my bike there alone or with some friends with a ball jammed between the seats and we would get our game on. Football was always my favorite sport. As I got older it became harder to play informally so basketball became the go to sport. There was a diverse group of kids that played here at Ham Ave. In the late 80’s racism was in our faces but kids just wanted to play and that’s what we did. I got the nickname “Dream”. It came from Akeem the Dream, the professional basketball player. I did not like the nickname because it was not really mine. However once my people start calling you something it just sticks. I was able to escape that name in college and my adult life. When I return to Greenwich and see my old crew the name dream comes back out. I loved Hamilton Ave and it is one of the bright spots of my childhood.
Every Sunday when the weather was nice the older kids and men would play basketball at Hamilton ave. I started watching in 6th grade hoping they would let me play. I would try to show off on the 8 foot and 9 foot basketball hoops while they played. Hoping they would notice me and let me play. I would get there early every Sunday and shoot and work on my game before they got there. Eventually they would let me play 21 with them until enough people got there to play a full court or sometimes a three on three game. An entire spring went by and I never got a chance to play on Sundays with the big boys. There was one guy named Paul that I really watched. His game and style was just smooth. I started practicing his go to moves along with all the moves I saw on TV from Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, and other great NBA players. That summer I got a lot better while living in North Carolina. I played everyday against my older cousins who were in High School. By the end of the summer I was beating them. The better I got the more they beat me up on the court. I was getting basketball tough. Before I started playing basketball I was tough and got into a lot of fights. Basketball changed that for me. I was glad because I didn’t like fighting. I only fought because I was afraid. Basketball gave me an escape from life and the reality that I was a young kid struggling.
Entering 7th grade I believe I was the best 7th grade basketball player in my Middle school. Skill wise I was better than everyone in the school except for Randy and Scott. In My opinion. They were 9th graders. I began to play more basketball and less of everything else. I played basketball 3 hours a day and football and baseball about 2 hours combined. Yea I was outside like that as a kid. After my 7th grade winter BBALL season I went back to Ham ave like always and tried to play on Sunday’s. It finally happened. I had the opportunity to play against the older kids and grown men. I will never forget this moment. There were only 10 people playing and the first game just started when someone twists their ankle. “Little man, you wanna play”?. I jumped up and ran on the court. Some of the guys started saying he cant play with us. Others said you just scared the little kid is going to dog you out. I was on Paulie’s team. He said play good D and shoot when you are open. I hit four shots in a game to 11. The man I cover on got 2 points both on offensive rebounds. I did not turn the ball over once. We did not lose one game that day!. I was not the reason we won each game. I just did my part. Some of the older guys really did not like me playing with them and I could tell. They were extra physical with me. I was scared to call foul. My teammates would call fouls for me and then they would argue.
After that day I was a regular on Sundays. I was never in the top 10 but I played every Sunday. That summer I went to North Carolina and got better and stronger. When I came home I had an edge and I talked shit too. One day we were playing and one of the older kids, who was 18 at the time, was on the other team. I was cooking that day and I was letting everyone know. The kid was like 6’4 and strong compared to me. I keep saying you better shut your little mouth up. I kept yapping. I hit a game winner and said get the Fuck off the court. He was steaming and came toward me. What happened next I didn’t expect. He grabbed me by the neck and started choking me. I can’t remember if I ran home crying or not. I never cared for that kid after that. I never wanted revengage either. I also talked more shit after that. I think some off the older guys got on him and he was embarrassed for choking a middle school kid.
When I got in high school we had the HA unit. Scoot and I lived on Hamilton Ave and Ray lived in Armstrong Court. Which was on Hamilton ave. So Ray came up with the name the HA Unit. We would grab 2 other kids from our neighborhood and ball against the other neighborhoods During my time playing I believe we won more games then we lost while repping our neighborhood. I know the Welberpeck crew and Adams Garden crew would say something different. We argue about these things when we all get together.
I am hoping I could find some pictures of the old Hamilton ave playground and court. It brings back fond memories that make me laugh, and cry. All the different kids I played with, competed against and grew up with that have impacted my life immensely to this day. Winston, Luke, Ray, Rich Scott, Steve, Eric C, Desmond, Tu, Anthony, Rocco Armondo, Glen, William Sal, Owen, Reggie, Jerodo, Bryan Phil and Eric G are just some of the few kids that I spent hours being a kid with at Hamilton ave school. 40 years later I remember it and appreciate the feeling! It’s a movie for sure. I am working on it.