T oday,
Franklin.
Tomorrow,
Wimbledon.
2 Ex-Pistons Take Time
For Their 'Special' Fans
RICHARD PEARL
Staff Writer
ou want to go one-on-
one with John?" Six-
foot-7-inch Paul
Reymer, standing next to 6-
foot-5 ex-Detroit Piston John
Long, grinned when he
heard the question. No, he
wasn't about to play basket-
ball against Long, 2-inch
height advantage or no. He
had other things to think
about: "I'm in Special
Games. Second year," he re-
sponded, referring to the
fourth annual Michigan
Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
Games for Detroit's Jewish
special needs community,
set for July.
Reymer and about 24
others from that community
were in the gymnasium of
the Jimmy Prentis Morris
Jewish Community Center
the evening of June 19 to
learn a little basketball,
show what they could do —
and get autographed T-
shirts from Long and 6-foot-9
Earl Cureton, another ex-
Piston.
When the pupils
connected on free
throws or field
goals, the two pros
and the players
would exchange
high-fives.
The two former University
of Detroit basketball stars
were conducting their first
basketball mini-camp for the
developmentally disabled. It
was a special voluntary
clinic by the two pro cagers
and the first such camp at
the Oak Park JCC. It drew
about 40 youngsters ages
8-15, with Barry Bershad
and Rick Kaczander
assisting the two pro
basketballers and JCC staff
members Theresa Fulgenzi
and Brian Clayton oversee-
ing the program.
"It lets them get out and
have some fun," said
Cureton, a nine-year NBA
veteran (three seasons with
the Pistons) who has an
older sister who is develop-
mentally disabled. "They're
not responsible for their
conditions. Why shouldn't
they have a chance to play,
too?"
"You really don't know
who your fans are," said
Long, now with the Atlanta
Hawks. He was a member of
last year's Pistons, winners
of Detroit's first-ever Na-
tional Basketball Associ-
ation championship.
The campers, mostly
adults from JARC's
Southfield and Oak Park
group homes, are devoted
fans of the Pistons who hard-
ly missed a televised game.
"They knew more than I
did about who Cureton and
Long were," laughed
Rochelle Finney, assistant
manager of the Kingshire
group home in Southfield.
"This is the first time I
have seen Pistons in real-
life," said Alan Bider, who
said he hooked rugs while
watching the Pistons.
Cureton and Long divided
the class between them, one
teaching shooting skills, the
other ball-handling.
When the pupils connected
on free throws or field goals,
the two pros and the players
exchanged high fives.
It was not the mini-
campers' first contact with
basketball. The camp mem-
bers also participate in a
year-round basketball clinic
sponsored by the JCC's spe-
cial needs department. And
they use a basketball hoop in
the backyard of their homes.
The appreciation wasn't
one-sided.
"This is our way to let you
know we haven't forgotten
you," Long said to the camp
participants. "You sup-
ported us and the Pistons
when we played there, and
we appreciated it." After
the clinic, Cureton noted,
"We can appreciate
ourselves a whole lot more — .
the things we can do that
others can't." Cureton, who
spent last season playing in
Italy, will seek an NBA spot
next fall.
The two pros - Long ex-
pects to be back with Atlan-
ta next season — said they
might teach a clinic at the
Maple-Drake Building in
August. Piston star Vinnie
Johnson, who usually con-
ducts the clinics, has
withdrawn this year due to
contract negotiations with
his team, Long said. 1=1
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The Tiger Wives play the
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