2006

Count me among thos~ Brackeen kave an educati1 I suppose it was fillmg that Denver Brackeen lost his battle w1th cancer on Memorial Day. Not only was he the stu IT of legends l grew somewhat suspictous when David didn't sound too excited about the prospe<.:t of us winning. but we took the challenge anyv.:ay We generously allowed Brackeen College where Brackeen was the Dean of Students. We were playing in the old gym and he stuck his head in the doorway I lickory had gone 51-1 his senior year and th:tl h · uveraf?ed 32 points m the 1952-53 stason to help East Centml make the I'JJCAA National Toumamcnt. "Whatever you do, give it cent," Brackeen said. "If you a good job, don't take it. I w. satisfied. If there was a posat er than what I had , l wanted One of the main things he

as far as a career in the military and in education, but he was one of the top atWetes the tiny town of H1ckory has produced. On top of that, he was a really super person. I first met Brackeen long, long ago when r was in junior high. Part of the plan for passing

;md spoke since he recog– nized me from that long ago whippmg. "Mind if I shoot?." he asked. · ··watch th1<>," I told one of the guys playing with us. 'This is going to be good." Swish. Brackeen hooked in a shot while standing out of bounds. "Bet you can't do that again." one of the unin– fomled students said.

n1e Warriors finished fourth with Brackeen collecting a tournament record 53 points 111 one game. He went on to play at Ole M1ss where he was a sec– ond-team All-American al'ld SEC Most Valuable Player. He came back to coach at ECJC and had several outstanding teams, includ– mg a 22-3 squad in 1962- 63. II is overall record was 117-52. In all, he spent nearly 30 ~cars of his life involved \vith East Ct:ntral.

to have the ball first and he promptly swished home what was then known as a Kareem Abdul Jabb<~r <;ky Hook. "N1ce shot,'' J said. although J was thmkmg he wouldn't score many points trying shots like that. Then we had the ball. One of us attempted the first shot for our team and Brackeen promptly swatted it halfway dovvn the driveway to Park Street. We'll not go mto what I was think– ing as I chased the ball down before it rolled down the street. And so it went Every so often. we'd score, but looking back, I think at was because he let us to keep our interest 111 the game. After he got to 10. he thanked us for lettmg ham play and Daviu slowly began spilling the beans. " He w<~s an AII-Amencan at Ole Miss. He played m the NBA." indeed he was and he did. Brackeen was taken in the li fth round of the 1955 NBA Draft (there were only eight NBA teams then) after a\eraging. 2K I pomts during the 1954-55 season at Ole M1ss. He played for the New York Knicks dur– mg tlu; 1955-56 season. Several year!. passed bcforl! this infomwtion would comt:.in handy. I w;Ls enrolled at East Central Junior

to see happen in his final yea for his former high school ba coach Frank Hodges to be in into the Mississippi Associat; Coaches Jlall of Fame. That became a reality in July 2004 Brackeen helping lead the Wf "Frank would get tired of dnoble sometimes and he·d dribbled it anymore, he'd let' of it and we'd play awhile witl you couldn't dribble," Bracke· a 2004 interview. "He meant an awful lot tt people at Hickory. The year ished, he had seven people offered scholarships to college ' 12-player team. "He was the kind of guy tt worked on a farm, he·d come do your chores so you could ketball. "Somebody that's helpe• many guys in the Hall of Fan has deserves the honor too." Brackeen also meant a to of people, especially m County. And wi ll continue to East Central Community began a scholarship in his h year so that others may bcc01 ofhis legacy.

.Marty Stamper

"Bet a Coke?,"

Denver Brackeen

time m those days was shooting hoops in Dr. G1lbert Alexander's back yard most afternoons with his son, David, neighbors Robin Warnick. Bob Mills, and Scott Cassel, Steve I lansford. and whoever else might be traveling Park Street and decided to pull in. Brackeen drove up to visit the good doctor, but decided to meet us too since we were playing the game he loved so well. Dav1d and I happened to be the only two around that day and Brackeen offered to play us two on one. Grunted the man was tall .. . talle1 than anybody I hau been around before. but surely we could take him., after all, we usually mlcd thnt piece or concrete ... or that.'s the way I rCl'all it.

lktckcen asked. "Sure." Swish

l ran into Brackeen again lus1 tall while eatmg at Peggy's in Philad' lphia. We chatted while we double tl uncd the fried chicken and I brough1 ui• that fateful afternoon when he hnwed two junior high k1ds what bashtball was really like. We both had 11 good laugh. Bradt t·n had been battling cancer for scvc:1 ulycars and while it took his life. 1t cm llln't touch h1s feelings for his famll~t Ius friends, and East Central 'I he 111in who worked his way up to major .tncral in the Army National <.iuard hncl a fairly simple, but effec– ,,,.c, phih•'i<•phy on life.

"Bet me agam?" "Sure." Swish. At this pomt, I Jet the cat out of the bag. "You better stop. That man played in the NOA." Brackeen declined to accept the payment for the bet, but went on to tell us that h1s career in the NBA did– n't last all that long as a 7-foot giant by the name of Wilt Chamherlam had swatted his hook shot well into the stands at Mad1son SlJuarc Garden un more than on~; o~ l.lslon. I knew h<•w he must hnvc felt

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