Wikipedia

Rucker Park

Greg Marius Court at Holcombe Rucker Park is a basketball court at the border of Harlem and the Coogan's Bluff section of Washington Heights neighborhoods of Manhattan, at 155th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, just east of the former Polo Grounds site. It is geographically at the base of a large cliff named Coogan's Bluff.[1] Many who have played at the park in the Entertainer's Basketball Classic (also known as the Rucker Tournament) achieved a level of fame for their abilities, and several have gone on to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Greg Marius Court
at Holcombe Rucker Park
Rucker Park in 2008, with Frederick Douglass Boulevard at left
Map
LocationManhattan, New York City
Coordinates40°49′46″N 73°56′11″W / 40.829564°N 73.936465°W / 40.829564; -73.936465
Area3.05 acres (1.23 ha)
Owned byNYC Parks
Websitewww.nycgovparks.org/parks/holcombe-rucker-park

History

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The park was established in 1956 next to PS 156; the school closed in 1981.[2] The land that the park is on was once the site of the 8th Avenue Railroad Company.[2] Since 1974, the park has been named after Holcombe Rucker, a local teacher and a playground director for the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.[3]

In 1950, Rucker founded what is believed to be New York City's first annual summer basketball tournament in an effort to help less fortunate kids stay off the streets.[1][4] Initially, the tournament consisted of kids in junior high and younger, but in 1953, it was expanded to include high school and college-aged players as many of the original participants advanced to high school and older players expressed interest in joining.[5] This change led to a significant rise in popularity, attracting large crowds of players and spectators from across the city, eager to catch a glimpse of what was considered the best basketball the city had to offer.[5]

Deeply committed to the education of his participants, Rucker began reaching out to college scouts and coaches, hoping to secure athletic scholarships for his players.[5] His efforts resulted in increased recognition for the tournament and the awarding of hundreds of scholarships. As the level of talent grew, so did public interest, making "The Rucker" a house hold name across New York City and recognized across the country.[6]

In 1954, Rucker founded the Rucker Pro League in an attempt to capitalize on the admiration and popularity his tournament had built over the years[5]. With no formal professional summer leagues or training camps at the time, pro talent from across the country quickly began traveling to play at "The Rucker," competing against the top amateur stars from other Rucker divisions[6]. This established a certain mystique that became Rucker Park’s signature—a legacy that continues to this day[6]. Notably, Wilt Chamberlain first played at the park in 1957[7]. The players in the Rucker Tournament featured slam dunks, crossover dribbles, and bravado that excited the crowd, a playing style then foreign to the National Basketball Association (NBA).[7]

In June 2017, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio dedicated the court to Greg Marius, founder of the Entertainer's Basketball Classic streetball tournament held at the park.[8] The park underwent $520,000 in renovations between August and October 2021, funded in part by the National Basketball Players Association and New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.[9] In addition to the basketball court, the park has a baseball field, handball courts, children's playground, bathrooms, and a spray shower.[3]

Rucker Park was featured in the TNT television film On Hallowed Ground: Streetball Champions of Rucker Park, which aired in May 2000 and won a Sports Emmy Award. It was also featured in the 2018 film Uncle Drew.

In 2022, Rucker Park became the first outdoor venue for The Basketball Tournament, a single-elimination winner-take-all tournament with a $1 million prize, acting as one of eight regional venues of the competition.[10]

In 2025, the park was named a National Commemorative Site.[11][12]

Notable players

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Although many professional basketball players have played at the court after gaining prominence, many others developed their basketball skills at Rucker prior to becoming notable in the sport. Notable players who have played at Rucker Park include:

Other amateur players who made a name for themselves at Rucker but never played in the ABA or NBA included Earl Manigault, Joe Hammond, and Pee Wee Kirkland.[29][6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d History in the Making at Rucker's Park Archived June 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b "Holcombe Rucker Park Highlights". nycgovparks.org. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Holcombe Rucker Park". nycgovparks.org. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Nunyo, DeMasio (August 21, 1995). "Carrying On an Asphalt Legacy". The New York Times. Retrieved October 6, 2007.
  5. ^ a b c d Jonsrud, Jarrod (2011). "Harlem's Unsung Hero: The Life and Legacy of Holcombe Rucker". Journal of Sport History. 38 (1): 19–36. doi:10.5406/jsporthistory.38.1.19?searchtext=%22holcombe+rucker%22&seq=1. ISSN 0094-1700.
  6. ^ a b c d e Mallozzi, Vincent M. (2003). Asphalt Gods: An Oral History of the Rucker Tournament. Knopf Doubleday. ISBN 9780385506762.
  7. ^ a b Pomerantz, Gary M. (2005). Wilt, 1962: The Night of 100 Points and the Dawn of a New Era. New York: Crown. pp. 123–4. ISBN 1-4000-5160-6.
  8. ^ "Holcombe Rucker Playground Highlights - Greg Marius Court : NYC Parks". www.nycgovparks.org. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  9. ^ Abrams, Jonathan; Geathers, Anthony (October 10, 2021). "A Street Basketball Mecca Gets a Face-Lift". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 11, 2021.
  10. ^ Casey, Tim (July 15, 2022). "How The Basketball Tournament Landed Harlem's Famed Rucker Park As Its First Outdoor Venue". Forbes. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  11. ^ Lau, Tandy (September 26, 2024). "Congress bill historically enshrining Rucker Park passes the House". New York Amsterdam News. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  12. ^ "H.R.6852 - 118th Congress (2023-2024): Holcombe Rucker Park National Commemorative Site Act". www.congress.gov. December 27, 2024. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
  13. ^ "St. Bonaventure is 5th Team to Accept NIT Bid". Williamson Daily News. February 20, 1964. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  14. ^ Steve, Popper (January 18, 2003). "Nets Win, but Challenging Trip Awaits". The New York Times. Retrieved October 7, 2007. With the Rucker Park legend Rafer Alston now the biggest attraction for Toronto, the Nets' only moments of suspense came when they attempted to compile their own mix of highlights.
  15. ^ a b Zengerie, Jason (February 20, 1964). "Empty Garden: Why did New York stop growing basketball stars?". Williamson Daily News. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  16. ^ Mallozzi, Vincent M. (2003). Asphalt Gods: An Oral History of the Rucker Tournament. New York: Knopf Doubleday. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  17. ^ "The magical day Kobe Bryant became Lord of the Rings at Rucker Park".
  18. ^ "Connie Hawkins: Thoughts on Wilt". Retrieved July 3, 2009.
  19. ^ a b c Mallozzi, Vincent M. (June 24, 2007). "His Eyes Have Seen the Glory of Rucker Park". The New York Times. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
  20. ^ Mazzeo, Mike (June 14, 2021). "As Kevin Durant's Legendary Night at Rucker Park Turns 10, Brooklyn Nets Could Use 66 Points in Game 5". Forbes.
  21. ^ Ebanks, Jared (August 2, 2021). "Kevin Durant's 66 Point-Performance at Rucker Park is Still Legendary". SLAM.
  22. ^ a b No Name. "Playground Legends: 10 Best NBA Players at Rucker Park". Bleacher Report.
  23. ^ Mallozzi, Vincent (June 17, 2003). Asphalt Gods: An Oral History of the Rucker Tournament. Knopf Doubleday. ISBN 9780385506762.
  24. ^ Charley Rosen (2014). Perfectly Awful; The Philadelphia 76ers' Horrendous and Hilarious 1972-1973 Season.
  25. ^ Nancy Lieberman (October 29, 2015). "One of the Guys," The Players Tribune.
  26. ^ "Rucker Park". Basketball.org. June 24, 2007. Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved June 28, 2010.
  27. ^ "Aulcie Perry," Maccabi Tel Aviv.
  28. ^ Belock, Joe (April 1, 2018). "Charlie Scott, Harlem native and Rucker Park legend, inducted into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame". New York Daily News. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  29. ^ a b Walker, Sam (November 27, 2016). "When The Destroyer Joe Hammond ruled street basketball". Roar. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
  30. ^ via YouTube. "NBA Players At Rucker Park". SI.com.
  31. ^ Jamaal Tinsley Interview, Inside Hoops, January 7, 2005. Accessed October 7, 2007. "InsideHoops.com: In your high school years, out of the gym, which parks were you playing at? Jamaal Tinsley: Everywhere. West 4th. 68t-h, the Pro-Am tournament. Rucker. Soul in the Hole. That's it, mainly, in New York City."
  32. ^ Mallozzi, Vincent (June 17, 2003). Asphalt Gods: An Oral History of the Rucker Tournament. Knopf Doubleday. ISBN 9780385506762.
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