Sixers a big winner with pre-season party

by Janice C. Funk managing editor

Imagine strolling into the First Union Center to a Sixers game, without stopping to buy a ticket.

Imagine ordering as many hot dogs, pretzels, and sodas as you can eat from the concession stand and walking away without even opening your wallet. Look to your right; there's Pat Croce mingling witli'fans, shaking hands and slapping backs. Look to your left; the Sixers Houseband is jamming with yoll favorite songs. Is this all a daydream for Philly's fans? Not anymore.

On Oct. 18, the Sixers hosted a "Preseason Open Practice Party" at the First Union Center to kickoff the upcoming 1999-2000 season. VIP passes were sent out to season ticket holders, suite holders, and sponsors for the free event. The party, which began at 5 p.m., was followed by an intrasquad scrimmage that opened to the public at 7:10 p.m., also free of charge.

Food, photo opportunities, and face painters for the kids crowded the main concourse, creating a kind of indoor carnival. On hand for pictlles from 5:00 to 6:45 were the Sixers Dance Team members; also in the booth was former Sixers player World B. Free. Signing basketballs and pictures as he talked, Free said, "The activities and all the pictilletaking and autograph signing, this doesn't happen anywhere else. Only in Philly." He added, "It's a great day because you get a chance to see the team before the season."

The father of a young autograph-seeker said it best as Pat Croce stopped to sign a ball; "He never turns a kid down." And families and children definitely seemed to be the focus of the party, with clowns, balloon animals and giveaways at every turn. Said Bree Jones, community relations coordinator, "We make it known that it's a family thing."

Inside the bowl of the center, the players began their warm-up at 5:30 p.m., and then practiced until doors opened to the public at 6:45 p.m. Baily High of Douglassville, PA, watched the 7 p.m. scrim- mage with big expectations for the upcoming season. High, 4, hopes that his favorite player Allen Iverson will "shoot some baskets" and "dunk the ball."

High's grandfather, Darryl Daisy, a first-year season ticket holder, was impressed by the party, and acknowledged that "it's good publicity'' for the Sixers as an organization to do something special for their fans.

After the scrimmage, the 19992000 Sixers squad was announced to thunderous applause from the crowd of over 10,000 fans.

Laughter followed as five fans selected at random from the crowd, were lead onto the court to ask the player of their choice any question they wanted.

One young fan, Scottie, asked of Iverson, "What inspired you to play basketball?" Iverson answered without missing a beat, "I love the game. I fell in love with it when I was 8, and I never" stopped playing." And how could anyone not Jove this game, when the Sixers make it so fun for their fans and players alike?