When growing up one of the more densely populated parts of a large city (Brooklyn, NY), the competition to find an open basketball court is almost as fierce as the games themselves. At least in the 1970’s, the local courts were always full, with more players on the sideline ready to challenge the winner of the current game. But it wasn’t merely about showing up to play, you also had to be good enough, otherwise you’d be off the court in a hurry with no guarantee of getting back on. Organized youth leagues were limited compared to now, and just getting in some real time on a basketball court (just one) with a few friends (or strangers) was a task, especially when the weather was nice.
Photo by John Branch IV on Unsplash
NO COURT? NO PROBLEM!
Before the teenage years hit, kids my age were left with limited options for playing basketball on the nearby courts. We could wake up early and get in as many games as we could before the older kids came outside and threw us off the courts, and they weren’t subtle about it (“Move. We’re running a full.”). Or we could find an empty public garbage can (yes, a garbage can); two if we wanted to play a “full court” game.
A tree would serve as the “backboard” for each basket.
And this was way before hand sanitizers became popular.
During the winter months we’d find ourselves playing on a court with icy spots; after a rainstorm we’d try to get some time in while avoiding puddles on the uneven, poorly-paved courts.
In a real pinch, (translation: the garbage cans were either full or being used by other kids) some of us would even take a small rubber ball normally used to play stickball and simulate playing hoops using the protruding, triangle-shaped door hinge on the local day care center as the basket. The games were often interrupted by parents swinging the door open to drop off and pick up their kids, or by neighborhood police chasing us away.
A few unsuspecting parents managed to get hit in the face or head with a flying rubber ball for their troubles. One lady got hit with the ball, angrily retrieved it, then put it in her pocket and kept walking without saying a word as we stood there, mouths wide open and speechless.
Game over.
Now THOSE were fun times.
HALFCOURT BASKETBALL GAMES WE USED TO PLAY
But on those rare occasions where we’d find at least one available hoop, we’d either split up into teams and play a competitive game, or if we had an odd number of players we’d get into other contests that tested individual skills. I preferred these games because there wasn’t as much anger associated with them as in the team games. You were on your own, and everyone was able to participate.
“FREE-FOR-ALL”
The Free-For-All was best played with about five players. If you has six, you’d play three-on-three. If you had seven, the court was too crowded. We’d set the winning score, usually 20 or 30 counting by two — even though the kids right across the street would count by one — and you were basically free. The guy with the ball would keep it as long as he kept hitting shots and would usually go unchallenged defensively until he hit a few jumpers in a row, then someone would go out to guard him while everyone else camped out under the basket waiting to rebound a missed shot.
As the great Moses Malone once reminded us during a television commercial, “If you ain’t got the ball, you can’t shoot the ball.”
This game was popular because it was really all about scoring. You didn’t have to play defense unless you were the competitive type and the leader was pulling away. Guys would enter the game midway through (“I’m getting in!”) at times. No play stoppage necessary. They’d just walk onto the court during game action.
Free. For all.
“TAPS”
Not as morbid as it sounds, Taps was usually played when there were only three kids available. One would shoot from the free throw line and the other two would be positioned on opposite sides of the basket and close to it, while giving themselves a decent angle to put in a missed shot off the backboard.
We were mathematicians without realizing it.
The trick was you had to jump to rebound a missed shot and put it back in the basket before hitting the ground. You weren’t allowed to play defense or box out for rebounds in this game, and we didn’t mind. The ball had to come to you or be within reach.
The older, taller kids used to just tap the ball back in with one hand, and many times the backboard wasn’t needed. But when we first started playing this game none of us had hit our growth spurt yet, so it required a bit of strength uncommon among 10-11 year old kids to get the ball back up to the hoop.
It also required two hands. Once you scored on a tap, you became the free throw shooter and you’d stay there — even on missed shots — until someone scored on a successful tap-in. The only squabbles involved were when it appeared a player hit the ground before releasing the ball, but this game was relatively tame (though not suitable for garbage can play).
“TWENTY-TEN”
Usually five or seven players involved, and the object was to score ten points (counting by two) before the leading scorer reached 20 points. If you didn’t, you had to leave the court while the qualifiers played to, say, 30. Otherwise it was similar to a Free-For-All where you’d rebound a missed shot, bring the ball out past the free-throw line and try to score as many points as you could before someone else rebounded your missed shot.
And like the Free-For-All, defense was mostly non-existent unless the leader had 18 and the ball, while you’re stuck on eight points.
WE FOUND A WAY TO PLAY
There were other games that weren’t as popular — at least in my small circle — like H-O-R-S-E, Around The World, Twenty-One and others, and I’m not sure if the kids still play these games much anymore. Thankfully those games were around, especially when we had an odd number of participants and limited court time before being chased away by the big guys.
We were undeterred by the many obstacles, and as long as we had a basketball and enough people, we’d find a way — however unconventional — to play the game we enjoyed.
(And we didn’t even need a three-point line.)
