Anyone here ever been to Rucker park in Harlem?

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Anyone ever play or watch games there? Just wondering what it was is
like. Especially in the old days when NBA players went there. I think it would be cool as hell, I myself have never been there.
 

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Just google Earl Manigualt and find out all about Rucker Park....

Manigault was particularly famous for his leaping abilities on the basketball court, including his signature move - the double dunk. He would dunk the ball, catch it with his left hand, switch the ball to his right hand, bring it back around to the top of the basket and jam it through again, all done while still in the air on a single jump, and without hanging on the rim.


WOW
 

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Yes, used to go to West 4th Street also all the time, more so than Rucker.
West 4th is almost as notorious as Rucker.
 

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there is also a movie about his life, earl is played by don cheadle i think not that bad
 

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Thanks for all the replies everybody...yeah, I've recently 'discovered' these playground legends and am learning about all these guys. I recently saw the movie about Earl Manigualt also. It is called 'Rebound'. I wonder if it's the same one. That part at the beginning was true, where they asked Kareem at his retirement ceremony who was the best player he played with or against and he said, 'The Goat'. That had to be cool as hell to see these guys ball. They say people would climb trees to watch. I have only been to NYC a handfull of times. I wish I would've known about Rucker and W 4th then...I love playground hoops.
 

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I went there in 1973 just to see the games after reading about The Rucker Tournament in the book "The City Game" by Pete Axthelm. Basketball was my passion and I wanted to see for myself the street legends of the game. I wasn't disappointed. If you ever wanted to get a sense of basketball in Harlem back in the day, I'd recommend getting a copy of the book. Fast reading. I couldn't put it down.
 

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I went there in 1973 just to see the games after reading about The Rucker Tournament in the book "The City Game" by Pete Axthelm. Basketball was my passion and I wanted to see for myself the street legends of the game. I wasn't disappointed. If you ever wanted to get a sense of basketball in Harlem back in the day, I'd recommend getting a copy of the book. Fast reading. I couldn't put it down.

Thank you...I think I'll do that.
 

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I went there in 1973 just to see the games after reading about The Rucker Tournament in the book "The City Game" by Pete Axthelm. Basketball was my passion and I wanted to see for myself the street legends of the game. I wasn't disappointed. If you ever wanted to get a sense of basketball in Harlem back in the day, I'd recommend getting a copy of the book. Fast reading. I couldn't put it down.

Going to order it.....
 

Oh boy!
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Thanks for all the replies everybody...yeah, I've recently 'discovered' these playground legends and am learning about all these guys. I recently saw the movie about Earl Manigualt also. It is called 'Rebound'. I wonder if it's the same one. That part at the beginning was true, where they asked Kareem at his retirement ceremony who was the best player he played with or against and he said, 'The Goat'. That had to be cool as hell to see these guys ball. They say people would climb trees to watch. I have only been to NYC a handfull of times. I wish I would've known about Rucker and W 4th then...I love playground hoops.

There was an Urban Legend that some NBA players would go to the playgrounds of Harlem to play a pickup game and were schooled by the locals. I'm glad to hear there is some truth to that.
 

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Just google Earl Manigualt and find out all about Rucker Park....
the east coast raymond lewis....one thing railbird and i can agree on.....raymond lewis was the best basketball player we ever saw
 

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quantumleap

There was an Urban Legend that some NBA players would go to the playgrounds of Harlem to play a pickup game and were schooled by the locals. I'm glad to hear there is some truth to that.

NBA players not only went to the Rucker Tournament and played but often times the Legends of the park would become NBA players. Connie Hawkins comes to mind. He was exceptional at flying over the top of taller NBA players.
 

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