June 12, 2006
High School Schedule
Washington, D.C. - A summer tradition at Georgetown University tipped off again at McDonough Gym as the famed Kenner League began play on the Hilltop during the first weekend in June.
For almost 20 years, future NBA stars and D.C. playground legends have made names for themselves in the James "Jabbo" Kenner League, the highlight of D.C. summer hoops. Named after one of the founders and first director of the Metropolitan Police Boys' and Girls' Club of Washington DC, the Kenner league has for nearly 20 years attracted high school, college and professional players from throughout the area to come together in the off-season and play in a team-oriented atmosphere that is both competitive and safe. It has also provided fans, friends and family the chance to see great hoops action in air conditioned comfort.
High school play in the Kenner League began on June 4, and games run through July 30. The college and pro schedule is slated to start in early July and will be released soon.
With students, faculty, staff, alumni and sports enthusiasts in attendance, basketball luminaries such as Washington Wizards' NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas, Brendan Haywood and Sam Cassell of the Los Angeles Clippers have played in the league. The list of former Kenner leaguers includes Allen Iverson, Jerome Williams, Mike Sweetney, Othella Harrington, Alonzo Mourning, and Dikembe Mutombo to name but a few. Its great competition and exciting for the fans, but why is it called the Kenner league?
For some fifty years, James" Jabbo" Kenner, whose powerful punches as a professional prize fighter earned him the name "JABBO", fought to help the young and disadvantaged in the Washington Metropolitan area. He began as an amateur boxer at age 15 and for three years was the D.C. Amateur Athletic Champion. In 1937 he helped found and was the first to direct the Metropolitan Boys' Club of Washington, DC.
People who have known and felt the care and concern of this distinguished man include such international celebrities as Congressman Walter Fauntroy, boxing champ Sugar Ray Leonard, former Senator Edward Brooke, and former late great TV personality Peter Greene. He also had a strong influence on two former Georgetown student athletes: John "Bay Bay" Duran and Craig "Big Sky" Shelton, and on Hall of Fame basketball coach John Thompson, Jr. Mr. Kenner helped old and young alike. In the course of his life he had taken into his home twelve foster children and four senior citizens.
James Kenner received an Honorary Doctorate from Georgetown University in 1981. His death in 1983 ended a lifetime dedicated to helping people in the Washington Metropolitan area. He is remembered through the summer league which bears his name.
Georgetown fans enjoy the Kenner League because they get the chance to see how their players stack up against this level of talent. Year in and year out the Hoyas don't disappoint, including capturing the last two league titles. During the summer of 2004, the "Tombs" represented by Jeff Green, Jonathan Wallace, Roy Hibbert and Tyler Crawford captured the championship. The "Tombs" returned to the title game during the summer of 2005, with Green and Wallace still on the roster, but lost to "Clyde's," which was directed by Ashanti Cook and Hibbert.
There is no cost for the High School Summer League or the College and Pro League as well. There will be an admission fee of $3.00 for the Nike Pro City Summer Challenge, which will take place on July 11. The Nike Pro City Summer Challenge is a showcase of three games, playoffs and all-star games, which are listed on the website for Game Plan Sports, Inc.
