Newspapers / The Charlotte Post (Charlotte, … / May 11, 2006, edition 1 / Page 19
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3C SPORTS/(rae Cliarlotte Thursday, May 11,2006 Basketball pioneers seek due recognition HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS Barnstorming black professional basketball teams like the 1940 Harlem Globetrotters introduced showmanship to the game long before the NBA was established. Surviving players from that era seek greater recogni tion of their achievement from the sport’s establishment. Continued from page 1C Globetrotter’s burial. “I’m sure Shaq would have come to the res cue of Walter Dukes when he died too, if he had known about him,” Kline said. “That’s a story on how these guys are disconnected, basketball wouldn’t be what it is today if it wasn’t for us.” Often the Globetrotters of‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s would have to get by on $500 per month, wolf down lunch meat and soda while traveling all night from one game to another because hotels wouldn’t allow them to stay at their establishments. Barnette, 72, lives in Oakland, Calif., and played with the Globetrotters from 1958-62. He is working with Kline to generate interest in remembering the African American players fixim decades ago. “They owe us a debt of gratitude for what we have done,” Barnette said. “Some way or another we need to get the word out that bas ketball didn’t just start with Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal.” Barnette said that a former teammate, Willie Jones died recently and his old team mates had to struggle to get flowers for his funeral. “We have no pension, what about the ballplayers that need financial assistance, if the ball players of today would just donate $500 to the legends, it would help,” Barnette said. Barnstorming athletes traveling through the racially charged South was no picnic, not even for the Globetrotters, and Kline said pla5dng basketball in Charlotte during that time was just as bad as being in Mississippi. Ernest Wagner of Detroit, another former Globetrotter, who went to Wayne State University with Khne, agreed. “It was nothing for fans to call you things while you were pla5ang, like, ‘Look at that nig ger,’it just wasn’t no thing, guess that is what they were used to calling us,” Wagner, 73, said. “I’ve been refused in towns to where we couldn’t eat, then if you stayed in a hotel you had to eat on another floor. Back then you did n’t know how you were going to come out down South, they looked at us as clowns.” For 80-year-old Vertis Zeigler, who barn stormed from 1944-60, he wants his family to enjoy any acknowledgment he got. “For me its old hat, it’s been so long ago,” Zeigler said. “It wouldn’t mean too much for me (to be acknowledged) but it would mean something for my kids and grandkids.” WACHOVIA CHAMPIONSHIP PHOTOAfVADE NASH VIjay Singh (center) took time out during the Wachovia Championship to enjoy the pro-am round last week at Quail Hollow Country Club. Jim Furyk won the tournament In a playoff with Trevor Immelman. Adam Scott finished third. Audi’s A3 may be basic ride, but it doesn’t act the part Winfred B. Cross Test Drive Audi’s entry level A3 is far from what I’d call entry level. It’s the least expensive Audi and also the smallest but possibly the most fun to drive. Scratch that. It is the most fun to drive. The A3 is based on Volkswagen’s highly-tout ed fifth generation Golf, which is good enough already. Audi has tweaked the chassis a bit, given it quattro and aH the interior upgrades of its bigger cars. Audi’s also given the A3 its S-line treatment. The S, as you know, generally gets more aggressive body work, bigger wheels and a mon strous V8. The S-line gets the bodywork but not the V8. Pity. The A3 has to get by wi'fc a 250 hp 3.2-hter six- cyhnder engine. What a way to slum. The engine is an upgrade from the spunky 2.0-liter turbo four banger. The 50 extra horses and additional suspension tweaks scream for twisty roads. Find them and you’ll find it hard not to grin throughout your driving experience. The optional 18- inch summer performance tires give the A3 an attitude that’s more street racer than luxury econobox. Every aspect of this car is wonderful - steering, brak ing, acceleration - name it and this car does it well. The six-speed automatic trans mission is equipped with DSG - Audi’s version of Tiptronic. You can shift it like a manual tranny with the flick of a paddle attached to the steering wheel. You don’t have to move floor-mounted shifter at all - just flick and go. The exterior styling is con troversial. No journalist seems to like the wide grill. I generally don’t like big grills, but the Audi corporate nose doesn’t bother me. The interior is pure Audi. Brushed metal inlays replace wood for a more sporting look. The dash is clean and classy. The seats are supportive and covered in optional premium leather. There’s room for three in the rear but two would find the accommodations more suit able. 'The beige interior is too light for my tastes but it com plements the garnet exterior. The S-line A3 starts at $33,980. Other options include navigation, bi-Xenon adapted headlights, Sirius satellite radio and cast alloy wheels. That brings the as- tested price to $40,350. That’s a heap for a five-door but it’s like no other hatch back. You can go less expen sive with the Golf RS32 but who knows when that comes back to these shores? If you don’t mind the price of admission, the A3 will do just fine. Go beyond the score tKIie Cljarlatte PROFESSIONAL FLOORING MOBLEY’S Visit Our Showroom 4930 Albemarle Road Charlotte, NC 28205 Residential & Commercial Carpet Cleaning,Sales & Service New Carpet Sales • VCT • Hardwood Flooring • Ceramic & Marble Tile mi New Carpet Installed Carpet, Pad & Labor 99 per yard Only $21/ Si, Carpet Cleaning “3” Rooms & Hallway Only $105-^^ u-!. 400 Sq. ft. Vinyl Floor Congoleum & Armstrong Only $15.^\eryarU Duct Cleaning Only $20 per vent “For Your Health'^ Remove the Dust From Your Vents! “SPECIALS” Valid With This Ad Only Eddie Mobley, Sr. • Eddie Mobley, Jr. Ph; 704-531-0155 ' Fax: 704-536-4272 Whyread IhePostP ITS essendal “I couldn’t imagine being a resident of Charlotte and not subscribing to The Charlotte Post. It covers a wide range of news and serves a vital function for the African American community and for the entire Charlotte community. The Post does a great job in covering the local issues; not just news, but sports and leisure as well.” Chris Weiller, executive vice president for marketing and communications, Charlotte Bobcats Call (704) 376-0496 to link with news that’s important to you. tElje Cliarlotte ^ost
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