| Page 2 of 3 < > |
Fighting Their Battles on the Basketball Court, Not the Streets
Coach Thomas Bing talks with his team members during a game last Thursday. The team is part of the Tale of the Tape Summer Basketball League, which was formed last year with a mission to keep the city's youths off the streets.
(By Dominic Bracco Ii -- The Washington Post)
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
The attention he garnered led to a donation last year from National Basketball Association player Chris Webber, but Mozie decided not to spend the money on more videos.
He had gradually come to see the basketball court as a place where young men who otherwise might get into trouble could wage battle in a safe way.
The Tale of the Tape league was born.
Mozie continues to get funding from Webber, as well as brother Dana, who writes theme songs for the NBA. His $8,000 budget covers uniforms, shoes, referee salaries and equipment.
Even before the league officially started last summer, one member, Delonte Marshall, 20, was fatally shot.
Taylor died a few blocks from Kennedy Recreation Center, at Seventh and O streets NW, where the league plays.
The team on which he played calls itself K.D.P., short for Kennedy Playground. The members are childhood friends from the grounds around Kennedy Recreation Center. As kids, they played basketball on the center's outdoor courts and football on the grassy field.
Some said they wanted to quit the league after Taylor died.
Knowing that talk was in the air, Jones called his teammates to a meeting at Kennedy Playground the day after Taylor died.
He told them about a conversation he had with Taylor shortly before he died. The team had lost a game the night before and was 0-3 for the season. Despite the losing steak, Taylor was enthusiastic about the league and eager to get back on the court for the next game.
"He was telling me we got to play harder," Jones told them.
"He is with us playing," Jones said. "He is in our hearts."
