By CRAIG T.GREENLEE
Chronicle Sports Editor
For 22 years, Curly Neal
bedazzled, iKfTir&d and enter
tained millions of people around
the world with his dribbling
antics as a member of the famed
Harlem Globetrotters.
Even though Neal ended his
career after the '85-'86 season,
basketball is still a major part of
his life. This season is Neal's
fourth as the Special Projects
Director for the NBA's Orlando
Magic. But aside from his pro
basketball duties, Neal still finds
time to give something back to
the community that helped him
earn a good living as an active
player.
On Tuesday, Neal, who grew
up in Greensboro, visited Win--?
ston to help the Special Chil
dren's Home with its efforts to
generate funds to construct a new
facility for the Special Children's
School. Neal's role focuses pri
marily on the promotions end of
the campaign. a
In the coming weeks, you'll
see and hear Curly on public ser
vice annoucements and on bill
boards around town.
The Globetroters will be
making a donation to the the
school, when they play in Win
ston on Feb. 22. The team has
pledged to contribute $2 for each .
ticket pucrchased for that game.
The Special Children's
School provides developmental
programming and day care for
high risk infants from birth to
three years, and children three to
12 years old who have develop
mental disabilities.
Children are admitted to the
school regardless of race, creed,
religion or financial status
Neal's visit to the Special
Children's Home generated the
typical reaction. Kids' faces lit
up as they came in contact to see
live and in living color, the
game's most re known dribbler. In
between his visits and promotions
Work, the 49-year old NBA exec
utive sat down with Chronicle
Sports to talk about his life after
letting around the planet for
more than two decades.
Chronicle Sports: How did
your involvement with the NBA
come about after you called it
career with the Globetrotters?
Neal: When moved my family
to Orlando, Fla., I ran into Pat
Williams who used to be the gen
eral manager for the Philadelphia
76ers. We always got together .?
whenever the Globetrotters would
go to Philly because we played at
the Spectrum, which is the home i
arena for the Sixers.
Pat was interested in bringing
an NBA franchise to Orlando and
he felt I could help. I wound up
doing a lot of promotional work
as the honorary ticket chairman
for the new franchise. The idea
was to get as many people to buy
tickets so that the NBA would
know how interested the city was
in having its own team.
I purchased the 7,000th ticket,
which was significant beacause I
played in 7,000 games with the
Globetrotters. Two years after we
started that campaign, the city had
the franchise.
Chronicle Sports: As the
Magic's Director of Special Pro
jects, what are some of the things <
you get involved in?
Neal: One of the major pro
jects I deal with is the NBA's Stay
In School Program. I've set up the
program for the Magic which
includes about 45 schools in the
two counties surrounding Orlan
do. I go out with some of our top
players to visit those schools. We
stress the importance of making
intelligent choices and getting an
education. We gear our efforts for
the younger kids (in middle
schools) because they are an age
that can either make or break
them.
Chronicle Sports: The NBA
players undoubtedly get a lot ado
ration from the kids on those vis
its. How do they respond to you?
Neal: Actually,*! get as much
or more applause than they guys
who arc playing the game today.
Q&AI
Because I played lor so long, all
over the world, most people know
who I am.
Chronicle Sports: You're
part of a growing number of
blacks who are getting involved in
other areas of athletics besides
being a participant. Are there any
specific things you'd like to sec as
far as blacks in non-playing roles?
Neal: I'd like to see a black
i
nterview: Curly Neal
coach in Orlando. But I'd also like
to see more blacks in coaching
throughout the NBA.
Chronicle Sports: Would,
Curly Neal consider being a
coach?
Neal: I wouldn't want to
coach at the NBA level. For me, it
would create more pressure than I
would want to deal with. Any
coaching I would do would be at
the youth level. I get more of a
kick out of helping youngsters
develop their skills as they learn
to play the game.
Chronicle Sports: Lending
your assistance to the Special
Childrens Home is a lot like some
of the good will things you did
while playing with the Globetrot
ters. What are your thoughts on
that?
Neal: Working with the Spe
cial Childrens Home makes me
feel real special. The children at
the home haven't been very fortu
nate. So I'm always happy to be
part of something that makes them
happy, that helps'to cheer them
up.
Chronicle Sports: It's been
five years since you stopped play
ing with the Trotters and you
enjoyed a lot of good years. Look
ing back, what would you say was
your most memorable moment as
a player?
Neal: What I remember the ~
most is just making the team and
putting on the red, white and blue*,
uniform to represent my country w
all over the world. It took a lot ofy
hard work and dedication, but 1
was able to make it. In try-ouf3
camp, there were 125 players:*
from all across the country who *
competed for five spots on the 1
team and I was one of the five. .j*
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