So, Fly, what do you recall about your days in Los Angeles circa 1980 playing against LA street-ball legend Raymond Lewis?
"I ate him like Pac Man," Fly said Sept. 24, 2008.
Say what? Lewis, who averaged 32.9 points per game for Cal State-Los Angeles in 1972-73, became a legend on the L.A. blacktop after his college days.
How good was he? According to the web site, www.raymondlewis.com, he was pretty good. "He took on the 30 best street ballers in a single day, and he wiped the floor with them winning all 30 games," according to the web site. "But what made him so great was the way he could destroy NBA pros just as he destroyed every street baller on the blacktop."
Perhaps they forgot about Raymond vs. Fly, who made several trips from New York City to Los Angeles to play street ball.
"I remember playing against him," Fly said. "He was supposed to be one of the top street-ball players out there. Me myself, I was the baddest man on the planet."
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Love of Fly's life
Fly will never forget Paulette Suggs, his faithful girlfriend at Austin Peay.
But Fly now has the love of his life, and he plans to be married in the next year or so.
Fly says he and Lezette Kelley, who works in Manhattan, N.Y., for the U.S. Postal Service, are the next-best-thing to being happily married. The two have been together for years.
"The love of my life," Fly says of Kelley. "Couldn't be any finer."
Nor could his memories of basketball and life at Austin Peay, where Fly met Suggs during his freshman year when he led the Govs into the NCAA Tournament.
"She was from Clarksville," Fly recalls. "I think she was homecoming queen my freshman year."
Suggs now lives near Atlanta and has been successful in the business world. Fly says he has talked to her in recent years, and he will never forget her good looks.
"She was kind of short, and her shape was outrageous," Fly says. "She was the prettiest girl on campus."
But Fly now has the love of his life, and he plans to be married in the next year or so.
Fly says he and Lezette Kelley, who works in Manhattan, N.Y., for the U.S. Postal Service, are the next-best-thing to being happily married. The two have been together for years.
"The love of my life," Fly says of Kelley. "Couldn't be any finer."
Nor could his memories of basketball and life at Austin Peay, where Fly met Suggs during his freshman year when he led the Govs into the NCAA Tournament.
"She was from Clarksville," Fly recalls. "I think she was homecoming queen my freshman year."
Suggs now lives near Atlanta and has been successful in the business world. Fly says he has talked to her in recent years, and he will never forget her good looks.
"She was kind of short, and her shape was outrageous," Fly says. "She was the prettiest girl on campus."
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Seven-City Classic
Fly was a 17-year-old playing for Glenn Springs Academy when he got a phone call from a representative from Coca-Cola.
“Fly, you’ve been chosen to play in the Seven-City Classic,” the voice said. “You’re our pick from New York.”
“Great, where is it? Fly said.
“Los Angeles. We’ll have someone meet you in New York City, take you to the airport, and you’ll fly out here.”
“Cool,” Fly said. “I’ll be ready.”
Fly recalls playing on a team loaded with one player chosen from seven cities on the East Coast, and his East team playing against a team of players selected from cities on the West Coast.
Also on Fly’s team were Galen Baker of Philadelphia, Adrian Dantley of Detroit, and Skip Wise of Baltimore.
“We had a monster team” Fly recalls. “We went out there and destroyed the West team.”
“Fly, you’ve been chosen to play in the Seven-City Classic,” the voice said. “You’re our pick from New York.”
“Great, where is it? Fly said.
“Los Angeles. We’ll have someone meet you in New York City, take you to the airport, and you’ll fly out here.”
“Cool,” Fly said. “I’ll be ready.”
Fly recalls playing on a team loaded with one player chosen from seven cities on the East Coast, and his East team playing against a team of players selected from cities on the West Coast.
Also on Fly’s team were Galen Baker of Philadelphia, Adrian Dantley of Detroit, and Skip Wise of Baltimore.
“We had a monster team” Fly recalls. “We went out there and destroyed the West team.”
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Annie Ruth Williams
It has been a little more than a year since Fly's mother, Annie Ruth Williams, passed away in New York City. She was 91.
Fly will never forget her.
"She was a great person," Fly said August 5. "My mother was more popular than me, to tell the truth."
Annie Ruth Williams was known for her volunteer work and helping others in any way possible. Fly says she was the most giving person he ever knew.
"The way I volunteer today," Fly said, "that's the way my mother did it all her life."
Fly says her funeral and memorial service last August was like a party with more than 2,000 people attending on a blocked-off street.
"We had to get a truck club to block the exits of the street," Fly said. "There must have been 30 truc ks that blocked up the street, and the motorcade, forget it. It was at least 10 to 14 New York City blocks long. They didn't come for me. They came for her."
Fly will never forget her.
"She was a great person," Fly said August 5. "My mother was more popular than me, to tell the truth."
Annie Ruth Williams was known for her volunteer work and helping others in any way possible. Fly says she was the most giving person he ever knew.
"The way I volunteer today," Fly said, "that's the way my mother did it all her life."
Fly says her funeral and memorial service last August was like a party with more than 2,000 people attending on a blocked-off street.
"We had to get a truck club to block the exits of the street," Fly said. "There must have been 30 truc ks that blocked up the street, and the motorcade, forget it. It was at least 10 to 14 New York City blocks long. They didn't come for me. They came for her."
Thursday, July 10, 2008
The Willie Randolph Sports Experience
July 10, 2008.
It's 7 a.m. in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Fly Williams is a supervisor at the Willie Randolph Sports Experience. The program, started by former Major League baseball player Willie Randolph, runs for nine weeks, and Fly works it every day until 5 p.m. when he returns to his home in Brownsville.
"I grew up with Willie," Fly says. "He knows all of us."
Fly has taken time off from his regular job -- working with youth at the Brownsville Rec Center -- to help Randolph with his program.
"I just enjoy the kids, you know," Fly says. "I'm not in my neighborhood."
Fly must have been a hit in East Flatbush.
"The first day I was here, they had about 75 kids," Fly says. "Now they're in the second week, and I've got 160 kids already."
It's 7 a.m. in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Fly Williams is a supervisor at the Willie Randolph Sports Experience. The program, started by former Major League baseball player Willie Randolph, runs for nine weeks, and Fly works it every day until 5 p.m. when he returns to his home in Brownsville.
"I grew up with Willie," Fly says. "He knows all of us."
Fly has taken time off from his regular job -- working with youth at the Brownsville Rec Center -- to help Randolph with his program.
"I just enjoy the kids, you know," Fly says. "I'm not in my neighborhood."
Fly must have been a hit in East Flatbush.
"The first day I was here, they had about 75 kids," Fly says. "Now they're in the second week, and I've got 160 kids already."
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This blog, along with TheFly35.com, will keep you up to date with basketball legend James "Fly" Williams. Check back often!
This blog, along with TheFly35.com, will keep you up to date with basketball legend James "Fly" Williams. Check back often!
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