Category Archives: Claude Gross

Philadelphia Black Basketball HOF: Why?

December 5, 2020 By in Big 5, Black Basketball Hall of Fame, Claude Gross, Racism/White Supremacy 1 Comment

If NOT us? Who?

As I entered my forties, I really began to treasure my relationships with my older friends. At the top the list was my relationship with Claude Gross, Sr. We shared a love of the great game of basketball, we both appreciated the role that Philadelphia played in bringing the game to international prominence and we both never shut up.

Now…I’m opinionated and outspoken. But, I can’t begin to hold a candle to the legendary loquaciousness of Claude Gross.

More than just about anything else, he loved to talk hoops. His favorite topics were how good he was as a player and a coach. He was a living, breathing embodiment of the cartoon character Commander McBragg. Except, you always knew that Commander McBragg was embellishing his accomplishments.

Claude Gross never told me a single lie.

“I beat Wilt in High School, he wasn’t ready for me…”
“We won the YMCA/AAU national championship in Jim Crow North Carolina in 1953…”
“I played professional basketball under an assumed name while I was in high school…”
“I averaged more than 40 in the industrial league…”
“Me and Tee Parham were like 800 – 0…”

Claude Gross discusses Philly players of his era

Upon initially meeting Claude and hearing all of this, one would naturally wonder if he was exaggerating… NEVER!

As his gait got slower, and his energy levels decreased, I realized that I would not have my friend forever.

Claude and his contemporaries were GIANTS in the game. As noted above, his was the only Public League team to defeat Wilt Chamberlain and Overbrook HS. He played with John Chaney in high school. He mentored Ray “Chink” Scott, Earl Monroe, Mo Howard, Andre McCarter, Gene Banks, Lionel Simmons, Nate Blackwell, Geoffrey Arnold, Donnie Carr, Bobby Johnson, BJ Johnson, Donnie Carr, Rashid Bey and hundreds of other young men the came through the Sonny Hill Community Involvement League.

Claude passed on so much knowledge about the history of the game. He was an endless font and an incredible inspiration.

Claude Gross, front row 2nd from right

It just wasn’t fair that the accomplishments of his generation weren’t memorialized.

I never really knew about the magnificent careers of Tarzan Cooper, Zach Clayton and Frank Washington until Claude explained in great detail what they had accomplished. With words, he could place you in a cramped church gym and you could actually “see” Tee Parham scoring 40, 50, 60 or even 90 points with ease.

After bouncing around the idea with Claude, Tee Parham, Dave Riddick and Ray Scott, I decided to establish the Philadelphia Black Basketball Hall of Fame. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I enlisted Mo Howard and Geoffrey Arnold and we were off and running. We literally had nothing but spirit, energy and commitment.

Somehow, someway we wanted to be able to recognize the GREAT Philadelphia players, coaches, journalists and contributors that would never be otherwise recognized.

If NOT us? Who?

There is no Philadelphia Basketball Hall of Fame. These guys were banned from competition in the Big 5 solely because they were Black. Who? Who was gonna recognize and memorialize their enormous contributions?

With a nice little contribution from Lionel Simmons, we were off and running. No glitz, no glamour… Just 100 hopheads gathered in a small North Philadelphia community center with plenty of food and top shelf liquor loving and respecting one another.

ESPN’s Undefeated, the Philadelphia Tribune and the Philadelphia Inquirer provided extensive regional and national media coverage of the inaugural class. Temple and La Salle Universities were very supportive. Philadelphia Youth Basketball and Mike Horsey gave generous donations.

Nate Blackwell, Black Basketball HOF Induction Speech

The highlight… The headliner… The GRAND MASTER of the evening was my dear friend Claude Gross. He was a little weak, he wasn’t moving very well… But his mind was as sharp as ever! There were at least 20 South Philly guys in the house and they were drinking, carousing and fully supporting their leader.

Just a few weeks after his induction, Claude passed away. I can’t describe how good it felt knowing we were able to induct him into the Black Basketball Hall of Fame while he was able to fully participate and enjoy the ceremony.

Tee Parham

I have come to treasure every interaction and conversation I have with guys like Tee Parham, Ray Scott and Sonny Hill. They have given the game of basketball and the city of Philadelphia so much. We were able to present the late, great Dave Riddick with his award acknowledging his induction before he passed away. These moments are invaluable. To be able to honor the legends from yesteryear as well as my contemporaries like Nate Blackwell, Mike Anderson and Lionel Simmons meant so much to me. To see and feel the extent to which they appreciated the honor was incredible.

Roland Houston, Horace Owens PBBHOF member, Dave Riddick PBBHOF member and Geoff Arnold

I am extremely proud to have played a significant role in establishing a means of properly enshrining them and ensuring their legacies are shared with future generations.

The Philadelphia Black Basketball Hall of Fame, under the leadership of Mo Howard and Al Taylor has grown and taken on a much needed role of advocating for and providing assistance for members of the Philadelphia basketball community in need.

Again… If NOT us? Who?

I love the Philadelphia Black Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Philadelphia Black Basketball Hall of Fame matters!

Let’s Talk About Ball in Philly: Black Cager Middle School Classic

April 1, 2019 By in Black Cager Grassroots Hoops, Claude Gross, Uncategorized Leave a comment

This past Saturday and Sunday, Cardinal O’Hara hosted the third leg of the Black Cager Middle School Classic. The 4 month grassroots circuit features teams from Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Locally, we had Gratz legend Jarett Kearse’s Philly Blue Magic in action. After three stops, Philly Blue Magic is undefeated at 10-0. Blue Magic will be the number #1 seed when the playoffs get underway two weeks. The reigning Baltimore Catholic League Champion, St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD) will host the the playoff and Championship Games.

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Jarett Kearse and Philly Blue Magic

There were three other Philadelphia area entrants for this session. Team Claude Gross featured sixth grader Olin Chamberlain, Jr. Chamberlain is the nephew of both Wilt Chamberlain and the legendary Claude Gross. A long athletic point guard, Chamberlain has a tight handle, excellent vision and range out to the 3 point line. He will contribute immediately at the varsity level in three years.

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Team Claude Gross

The Philly Mavericks played 4 competitive games. Haneef Hall is a big man with soft hands and a nice shooting stroke. Charles Cook is an athlete wing with very good change of pace moves. Dame Collins (below) does an excellent job with this program.

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Dame Collins, Philly Mavericks

James Nelson Stewart put together the Suburban All-Stars. They had a very good little guard. That team also has a lot of length. High School coaches at private and Catholic schools should contact James.

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James Nelson Stewart and Bonner Assistant Joe McGinn

Each team played four games against teams like Maryland Sting, Team Melo, Crusader Nation, Thrill Black, Team Dedication and Virginia Lightning.

The Philly teams paid between $0 and $300 to participate.

The games were held at Cardinal O’Hara High School, in Springfield, PA. The Cardinal O’Hara gymnasium features two full regulation length courts and two electronic scoreboards.

United Brothers Basketball Organization provided the referees. Six referees worked 4 games each. Referees were paid between $20.00 – $30.00 per game.

Donta Scott (Imhotep CHS) managed the games. He worked 1 pm – 7pm on Saturday and 12pm – 6pm Sunday. Donta managed the games, worked the clock, kept the scorebook and supervised a 13 year old boy that manned the other table. That boy was paid $10.00 per game. Donta made between $200-$250. Jalen Hudson (Ridley HS) and an assistant worked the entrance table. They were paid between $200-$250.

We need additional workers for upcoming events. Must be willing to learn and love youth basketball.

AAU/Grassroots teams can play in gyms similar to O’Hara in Maryland, New Jersey and Delaware for $200-$300, with a 4 game guarantee. We want additional teams from the Philadelphia region.

Black Cager Sports provides media coverage to participating teams.

Refereeing is locked up. Philadelphia-based United Brothers Basketball Organization (U.B.B.O.) provides referees for Black Cager Sport youth basketball events.

 

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U.B.B.O. Referee T. Younger

Coaches from O’Hara, Friends Central, Bonner, Roman Catholic, McDevitt, Springside-Chestnut Hill and a few other Delaware and Maryland power house programs were scouting players and meeting parents.

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Springside-Chestnut Hill Coach Hartwell McFadden

Black Cager Sports is seeking 12U, 13U and 14U teams for additional competitive events. Those interested in working AAU/Grassroots events are encouraged to submit their resume to blackcager@gmail.com.

We look forward to hearing from interested parties.

 

The Traci Carter Show

November 5, 2018 By in Black Basketball Hall of Fame, Claude Gross, College Athletics, Traci Carter, Uncategorized Leave a comment

I love Traci Carter… So should you!

He is a quintessential Philly point guard. Yet, Philly has only had fleeting glances of his game… That is about to change in a MAJOR way.

Why has he rarely appeared on the Philly stage? Well is a long story…

Like hundreds of great, very good and even some not so good South Philadelphia ballers that came before him, Carter studied under the “Guru.” That is where I met him in the summer of 2010. He was on the court with about a dozen or so other kids being “coached” by the legendary Philadelphia Black Basketball Hall of Famer, Claude Gross.

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Claude Gross, Philadelphia Black Basketball Hall of Famer

At the behest of Claude and 2-time Big 5 MVP, Rashid Bey, I stopped by the Marian Anderson Recreation Center to watch the South Philly contingent in the Sonny Hill Future League practice. Both were convinced they had a “special” player on that squad.

For the uninitiated, let me explain what a Claude Gross practice entailed… Claude would talk and talk and talk and then talk some more. Every so often, he would run a drill or let the players scrimmage and then he would see an error or a miscalculation… The ball would STOP and Claude would talk some more… Now agitated, his vocabulary became forceful and profanity laden to put it mildly.

For those determined to learn… For those desiring to improve… the fussing and cussing was just the price of admission – tuition, if you will – to get to the inevitable lesson. Mo Howard, Andre McCarter, Geoffrey Arnold, Nate Blackwell, Lionel Simmons and Donnie Carr are just a few of the ballers that matriculated through Basketball 101 taught by the Guru.

Traci Carter was one of the last really good players to take the class while Claude was still roaming the sidelines.

Physically, he did not stand out… In fact, while they were patiently listening to Claude’s lecture, I could not tell which one was Traci. He was skinny and very nondescript.

Then Claude let ‘em play a lil’ bit… One time up the court and it was clear which one I was supposed to be watching. His floor game was advanced. Even as a middle schooler, Carter was a dynamic and tough lead guard. He was all business… He took the game very seriously. While very slight, he already possessed the tools to be a factor on both ends of the floor. Actually, he reminded me of Bey at St. Joseph’s. His handle was VERY tight, he made good decisions and he was capable of making open threes and pull-ups alike. Perhaps, most impressive was his lightning quick first step is quick and his ability to change pace with the ball.

That day, Claude and Rashid told Traci “this is Del, he’s gonna make sure you are ok academically… Do what he tells you.”

Traci’s been my youngin from that very moment.

I eagerly awaited his high school debut. Traci enrolled at Prep Charter and I was sure he would set the Pub on fire… Then it happened… Fucking knee injury and subsequent surgery.

Shit!

He missed his entire freshman year. Given an assignment by Claude, I dared not perform my assigned duties. I kept in touch with Traci. I was impressed with his maturity and the way he was able to handle a serious injury at such a young age. He spirits remained high and he kept his grades together.

He decided to transfer to Roman Catholic for his sophomore year. Running the point on a team that featured Shep Garner, Rashann London and Manny Taylor, Traci helped Cahillites go 13-1 in the Catholic League before bowing out to Steve Vasturia, Mile Overton and St. Joseph’s Prep in the Catholic League semi-finals.

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Traci Carter at Roman Catholic

Making 3rd team All-Catholic as a sophomore, the future seemed exceedingly bright for Carter and the Cahillites.

Then he stumbled… This time off the court… A few too many youthful indiscretions resulted in another transfer.

This time, Traci relied on Donnie Carr to help guide his decision-making. I suggested that they consider Life Center Academy in Burlington.

Donnie, Traci and I met with Pastor Dave Boudwin and explained he was a good kid in need of a change of scenery and the support of the church. Pervis Ellison agreed to take on the role of coach/mentor for Traci.

Life Center Academy embraced Traci. He flourished in small class settings, regularly attended all religious gatherings, went on missions overseas and matured a great deal.

Like everyone else that fell under direction of Claude Gross, Traci followed orders. Every time he would receive his report card, he would text a picture and ask me to calculate where he stood. He took no chances.

Truth be told, Traci was a pain in the ass! Donnie Carr wasn’t a walk in the park either.

I found myself on several occasions, driving to Burlington to walk Traci through his core course GPA calculations. There was no way we would allow Traci to fall through the cracks.

On the court, he flourished. Traci earned the 90th spot in the national rankings for the class of 2015 by rivals.com. He was Rated as the 18th best point guard in the class by FOXSports.com. He averaged 16.0 points, 7.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals per game in 2014-15 and was tabbed first team all-independent. He was also a McDonald’s All-American Game nominee and was named Life Center’s most valuable player. Traci led Life Center Academy to over 40 victories in his two seasons and the team claimed the top ranking among independent teams within the state of New Jersey. He concluded his prep career with over 1,000 points and was tabbed the top player in the Hoop Hall Classic.

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Traci Carter at Life Center Academy

But all of this took place in Burlington, New Jersey. Philly didn’t get to see his rise to scholastic prominence. He was off the radar screen.

College recruiters knew where to find him though… Xavier, Boston College, Pittsburgh, UConn, Creighton and a host of other high major programs were hot on his heels throughout his senior year. Traci eventually chose Marquette.

As a freshman, he did very well. Traci appeared in all 33 games and started 19. A true Philly point guard he averaged 4.6 assists and 1.4 steals per game while scoring 5.4 points in a very tough Big East Conference.

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Traci Carter at Marquette

At the start of his sophomore campaign, he began to express a little but of frustration. Nonetheless, he started 4 of the first 8 games. He was still averaging nearly 4 assists per game.

But there was pensiveness and sense of unease in our conversations that had not been there before. I encouraged him to tough it out… “Make it to the end of the school year,” I said…

Within a few days, it was all over the internet… “Carter leaves Marquette…”

John Giannini was there with open arms… He welcomed Traci… Then he also took Donnie Carr…

God is good! Thank you La Salle University!

With two years of eligibility remaining, Philly will finally get to see what I saw 8 years ago in that sweltering Marion Anderson gym. An authentic Philly point guard running a Philly team.

Local Hoopheads have been blessed… We have an overabundance of tough Philly point guards suiting up this year… Collin Gillespie is playing for Jay Wright, Stevie Jordan and Kimar Williams are at Rider, Shizz Alston sets the table at Temple, Fresh Kimble is Martelli’s coach on the floor…

But you’ve seen all these guys recently…

Physically mature and hungry to establish himself as the premier point guard in the Big 5 and the A10, my youngin is about to bring you sumthin’ a lil’ different…

The show debuts Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm at the Liacouras Center, 1776 North Broad Street.

Don’t be late… The Guru is watching…