BENGALS BASKETBALL

I noted in the paper that our local elementary school teachers are planning to play a charity basketball game against a team made up of Cincinnati Bengals football players. That keeps up a tradition that started in the middle 1970's. I played in the first of those games.


At that time, there weren't enough male teachers in the district who could play basketball so local celebrities and well-known super-athletes were asked to play for the school team. Of course, I started at guard for the locals.


I only have two distinct memories from that game which was played at the old Lakota High School. One time, we had the ball in the front court and the Bengals got a rebound and were going to push it up court quickly on a fast break. I started running back downcourt immediately with my head turned back to where the ball was being dribbled up the side court. I ran straight into Reggie Williams, a linebacker, who had curled around behind me and stopped to set up a screen. I hit his chest without seeing it coming...kinda like hitting a wall...and bounced to the floor...embarrassed...but not injured.


The other memory was even more embarrassing. At half-time, kids were allowed to come down out of the stands to get autographs of the Bengal players. We were shooting at the other end of the court and kids kept coming up to me asking for an autograph. I kept directing them to the other end of the court but they wouldn't listen. They really wanted my autograph. I'm still embarrassed that I gave out a few that night.