Gilmor Homes residents unite for a basketball tournament celebrating community accomplishments

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Story Transcript

Eddie Conway: Welcome to The Real News. I’m Eddie Conway. I’m coming to you from Baltimore. I’m now at Bruce Court in Gilmor Homes. Bruce Court is a basketball court that’s been named after Freddie Gray that was built by people in the community two years ago.
Speaker 2: I saw [inaudible 00:00:36] one of the older dudes out here did that. That’s just him paying out of his own pocket. That ain’t from the city. Nets, paint, that little creation over there. That ain’t from the city.
George Waite: So we’re here after two years to celebrate that we still have a basketball court after two years, for one thing.
Eddie Conway: After a 18 year fight with Baltimore City and Baltimore City Housing Authority to keep it closed, citizens got together and in the dark of the night built the court, a court that has been benefiting young people for the last two years.
Tayshaun Carter: My name is Tayshaun Carter, and what I want to do in basketball is that I want to play against harder people and get my wings.
Speaker 3: He’s got a really good left-handed shot, and I’ll get out of the way here.
Tayshaun Carter: I was covering my shot, I had to focus on the … I had to focus on the way that my hands move and stuff like that. I need somebody to give me a competition.
Denala Carter: He did not hit the backboard. He did not hit the rim. It just goes straight in. [crosstalk 00:02:01]
George Waite: There’s been no vandalism, not even a little bit, not even nets. So after many years of having no court, we got a court, and we’re happy about it.
Eddie Conway: They have been able to get recreation and they have been able to enjoy having some down time with their fellow players. George Waite, the guy that organized this contest and this event today, is also the engineer that came in, in the middle of the night and helped build this court.
George Waite: Today for the first time, I’m seeing all the talent that we have here at Gilmor. God, we got some good ballplayers. I knew they were here, I just didn’t know who they were. So, today we’re seeing it.
Eddie Conway: Today is the second anniversary of the opening of that court. There is a community celebration and a basketball contest.
Speaker 6: Ain’t no way. We need one point.
Male: The game ain’t over with.
Speaker 6: Tay, need help. I think that’s Meisha.[crosstalk 00:03:25]
Female: Everybody listen [inaudible 00:03:27] [crosstalk 00:03:27] Did he look at me like he gonna knock the crap out of me?
Male: [inaudible 00:03:27]
Speaker 6: It’s a good game [inaudible 00:03:32]
Male: [crosstalk 00:03:41] It ain’t won. It ain’t won. [crosstalk 00:03:45]
Speaker 6: I’s over with. [crosstalk 00:03:43] Go to another project with that bullshit.
Male: Ain’t no ball.
Speaker 6: [crosstalk 00:03:47]. Give me some.
Male: That’s a basket.
Speaker 6: [inaudible 00:03:46] Give me some.
Male: That’s a basket.
Female: That’s my son right there, Dante [inaudible 00:03:51] He’s the one.
Male: That’s Frank Gilmor Homes [crosstalk 00:03:56]. That’s Frank Gilmor Homes. [crosstalk 00:04:04] Number one, baby. [crosstalk 00:04:06]
Male: What’s up, man?
Male: What’s up, [inaudible 00:04:06].
Male: We listened to one another and we communicated. We helped each other out. All those things is formulas to for success in any structure. Anything: football, basketball, baseball, building a community.
Male: No doubt about it. Two different hoods come together and play and have a good day like this, man.
Male: It’s cause we love each other and we still got love in the hood, man. Everybody just got to come out and just hang out and support, man. Have a good time.
Male: Nonviolence, man.
Male: Nonviolence like my man just said. No bullshit.
Male: Nonviolence, man.
Male: Come to have a good time. [crosstalk 00:04:41] We just trying to have …
Male: The most violence is out there on the court, man. We bumping and grinding and won the game. [crosstalk 00:04:42].
Male: We’re trash talking and bumping and grinding. That’s all, right.
Male: That’s it. So come out, hopefully next weekend, and have a good time, man.
Eddie Conway: Thank you for joining us at the Real News Network.