UAW-Ford’s Best of Young Detroit
June 14-20, 2017
Page C-4
Mother Nature rewards Legends League teams and fans Proudly supported by UAW-Ford, Legends League Baseball provides affordable baseball to Detroit youth, while focusing on baseball skill and character development. “The Best of Young Detroit” invites our community to take advantage of the great weather and experience Legends League action first-hand before the spring season concludes. Following is a listing of upcoming games: 12 And Under Spring Competitive Division Wednesday, June 14 Indians Baseball Club vs. Detroit Yankees at William Clay Ford Field (6:30 p.m.) Indians Baseball Club vs. Detroit Stars at William Clay Ford Field (8:45 p.m.) Thursday, June 15 Ecorse Knights vs. Detroit Yankees at William Clay Ford Field (6:30 p.m.) Detroit Yankees vs. YMCA Tigers at William Clay Ford Field (8:45 p.m.) Saturday, June 17 Indians Baseball Club vs. YMCA Tigers at William Clay Ford Field (noon) Indians Baseball Club vs. Blue Jays at William Clay Ford Field (2:15 p.m.) For the love of the game: Even before the temperatures warmed up, Legends League baseball teams gave their fans a great show. With the spring season winding down, good games and nicer weather await fans at fields across our community. After a longer-than-usual wait, recent temperatures signal that baseball season is truly here in Detroit. However, the hundreds of youth that have
been participating in Legends League Baseball have been having fun, while learning life lessons for several weeks during an exciting spring season.
Sunday, June 18 Motor City Royals vs. Southfield Cardinals at William Clay Ford Field (11:15 a.m.) Monday, June 19 Blue Jays vs. Ecorse Knights at William Clay Ford Field (6:30 p.m.) Ecorse Knights vs. Southfield Tigers at William Clay Ford Field (8:45 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 20 Detroit Playmakers vs. Indians Baseball Club at William Clay Ford Field (6:30 p.m.) 10 and under Competitive Division Thursday, June 15 Detroit Stars vs. Indians Baseball Club at Tindal (6:30 p.m.) Midwest Cubs vs. Downriver Demons at Palmer Park (7 p.m.) 10 and under New Teams Division Thursday, June 15 Southfield Orioles vs. Harms Elementary at Tindal (6:30 p.m.) Legends League games are free, but light refreshments can be purchased at weekend games. For more information about Legends League Baseball, including exact baseball diamond locations, please contact director Garrett Street at 313-363-7271.
Remembering Bobby ‘Showboat’ Hall: Brewster-honed skills thrilled the world As this edition of the “Best of Young Detroit” was going to press, the NBA Finals were winding down. Today’s basketball fans may take for granted the showmanship of current stars like LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Steph Curry. However, one of the earlier players to bring high skill level and flare to the world’s stage hailed from Detroit and he became known in the basketball universe as Bobby “Showboat” Hall (September 30, 1927 – December 24, 2014). Much of Hall’s basketball education would take place at the fabled Brewster Recreation Center, and with that pedigree he was literally ready to take on the world. Hall joined the Harlem Globetrotters in 1949 during an era when basketball on the professional and college levels were largely segregated. Hall would eventually succeed the legendary Reece “Goose” Tatum as the Globetrotters top showman, demonstrating that basketball
skill and style could go hand-in-hand, many decades before the NBA welcomed that approach to the game. Not only did Hall combine style and substance, he also was durable, appearing in more than 5,000 games that were enjoyed by fans in nearly 90 countries. And his 26 seasons with the Globetrotters was five longer than the NBA record of 21 seasons by Robert Parrish. Hall, who played with a host of great players during his career including Tatum, Wilt Chamberlain, Connie Hawkins and Marques Haynes, became a player-coach for the Globetrotters in 1968. And in 1998 he was presented with the Globetrotters’ “Legends Ring” during a ceremony at the Palace of Auburn Hills. For his dedication to his craft, and for the joy he brought to people and families across the world, Bobby “Showboat” Hall should always be remembered in the city of Detroit and serves as a model for today’s youth.
Student Voices
Davis Aerospace students offer constructive critique of Project Green Light Detroit Project Green Light Detroit is billed as the first public-private-community partnership of its kind. The effort combines real-time crime fighting and community policing, while promoting neighborhood safety and revitalization across our city. Our student contributors at Davis Aerospace Technical High School have paid close attention to this initiative and have offered a constructive critique. Aaron Foster, junior: “Last year, Detroit Police introduced a new program, Project Green Light Detroit. It was designed to cut down on crime by adding cameras in our local businesses. Special police officers were supposed to be monitoring these businesses closely, to make sure the businesses were not robbed. Yet, a business owner that uses the program said: “It is not helping anyone at all.” This business owner was Mohammad Rustam, the owner of a Valero gas station, who was robbed twice during December 2016, while having the cameras in his store. Each storeowner pays about $160 monthly for digital storage and $1,000 for installation. For a store owner to pay for this equipment and not get the protection he paid for is unacceptable. “Recently, the Detroit Police proposed making Project Green Light Detroit mandatory for stores that stay open after 10 p.m. If they are going to have their Project Green Light mandatory for storeowners to have, the police need to beef up the security. For example, police should be patrolling certain areas with a higher crime rate because just having a police car parked outside these businesses will deter robbers. Project Green Light Detroit is not a failure, but the Detroit Police needs to try harder to keep these businesses safe. “Project Green Light Detroit is a good first step in lowering the crime rate in Detroit. With a little bit more effort put in by the Detroit Police, Detroit’s crime rate will go down.” Christopher Freeman, junior: “Project Green Light Detroit is more like Project Red Light because it may stop some, but it doesn’t stop all. Project Green Light Detroit simply enables the Police Department to make money off of struggling business owners. Even though this project was supposed to lower the incredibly high crime rate, this project simply deters some criminals. In addition, the project would seem to push criminals to go to different stores that are not participating in the program. As a result, crime is not lowered it is just transferred to different places. Many gas station owners are devastated after spending $1,000 for their installation fee and paying $160 monthly without getting the results that they had anticipated. One business owner, Mohammed Rustam, reported that his gas station was robbed twice despite being a part of Project Green Light Detroit. “This project is simply not a good idea in a time where we have such an insufficient amount of police officers, though
I believe this idea will be good when we are able to sustain economic growth. However, at a time in which we average an incredibly high burglary rate and a low amount of police, this is just not feasible. While the Police Department should be preventing murders and stopping drugs from being distributed throughout the city, we just don’t have the manpower needed to police the Green Light project and violent crimes in our community.” Ananda Thomas, junior: “Project Green Light Detroit is a surveillance program that is used to crack down on crime at gas stations and other businesses. Project Green Light Detroit is an amazing idea and an effective way to stop crimes from happening. Detroit has a very high crime rates at gas stations, especially late at night. It makes people feel safe when they are out late at night, knowing that someone is watching them in case anything goes wrong. “Project Green Light Detroit first started at 24-hour gas stations, and now has expanded to restaurants, liquor stores, grocery markets, and more. Comcast decided to partner with Project Green Light Detroit, to expand the program while making it more affordable for the city businesses that need it. Thus far, more than 150 businesses have joined Project Green Light Detroit and some participating businesses have reported excellent service and less crime. “Detroit really needs Project Green Light. It’s good for all the communities and I’m glad the city came up with it. I used to be scared going into a gas station by myself, especially in crime-riddled neighborhoods. I was afraid of what might happen because there were always people lingering for no reason at all. Now with Project Green Light Detroit I don’t feel that way anymore.” Johnnie Davis, junior: “The Detroit Police Department partnered with some Detroit businesses in an effort called Project Green Light Detroit. Through Project Green Light Detroit, a camera is directly linked to a police station where an officer or dispatcher is constantly watching the footage for criminal activity. If a crime occurs, an officer is dispatched to the location. The purpose of Project Green Light Detroit is to hopefully lower the crime rate in the city. “Surprisingly, Project Green Light Detroit has actually done what it is supposed to do, as participating businesses have reported a decline in crime. In terms of results, I can definitely say Project Green Light Detroit is an efficient way to reduce crime. One recommendation to prevent even more crime would be to install cameras on some of the streetlights in areas notorious for criminal activity, and in largely congested shopping areas. Although this may be more costly to implement, I’m sure that the effect on the crime rate would show a drastic decline.”
Up for an important task: Carrimia Owens (left) and Alana Burke are well on their way as journalists and truth tellers. Throughout American history, African American journalists have served an important role, which has often included giving a voice to the voiceless. That is why the “Best of Young Detroit” was extremely excited to learn about Carrimia Owens and Alana Burke, two outstanding students and products of King High School, that are sure to be a part of the next great wave of African American journalists. A recent King graduate, Owens has received a scholarship to attend Wayne State University’s Journalism Institute for Media Diversity this fall. And Burke, who will be a high school senior this fall, has been accepted to the Princeton University Summer Journalism Program. This past school year, Owens and Burke were the editors for their school’s newspaper, Crusaders’ Chronicle. In congratulating both young ladies, the “Best of Young Detroit” also would like to commend their families, teachers and other supporters that have prepared these students well for the important work that awaits them.
Your Feedback Matters The “Best of Young Detroit” welcomes feedback from our community. Please submit story suggestions and other comments to Scott Talley at stalleyassociates@gmail.com or 313-590-3686.