Note: It goes without saying that most, if not all of you, have had the Pittsburgh Courier play some part in your life. For those who returned home for the celebration or just lost contact, please be advised this space is reserved for a weekly update on regional and national sports updates via a “10 second” countdown to the symbolic end of the game. That being said—Let The Games Begin.
:10—First off, it’s important that I make an immediate connection to this special report or the only thing you’ll be remembering will be when I used to be a sportswriter for this historic newspaper before they give me my walking papers.
:09—Trust me when I tell you the now-legendary story of Banfield Street allows for an easy sports connection given that seven or eight of the athletes from the street are recognized as some of the greatest in Penn Hills High School history.
:08—The individual names will remain nameless for several reasons. No. 1—They know who they are, and humility is a built-in part of the DNA of this story (old school style), the way we were raised. No. 2—The family names speak loud and clear. Davis, Berry, Thomas, Frazier, White, Neal, Newman, Tipton, Rideout and Thomas. And lastly, it allows me the latitude of covering up for whatever I didn’t know or forgot. After all, I am 69. Give me a break! (BTW—This is where you smile—try to keep up)
:07—All that being said, here’s your sports connection. One of the toughest sports known to mankind is playing “Hide and Seek.” You try hiding in the darkness with one street light and racing toward a telephone pole at what felt like the speed of light with reckless abandon. Many a near-death moment to be sure.
:06—Not enough for ya? OK, how about the fact the fastest legs on the street didn’t belong to any of the guys I made reference to. No, they belonged to a young lady who will remain nameless as well (Masha Rideout…sorry I had to rub that in and bring the fellas down a notch.)
:05—Here’s the thing about the street. It provided everything needed to ensure future success. We were in fact “That Village That Raised The Child.” From end to end on Banfield Street, nothing went unnoticed or unchallenged and held accountable in all the best ways possible. And yes, we still seek the answer to that age-old question; Why is Mr. Smoot’s garage still standing?
:04—Along with that came the additional good stuff you just won’t find everywhere—the Thompson Pies, the cherry and apple trees, the softball/volleyball/badminton/cookouts/play in the dirt field—that always seemed larger than life!!! And not to be forgotten, the little corner “spot” if you will, at the end of the street that provided the very hardworking elders on the street, the occasional libation to get them through the stress and strain of the ‘50s and ‘60s. (Oh please, don’t act like you didn’t know…you knew)
:03—It’s important to point out that while we were, in fact, the same as other streets, both locally and nationally, we were somehow distinct and different. No better than others but different nonetheless. You only needed to go around the corner to connect the dots to additional community greatness. The Carmacks, Hamiltons, Taylors, and of course, the legend and the standard of Hubie Bryant, Brushton Street, Torrance, Columbia, Oberlin and Blackadore can all write their own stories, but one thing remains true…Here we stand to tell ours.
:02—Needless to say, no story is made complete without the better half—the Women of Banfield—who gave, nurtured and raised us all. Our mothers who possessed all the necessary qualities to raise the family that we became. And to the women of our era? Beautiful to be sure, but also intelligent, accomplished, giving and caring, to which this legacy continues. Of course, we give props to the pops—the fathers who were the men that raised the men that we became, and it’s notable to be sure. From local success to national and global accomplishments, it will be showcased in the forthcoming book, screenplay and film, “Banfield Forever!”
:01—There is no end to this story, but I’ll leave you with the hope that you get why this matters. While at a time in our collective lives we continue to answer Marvin Gaye’s question of 1971— “What’s Going On?”—It gives us this moment in time to reflect on a time when the world was a slower, safer, more peaceful place to be, or seemingly so. Well, on Banfield Street it was. The legacy continues.
:00—GAME OVER.
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