Friday Free Throws

On November 7, 2008, in Basic, History, by Black Fives

We had some very significant basketball history milestones this week. The Loendi Big Five On November 5, 1900, the Loendi Social and Literary Club was incorporated in Pittsburgh, Pa. The club’s basketball team, the Loendi Big Five, dominated black basketball during the 1910s and early 1920s. The organization itself was the most prestigious African American [...]

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Wednesday Free Throws

On October 29, 2008, in Basic, Children, Culture, Politics, by Black Fives

What Kind Of Blog Is This? Isn’t this a basketball history blog?  Then why am I spending so much time writing about politics?! Well, my excuse is that this is also a “make history now” blog.  So, I think it’s appropriate to discuss issues that are relevant today. Of course it would be great if [...]

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Monday Free Throws

On October 27, 2008, in Basic, Culture, History, Politics, Race, by Black Fives

Western Pennsylvania Politics People here are honest, hard working, no-nonsense folks.  In order of priority they love the Steelers and football first, then everything else. Money and labor issues are big.  Racial issues matter, but they aren’t as important as others make them (see below). And that was clear to me even before this New [...]

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SPIN Magazine Mentions Harlem Rens, Basketball-Music Connection (But Gets It Wrong)

On August 19, 2008, in Basic, History, by Black Fives

The Harlem Rens got a nice mention in the current issue of SPIN Magazine (August 2008). A friend of mine at Converse told me about an article that’s on the last page, in the Hidden Tracks section, called “Dunk The Funk.” The byline of the piece is “Could the Olympics save basketball’s musical soul?” My [...]

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Negro Wages In 1910s, Compared To Money Opportunities Playing Basketball

On August 6, 2008, in Business, Community, Culture, History, Premium, Race, by Black Fives

In 1916 the price for a room at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City was $2.00 to $3.00 per night. How did that compare to the average wages of Negroes back then?

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“We were helping our race by fortifying the bodies of our people in this, the struggle for existence, where only the fittest survive.”
-- Conrad Norman, Co-Founder, Alpha Physical Culture Club, 1910

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