CONNIE HAWKINS, AS A MEMBER OF THE PHOENIX SUNS.
Meeting Mr. Connie Hawkins, aka “The Hawk,” was the most important opportunity I had in my professional life. I truly owe my accomplishments with the Connie Hawkins League, The Champions Association, and Achieving Greatness Inc., to the man Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said was the greatest basketball player he’s ever seen…Connie Hawkins!
Thanks, Connie, for all you did for me and for all you did for basketball. I also want to take this opportunity to remember and thank my very good friend Kenny “K. D.” Durrett…recognized as the greatest player in Western Pennsylvania and Big 5 history. Thank you for enriching my life and teaching me the game of basketball. God bless you both and may you rest in peace.
On Oct. 5, at the Marriott City Center Hotel, those such as City Councilman Khari Mosley and others will be celebrating my 50 years of service to the Pittsburgh community. For this, I am forever grateful.
COURIER SPORTS COLUMNIST BILL NEAL, WITH BASKETBALL LEGEND CONNIE HAWKINS.
I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank six of the world’s greatest athletes for lending us their names, reputations, time and support: Connie Hawkins, Willie Stargell, Franco Harris, Kenny Durrett, Jennifer Bruce, and Dwayne Woodruff.
While there have certainly been hundreds of great athletes and outstanding people who have contributed to our success, it is due in great part to these individuals, who during various times in our 50-year history, literally carried us across the proverbial finish line!
Beginning with the start of the Connie Hawkins National NCAA/Pro/Am Summer Basketball League ranked top ten in the nation…the establishment of the Willie “Pops” Stargell Pittsburgh MVP Awards (that featured Muhammad Ali, Sir Charles Barkley, Super Bowl Champion Doug Williams, Jayne Kennedy, Olympic legends Roger Kingdom and Kevin Parker, Mel Blount, Melvin Van Peebles, and Julius “Dr. J.” Erving, just to name a few).
With the addition of the Franco Harris All Pro Football camp that brought us valuable national recognition, the unprecedented Kenny Durrett Western PA High School All Star Basketball Classic (second only to the Dapper Dan Classic in years of operation) that provided well over 200 college scholarship opportunities, the Jennifer Bruce Women’s Summer Basketball League that, evidence will show, was the frontrunner to much of what we applaud in today’s WNBA, and last, but not least, the Dwayne Woodruff “Super Bowl Celebrity Golf Classic” that provided over $250,000 to local charities, including our agency, during a five-year run.
Unfortunately, neither time nor space will allow me sufficient opportunity to thank everyone and every entity for all that you have done. But I would be remiss if I did not thank my earliest mentor and athletic hero, Hubie Bryant, Penn Hills High School and University of Minnesota Hall of Fame football and track legend and former Pittsburgh Steeler, the player every kid in Penn Hills wanted to be like growing up. H.B., the player and leader who gave me motivation to achieve greatness. I thank you all for your love, time, support and consideration. It has been a proverbial village and I’ve enjoyed living in it for every minute of my fifty years of community service. After all has been said and done . . .
“I FLEW WITH THE HAWK!”
GAME OVER.
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