I recently took at trip to New York City with my wife for a mini vacation. In our journey through the city we came across the West 4th Street Courts, otherwise known as "The Cage".
"The Cage" has become one of the most important tournament sites for the city-wide "Streetball" amateur basketball tournament, and is noted for its non-regulation size. Because it is so small, more emphasis is given to "banging inside," or tough physical play. Usually the sidelines are simply ignored during play.
Numerous national commercials have been shot at The Cage.
Former NBA players Anthony Mason and Smush Parker are some of the nationally recognized ballplayers to learn their tough style of play from The Cage.
The West 4th Street League, founded by a limousine driver named Kenny Graham, has carved its own place in asphalt history. Among the notables who have filled the Cage are Dr. J, Walter Berry, and Jayson Williams. Anthony Mason's Prime Time squad won five titles in the early 1990s. West 4th Street officials estimate that their league attracts more than 100,000 spectators each summer, numbers that Rucker Park rivaled only in its heyday during the late 1960s and early 1970s. West 4th's talent is big, but the court's too small to contain all the flying elbows. To some tourists, this may look like a steel-cage wrestling match. "If you don't like a physical brand of basketball," says A-Train, "stay away from West 4th."
Anytime I have been in New York City, I always make a point to go by Madison Square Garden (The Mecca, The World's Most Famous Arena). Just a special feeling being near that building. So many great sports moments have happened there, anyone who is anyone is music has performed there, and then the Theatre at MSG which hosts the NBA Draft and hosted the NFL Draft until 2005. It is the 3rd busiest arena in the world.
New York City never disappoints. See a Broadway show if the opportunity ever presents itself. Talk about talent. Wow.
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