"If this was just to keep kids off the streets," says Liberty City Optimist president Samuel K. Johnson, "I would have stopped participating. Eventually they won't be little kids any more. We have to help them build their decision-making process so they can make the right choices in life. You can't put it on these kids. You can't put it on them. These kids are born into hellish conditions." That spins my theory, and sounds very nice and all, but words aren't reality.
Reality is a ten-year-old kid who weighs 200 pounds and quits playing little league because the others deride him, call him Fat Boy. Reality is Sam Johnson going to that overweight boy's grandparents' home and telling that child, "Hold your head up. Carry yourself with pride. Then they'll call you Big Boy - out of respect." Reality is two years later, a tournament game, Big Boy ripping his first over-the-fence home run. "To see his facial expression," Johnson says, "was the pay for all the work."
During the day Johnson drives a bus for the county. Five years ago he started out with nine youngsters - a baseball team. Two years ago he met the evil Luther Campbell, who decided to sponsor baseball teams and help kick off a football program. In October of 1990 the operation moved under the Optimist umbrella. The first Optimist-sanctioned event was not a baseball, football, or basketball game. It was an oratorical essay contest. "Not all kids want to play sports," Johnson notes. "This is about helping them develop to adulthood - self-discipline, respect, what they need to survive in this world. Eventually they'll be the Greg Bakers calling me for a newspaper quote." (C'mon, Sam, they can do better than that.)
"Look at the majority of our kids in this community," Johnson, who lives in Liberty City, continues. "They don't have the resources or the strong family structure. Some are abandoned even though they're up under the roof. There are parents that don't come to a game, while their child is out there doing his best. And there also are good hard-core parents who come to all the games and functions. Someone in Luke's position who takes time to reach back is more than just helpful financially. He presents a good image for some of these young kids. You help try to put something back in. Put this in your story: The call is out to everyone in the community - business, religious, grassroots - to find some way to give support. And those outside the community need to realize that what goes on here affects the whole city. It takes dollars and manpower. Give me one hour or two hours out of the week and I'll find plenty for you to do. With 500 kids, you have to have resources. I'm a working person, and I know $100 can hurt to give. But put that against a kid getting caught up with the wrong crowd. It's nothing but a penny when that kid winds up dead."
For the records: Reggae stalwart Bigga is back, bigga than ever, with his new album Riding the Wave, fronted by a single featuring "Sealed with a Kiss," an upbeat summer scorcher that features contributions from master DJ Papa San and Latino rapper Mangu. Human Oddities celebrate their new release, the four-song seven-inch The Earth Will Shake, at Yesterday & Today's Bird Road outlet Saturday at 4:00 p.m. They'll be joined by Eclipse.
After experiencing Marianne Flemming solo, we had the chance to catch her with full band not long ago. Awesome. But it also raised an interesting debate: Better on her own or with band? I don't know. Either way, I recommend that you check out an interview with the guitar-slinging songstress at 2:00 p.m. Saturday on WLRN-FM (91.3) and go see her (with full band) that night at theIsland Club.
You can do so many things at Spec's. Including register to vote. Every Saturday through July 25, Spec's employees (duly deputized) will gladly sign you up for the democratic process. Now you can do just about everything at Spec's - except, of course, buy vinyl recordings.
A few welcome visitors passing through this week: Buckwheat Zydeco, fresh from blowing 'em out on Dave Letterman's teevy show and touring behind a fine new album called On Track, plays at the Musicians Exchange on Friday and Saturday. And Widespread Panic, which I assure you is not the metal band their name suggests, brings some bluesy rockin' to Washington Square on Saturday. Alien Sex Fiend gets weird at the Reunion Room on Friday.
WSHE watch: Because WSHE-FM is the only commercial radio station in this market that even pretends to present modern rock and roll to its listeners, we've decided to keep an ear on them, to find out what they're playing so that we, too, might be able to stay on the cutting edge of rock music in 1992. Each week we'll bring you a list, so you, too, can get hep. This week's red-hot new bands: REO Speedwagon, Fleetwood Mac, Styx.
Bluesmeister Fleet Starbuck begins blues workshops in July at Tobacco Road on Mondays from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. To get in, call 667-7692.
The Pompano Beach Police Department's Safe Streets Unit and Brothers III will team for a "benefit ride" on behalf of the Broward Children's Center this Sunday beginning at the Plaza Del Mar (200 S. Ocean in Manalapan) at 11:30 a.m. The procession moseys to Brothers III in Pompano, where the Hard Luck Blues Band will perform at 1:00 p.m. There'll be food, door prizes, "jail and bail," arm wrestling, and, of course, the traditional weenie bite (hey, that's what they call it).
Midnight Oil declined to participate in the Earth Summit after learning that shanty towns were torn down to put up the conference centers.
The always loud Load's carrying on, and I don't care how many plates these guys break, I like 'em a lot. After playing the Slammies tomorrow (Thursday), Load celebrates the release of Hellraiser Sessions (see review in "On the Beat") with a jam at the Ambassador Club in Deerfield Beach on July 2. Then they take off on their Southern Fried Southern Tour '92. I should note that the Ambassador show will also star Postface and an incredible band from Jacksonville called President Ray Ray, featuring Mr. Ray Ray Raymond John McRay McKelvy Stiletto (remember Stevie?) Jr. III and a powerhouse gang of backing musicians. The group's new Back in Arms cassette is a nutball of entertainment, and you must check it out if you like rock and roll at all. It'll beat you black and blue.
Ed Bell's South Florida's Own (on cable's Dade County Educational Channel 35 every Friday at 10:00 p.m. through July) will spotlight jazzman Arthur Barron mixing it up with his trio and his quartet.
Do me: Collapsing Lungs breathe heavy Thursday at the Purple Grotto in Plantation. Jezebel gets hard Friday at the Plus Five in Davie. And on Sunday you can see the area's better blues bands compete at Tobacco Road, an event that also serves as a benefit for the South Florida Blues Society (join at the door and get in free, or pay just six bucks to experience a bunch of bands).
Butthorn of the week: Rotten Lawton Chiles. This guy has done as much for the environment as Exxon and has contributed to the fight for animal rights as much as any hunter or circus operator has. He's gotta go.
The media circus: The fate of a nation turns on Arsenio Hall, Sister Souljah, and MTV. Hell, yes, I'm voting for Ray Ray.