The Greater Good Seven led by Will Jones, in Celebration of Black History Month written by Dr Sheryl Dillard
In 1972 I was fortunate enough to begin a chapter in my life that would make a lifelong impression. My mom registered me for my first basketball camp, the American University summer camp located in the Pocono Mountains. It was there I met my mentor/counselor Will Jones the most animated personality in basketball, liken to that of the GREATEST then known as Cassius Clay. Will took me under his wing without hesitation his keen eye for raw talent, afforded me the opportunity as junior in high school to play with college ballers. One of those college standouts was Kermit Washington the last player to average 20 points and 20 rebounds in division one basketball. Washington went on to have great NBA career.
Under the tutelage of Jones, I played in the Tournament of Champions playing alongside Moses Malone and Skip Wise. I was checking the great Aubrey Nash; he went for 25 points in the 1st half before they put me on him and I held Nash down in the 2nd half. Coach’s remark was “Penny Greene” I knew you could shoot, but I didn’t know you played defense!”That was a very proud moment for me, I had the blessing from one of the godfathers of DC Basketball.
The career of Will Jones continued as a great high school and college coach, first at Robinson HS , University of Maryland and then University of District of Columbia coaching a winning National championship Team. As I researched for the now DC.Basketball.com, I discovered my one time coach and mentor was the most respected basketball player in the DC basketball community. His legendary persona included scoring 54 points in a college game, the groundbreaking athlete who was a First Team All Metropolitan, and the word on the street was he talked much trash to Wilt “the Stilt” Chamberlain, when Wilt came to DC to play against the great Elgin Baylor, the original “Show Time” of the Los Angeles Lakers.
These attributes as athlete and coach were impressive, but nothing impacted me more about Will Jones than his heroism and humanitarian during the Boycott of 1956 against The Boys Club of America.
Life Experience of Penny "4 Ever Young" Greene
Story Written by Jerry Davis Washington Post
Twenty – four of the area’s finest schoolboy basketball players will complete in the tenth annual All-High, All-Prep game today 3pm at the Fort Myer gymnasium.
The game will benefit the Big Brother Club work fund. The All-High team took a 5-4 edge in the series by scoring a 79-64 victory in last year’s contest.
Seven players originally selected for the All-High team will not play in today’s game. They took themselves off the squad in protest of the segregation policy of the Boy’s Club of Washington. The Boys’ Club is a major recipient of funds from the game through the Big Brothers Club.
The seven boys missing from the All-High lineup are Willie Jones of Dunbar, Gene Johnson and Dickie Wells of Spingarn, Bill Thomas Phelps, Willie Wood and Bob Archer of Armstrong and O’Donnell Hooks of Cardozo.
The All-High team will be coached by Julian Colangelo of Coolidge.Co-coaches for the All-Prep squad will be Tommy Nolan of Gonzaga and Joe Gallagher of St. Johns.
Members of the All-Prep team are: Jim Mandes and Jim Collins of St John’s Don Dell of Landon, Tom McCloskey and Bill Sheahan of Gonzaga, Dick Petrillo of John Carroll, Porter Shreve of St Albans, John McDonough and Ernie Cage of DeMatha, Dave Wilson of St Anthony’s, Bob Murphy of Priory, Jim Stant of Mackin and Tony Carroll of Georgetown.
The All-High squad is composed of Bill Talent of Chamberlain ,Alan Savage and Milt Michaelis of Coolidge ,Bob Bolen and John Kelly of McKinley Tech. Lew Luce of Wilson, Jim Pratt of Eastern, Demetre Koutras of Roosevelt, Calvin Knott of Anacostia and Bob Lomax and Ray Lombardi of Western-Jerry Davis.
“The cause of every human being is their right to pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, to dream and manifest that dream with all its privileges as an American. But if the dignity of one is betrayed the dignity of all could be forgotten.” Racism had met their match the Greater Good Seven.
Dr. Sheryl Dillard, Poet Laureate
