THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 31, 1995 TAG: 9503300158
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 29 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Lee Tolliver
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
When Johnny Pope's youngest son was born prematurely, he was taken to the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
He wasn't supposed to make it.
Today, Chase Pope is 4 and he is the pride and joy of the Tallwood High boys basketball coach.
And the work done by the fine folks at the Children's Hospital hasn't been forgotten by Pope and his family.
That's why Pope decided this year to turn the third annual Tallwood Celebrity Basketball Game into a fund-raiser for the hospital.
In two previous endeavors, the money went into Pope's hoops program.
``We wanted to turn it into a charity this year and the hospital was the first thing that came to my mind,'' Pope said.
So last Friday, after the 103 Jamz radio and celebrity basketball teams went at it for 30 minutes, Pope and assistant football coach Robert Jackson presented hospital spokesperson Carolyn Dudley with a check for $1,000.
``We're trying to teach our kids to be humane and have fun doing it,'' Jackson said, echoing the sentiments of Pope.
Chances are, the idea is working. The packed house at Lions Arena was full of Tallwood students. They were enjoying the show and they knew what their ticket admissions were going to.
And the youngsters might have gotten even a better message watching the radio celebrities and professional athletes go at each other in a hard fought, but high spirited game of round ball.
Both teams had some really great players and they were pretty serious about winning the game. But they knew it was all for a good cause. They signed autographs, joked around with the spectators, handed out items from the sponsors and basically had just as good a time as the fans.
For 103 Jamz, the hotshot was Kevin Coles - who played a little college ball for Wake Forest. He gave celebrity coach Bruce Smith of the Buffalo Bills fits all night.
``I wish I was out there,'' said Smith, a former Booker T. Washington basketball standout who wasn't playing because of recent shoulder surgery. ``He wouldn't be driving like that if I was out there.''
No doubt!
The celebs countered with Carlton Johnson, a recent signee with the Miami Tropics.
The two threw in some shots that made everybody wonder why they weren't being watched on cable NBA broadcasts.
The 103 Jamz team held first quarter and halftime leads, only to see the celebrities up by two going into the final period.
From there, it was back and forth, nip and tuck with Coles and teammates Stan Verrett and P.J. Honery heating up for the 103 squad. Johnson kept the celebs in the game.
But at the buzzer, and with 103's Eric Grandison capping the contest with a resounding dunk, it was the Jamz fellas prevailing over the celebs, 121-117.
And more importantly, it was a good lesson for the crowd at Tallwood and 1,000 bucks for the Children's Hospital. MEMO: Got an interesting sports-related story to tell? If so, call The Beacon
at 490-7228 and let us know about it, or write to The Beacon, Sports
Department, 4565 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, Va. 23462. The
fax number is 490-7235.
ILLUSTRATION: World boxing champion Pernell ``Sweetpea'' Whitaker delivers a
body blow while trying to block the shot of Rodney Wilson.
Photos by PETER D. SUNDBERG
ABOVE: Willie Gillus, who plays in the Canadian Football League,
makes fun of P.J. Honery of 103 Jamz radio after Honery simply fell
down while guarding his larger opponent.
RIGHT: Gillus and other players signed autographs, joked around with
the spectators, handed out items from the sponsors and basically had
just as good a time as the fans.
by CNB