Congress bill historically enshrining Rucker Park passes the House
Congress got the ball rolling on H.R.6852 — a bill to designate Harlem’s Holcombe Rucker Park as a national commemorative site — as the legislation passed through the House this past Tuesday, September 24. If made into law, the bill would federally enshrine what is arguably the world’s most famous public basketball court.
“That legislation is more than just a symbolic gesture,” said sponsoring Rep. Adriano Espaillat over the phone. “It’s really a commitment to recognizing the historical and cultural significance of one of Harlem’s most cherished landmarks, Rucker Park. Back in the 50s, Holcombe Rucker, a World War II veteran, had a vision for Harlem’s youth.
“And he sought to create this space for young people as a refuge from the streets, and for them to push not only their basketball skills, but to push people towards higher education.”
Rucker organized street basketball tournaments around Upper Manhattan throughout the mid-1900s, ultimately drawing some of basketball’s biggest stars like Wilt Chamberlain and Harlemite Lew Alcindor, best known today as NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Through hoops, more than 700 athletic scholarships sprung from his events by the ‘50s.
While performances on the park’s hardtop court, now named after another prominent tournament organizer Greg Marius, do not count on an NBA statline, they remain pivotal to basketball lore. Kobe Bryant lives on through oral accounts of his 2002 appearance, down to the sunglasses and chain he wore.
From contemporary international superstars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant to New York-bred talent like Jamaica Queens’ Rafer Alston and Coney Island’s Stephon Marbury, Rucker Park allowed legends to grow even taller.
But while Rucker Park served as a staging ground for NBA players, it was a proving ground for streetball legends. Notably, Harlem’s Joe “The Destroyer” Hammond is said to have put up 50 points against Hall of Famer Julius “Dr. J” Erving during a tournament.
A national commemorative site designation recognizes a place’s contributions to American history on a federal level. It also allows the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) to partner with local organizations to drive educational initiatives for the park. Partnerships could range from schools to nonprofit organizations to the NYC Parks Department, according to Espaillat.
The congressman adds that he hopes such a designation will provide more opportunities for the surrounding community, particularly the NYCHA developments which often have some of the best seats in the house for tournaments.
“First, there will be a federal plaque recognizing the park installed in the park,” he said. “Second, it leaves the book open to educational activities [that] could be developed around the park, between the Department of Interior and [potentially] the New York City Department of Education or Parks Department, or even places like the Polo Grounds and the Rangel houses, which are right across the park.”
While the DOI’s National Park Service has previously designated national commemorative sites, Rucker Park would not be placed under the agency through Espaillat’s bill.
The bill now hits the Senate floor. If passed, it goes to the White House for the president to sign into law.
Tandy Lau is a Report for America corps member who writes about public safety for the Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting https://bit.ly/amnews1.
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