About Prison Basketball Site
The game of basketball is fast becoming one of the most practiced team sports in jails throughout the world. This must be to the credit of basketball, a sport with such a great diversity and redeeming value to all youth, and particularly in this case to youth with some unfortunate social problems that led them to prison. We will cover all aspects of this great phenomenon hardly covered with such depth in any other site, as we believe there is no one particular site entirely dedicated to this activity as yet. Thus the pioneering aspect of our site.
PRISON
BASKETBALL
Basketball, a sport for everyone
...and played everywhere
Site by Garo Salibian
dedicated to covering basketball activities behind bars
For comments, e-mail to:
Prison Basketball Interactive
We are ready to publish your prison basketball materials (reports, essays, stories, poems, pictures) on our site. We will also run an opinion page about issues tackled on this site
Prison Basketball Announcements:
1. TOBI Productions is interested in licensing any video footage of prison basketball for use in an upcoming documentary. If you have footage of basketball being played indoor or outdoor at a prison, please contact
Matt O'Neil at: [email protected]
(ad posted 16 June 2003)
2. The Akron Wingfoots, a legendary basketball team, would love to play prison teams as a special event for the prisoners.
The team website is at: http://www.akronwingfoots.com
Interested prison basketball teams can contact the Akron Wingfoots team manager Tom Ficara at: [email protected]
In fact, the Wingfoots is the only AAU team to play a full college season. The club recruits good basketball players year around in an effort to get them international contracts around the world (FIBA). They run a tight schedule and would need reservations very early on. They play NAIA/USCAA games, the NABL league and AAU National Tournament, College/AAU All Star competitions. They organize various tours including NCAA teams and regional tours to Europe, Canada and South America.
The Akron Wingfoots has had a rich
history and string of famous basketball players. They were NBL champions
in 1938. They were AAU Champions in 1964 and 1967. Five Akron Wingfooters played
in the US Olympic basketball teams in 1964 and 1968. Many of its players go on
to play in international leagues in many countries (ad posted April 2003).
Some Useful Resources and Links
(we acknowledge listing of our 'Prison Basketball' site whenever we are aware of such listing):
International Center for Prison Studies
PBB listed in their Links Pages
International Network of Prison Ministries
StrengthTech: Weightlifting in Prisons
PBB listed in their links page
site)
If you like this site, how about checking our other basketball-related affiliate sites:
International Basketball Network
(Player and coach resumes, basketball events)
These editorials reflect only the personal opinions of the webmaster of
"Prison Basketball" and nobody else. But we would be ready
to publish your comments on ideas presented here.
The Question of Competitive vs Recreational Sports in Prisons
One of the most quoted examples to substantiate opposition to competitive prison sports is the June 1998 incidence in which an inmate fatally stabbed another inmate as a result of a disputed call he had made during a basketball game earlier that day. However using this tragic incident as a pretext to ban all competitive sports in prisons in favor of just allegedly "safer" recreational and individual sports is not the answer. More.
Beyond the Political Rhetoric:
Senator Locke Burt finds fault with the Florida Department of Corrections for trying to purchase sporting goods for prisoners, including basketballs and other equipment under the cover of using prisoner “wellness funds” for the costs. But is he missing something in his rhetoric? More.
Torture: Chinese Hang Time on Hoops
Basketball hoops are used as torture instruments in prison labor camps in China as reported by Philip P. Pan in the Washington Post. It gives "hang time" a whole new meaning, doesn't it? More.
Scandal Sports Sites: Recommended Reads, But with a Caveat
"BadJocks.com" and "TheJerkOfTheWeek" sites are scandal sheets catering to the public's desire to read about the mischief and sometimes outright criminal acts of athletes. But when they start searching the internet seeking such materials, the search engines point at times to our 'Prison Basketball' site as an alternative and more positive site. That gives us the chance to point out some of the misconceptions the public has about crimes attributed to sports people. More.
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There are many articles published in print media and on the internet describing prison basketball activities. However these are sadly dispersed and too far in between. In this section, we have collected some of those articles, news and stories to provide a deeper understanding of this phenomenon and the positive influence of basketball activities on the behavior of our incarcerated fellow citizens. We are also highlighting some positions opposing providing of such amenities to the prison population. More.
May 2003 "Basketball Digest" Feature Article
on Lee Benson: "From Prison to the Pros"
May 2003 issue of "Basketball Digest" with the cover story on Yao Ming also carries a great feature article by Tom Worgo about Lee Benson entitled "From Prison to the Pros". Subtitled 'Lee Benson is making the most of his freedom, hoping one day to play in the NBA', it carries the wonderful story of hope of how Benson after 8.5 years of incarceration at Warren Correctional institution, Lebanon Ohio (1993-2001). Upon release, he became a successful basketball player playing in Hapoel Tel Aviv, in Omonia Cyprus and in Near East in Greece where he became one of the greatest attractions through average 15.1 ppg and 12.4 rpg. This year he is playing in Guaros, Venezuella.
While in jail, Benson had been allowed some limited time to continue to practice his game and keep in shape. Apparently it saved his life and opened the door of opportunity. A truly uplifting article. Please do get Basketball Digest of this month and read the article before the issue is taken off the stands. Also check Eurobasket (Greece) for his player page and an exclusive HoopsHype interview with him where he reveals his plans including a book about his life and a possible movie. He is launching a personal website too. We will keep you posted.
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Prison Basketball Organizations
We highlight here the activities of organizations actively interested in organizing and encouraging prison basketball activities. We include here official prison basketball bodies, associations and committees, secular basketball missions and religious "prison sports ministries" with basketball activities.
We have given also a separate section to organizations facilitating inmate penpal programs, particularly with inmates interested in or practicing basketball in prisons. More.
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For comments on this site:
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"Prison Basketball" is part of
International Basketball.com
The Site Dedicated to Anything and Everything Basketball
webmaster: Garo Salibian
http://www.internationalbasketball.com