From the radio announcer, “ JimmyJoe Tanner, top of the key, three seconds on the shot clock, fade away, wild, off balance shot, no good, rebound George Tiller, who heaves it down court, misses everything and the ball goes out the far door. Little Tommy Sharkey, run little buddy, he'll go get the ball. Okay, then, that's it. There's the buzzer. From the Macon, Georgia YMCA. The Macon Klansmen 25, the Selma White Brotherhood 18.”

“What a game.” said his color man. “ I think Hiram Wilkins has finally got his one handed dribble working.”

“Good game all around. Billy Ray Smith leading the charge with six points, two rebounds, and did you see that dunk he made in the first quarter. Holy Cow! This win by the Klansmen probably gets them into the playoffs. They'll be up against the Huntsville Heroes of the Fiery Cross and of course the Birmingham Imperial Dragons, the league leaders.”

As the teams left the court, LeMar bounced his ball past the announcers table and began shooting baskets, practicing his jump shot.

“So, this is Jethro Lynch along side Nathan Forrest, sending you back to the station, for a commercial break, then we'll be right back to talk with league President Don 'Moose' Lewis, President of the newly formed AABA, All American Basketball Alliance. The all White League. Don't go away. We'll be right back.”

“Need help with your septic tanks. Call me, Billy Joe Candoo. Offices in Savannah, Macon and Montgomery. Our trucks will pump you out where ever. From Augusta, up to Charlotte, been as far away as Atlanta and Greensboro, if you really need us. So when your tank is full of it, and well...you'll know when it is, oh boy, call me, BillyJoe Candoo! We got the solution to your problem! Okay, now back to the game. Jethro.”

“Thanks Billy Joe. Good guy, out to clean up the community. Okay, okay. The next game for the Klansmen, Knoxville Imperial Wizards. They're having some problems with their venue, seems they can't use the YMCA anymore. They spent too much money on their gray uniforms and got behind in their lease payment to the Y. Anyway, they'll find a way, even if they have to play outside in the middle of the night by fire light.

“That's right,” said Nathan, his color man.

“It's the way it is with a new enterprise. An all white basketball league. And who better to talk about it is league's President Don Lewis. He came to the game tonight. Hello, Mr. Lewis.”

“Call me Moose, everybody does. I'm just fine, Jethro. What a game, huh?”

“Now we've been getting a lot of letters...and well...you've read them.”

“Sure have,” said Moose. “Seems people have the wrong idea about our league There's nothing hatred about what we're doing, I don't hate anyone of color. But white, American-born citizens are in the minority now. We want to emphasize fundamental basketball instead of street-ball played by people of color. Like in the NBA, you got Gilbert Arenas bringing guns into a locker room. Fans don't like the way professional sports are run. So my idea was only players that are natural born United States citizens with both parents of Caucasian race will be allowed to play in our league.”

LeMar dribbled past and hit a 30 footer off the glass.

“You tell me,” said Moose. "Would you want to go to the game and worry about a player flipping you off or attacking you in the stands or grabbing their crotch? In a free country we should have the right to move toward something better."

Moose watched LeMar sink a forty footer. “Anyway,” he said. “If there was an all-black league, would anyone get excited? If someone wanted to start an all-female league because the male athletes had an unfair physical advantage, would anyone complain?” He looked over as LeMar hit another shot off the glass.

“Let's ask the young man shooting hoops,” said Moose. “Hey boy. Got a minute.” LeMar came over.

“You think what we're doing here is wrong?” asked Moose.”

“All white league? I don't have a problem with it. People should be free to start any league they want. Free country.”

Moose straightened up in his chair. “ Your right, son. If there can be the Black Entertainment Television, so why not a White Entertaining Basketball. That's what I'm saying.”

“But.” asked LeMar, “how can you compete with the best players, the ones in the NBA.”

“NBA? That league's been going down hill ever since Larry Bird quit. Too many me-players and thugs. They care less about the game than themselves. It shows on the court.”

“Oh, I don't know,” said LeMar. “There are white guys who like to play with guns, too. If the NBA bans the worst, and stops those big salaries, they won't be acting so crazy.”

A lady from the stands came down. “Been listening on the radio. I like this all white league. At work we have an African/American employees association, Latino association, Chinese association and Gay/Lesbian, but no white person association. They'd be calling me a Nazis, or racists if I tried to start one.

”But I think,” said LeMar. “White people want to really watch the best players play.

A janitor, mopping the floor, came over. “Seems like everyone needs a history lessons here. The main reason there are so many minority groups in this country, especially black ones, is because blacks and other minorities were not allowed into the white ones. As for a pro white basketball league, it's nothing new. They used to all be white.”

Moose waved his hand, “You have all types of black only organizations: NAACP, National Urban League, Rainbow Push Coalition, Miss Black USA, United Negro College Fund, so why can't I start an all white Basketball league?

That's right,” said Jethro. “ I'm thinking you should call Rush Limbaugh. Tuscaloosa's looking for a team. Since the Rams don't want his money, he could invest with us.”

“Here's the problem,” said the Janitor. “Good players wants to be judged by their jump shot, not on the color of their skin. This is a bunch of White Guys who wanna, pass, pass, pass, dribble dribble, dribble, pass pass pass, then a two handed push shot, miss, miss, miss, get sweaty, fall on the ball, hurt themselves, then go for beers and watch real basketball on TV. But hey, they're pros.”

“Well, that's your opinion, sir,” said Moose. “They said nobody would watch. Said no one would ever sponsor it. Whites only is no better than a pick up game. I've heard it, Jethro. But we'll keep going. So, I'm telling everybody. We're expanding. Ten thousand dollars and you're a pro basketball owner! Contact me at all/Caucasian/we/are/not/racist/only /pure/Basketball/.com

“Well, thank you Moose, for setting the record straight.” said Jethro. “So, we'll see you all next Thursday night, against the Knoxville Imperial Wizards. Okay, well...thanks for listening. Now back to the studios.”

After the game, Jethro's wife had a problem with her car so LeMar offered to give Jethro a ride home. On the way, Jethro commenting on LeMar's progress.

“We could use a white guy like you on our team, LeMar. Way you shoot.”

“I'll keep practicing. Somebody might see me, get a pro tryout of some sort.”

“Maybe, if we can't find enough backers for this league, Moose might relax his rules some. People want to see the best players on the court, black or white, you know. ”

LeMar smiled but didn't say anything. They road home in silence.

(For more on this, Google AABA.)

That's my take. Anything you'd like to say to Moose?

CorneliusButterfield@yahoo.com