Brooklyn Living Legend Darryl Winston, son of Raymond and Armeda Winston, attended and graduated school in Brooklyn, Illinois. Their home was located at 506 South 5th St. Darryl was an outstanding basketball player during his high school years. He was awarded a full ride athletic scholarship to Kansas State University. He and team mates Ellsworth Wellmaker, Rick McKire, Jesse Woolfork, Forrest Newborn, Glenn Chapman, James Smith, Arnette Sumpter, and Stanley Crawford set the basketball courts throughout Illinois on fire from 1971-1973 with Coach Ernest Page Jr.

A birth of pride and support in the village for the Lovejoy Wildcats was born that was unprecedented and has never been repeated. When the team had an away game, three chartered busses were needed to accommodate the students who wanted to attend the games. These busses were followed by a caravan of adults in cars. Brooklyn was a ghost town. We showed up and showed out. We came out so strong for our team, the home team had to give us a section of their seats.

Have you ever heard of the Winston Rule in NCAA basketball?

Interviewing Darryl to update his profile has been surreal. His is a part of Brooklyn's history that I lived in the moment with many others who are reading his narratives. Reliving the anticipation of the games, feeling the adrenaline coursing through your body when a Wildcat stole the ball and rushed down the court to make a shot AND the shot hitting nothing but net was an explosion of emotions that washed over your body.

For the completion of his profile, I asked him to create his own narrative and we would post it. He told me to let everyone know that he's enjoying hearing from those who have reached out to him with calls. If anyone wants to add comments, Darryl appreciates the love.

As a young kid walking, around Brooklyn from the low end to uptown as it was fondly called in those days I always dreamed of being a baseball star like my role models, my parents. They both played baseball & softball. I experienced a growth spurt that ended my baseball aspirations and I chose basketball. My role models in basketball were Jabo Butler, Mart Winston ( my cousin) and my brother, who was a coach in St. Louis at Southwest high-school. Mr. Ernie page Sr. and Ernie Page Jr. were my mentors.

My decision at Lovejoy school to play basketball was made by Mr. George Hudson who directed our music program. In the band I payed percussions. I went to him telling him that I made the basketball team and I had to make a choice because band and basketball practice was at the same time . He laughed and said I’ll make a choice for you. Go play basketball I’ve seen you play both.

As a freshman on the basketball team, coach Burns cut me because I couldn’t do enough push-ups and my body physique didn't meet his qualifications. After he was dismissed, (my father was on the school board ), Earnest Page Jr. became the new coach of our basketball team. He embraced me and empowered me to work hard and be the best player that I could be. I thank him for the love he showed me. Our high school basketball team was not very good at the time. All the schools from St. Louis and Illinois in our league preyed upon us. As time went by, Coach Page built a dynasty. We were prepared to dominate the courts. We became a Power House to contend with. In 1972, the Lovejoy Wildcats advanced to the state tournament. We lost to the defending champs Lawrenceville. In 1972-1973 season we lost to the defending champs, Venice. Both seasons were great years for Brooklyn. The pride in our village was incredible. The pride that we had within our little town, with great fans and a proud people had arrived.

The most important game in the 1971-72 season I remember was the first time in that season the Wildcats played Lincoln high school. Lincoln was a much larger school whose basketball team had a fierce reputation. Our school basketball team had not beaten them in years. The night of the game, the gym was packed. It was a buzz all around town for this game. Tye gymnasium was packed! There wasnt an empty space in the bleachers. Fans sat on the floors, the gymnasium stage was opened and seats were placed to make additional seating available. Fans were still outside, waiting to be admitted. To avoid tempers flaring, they too were admitted to standing room only space in the gym. Talk about a fire hazard! I remember there were five White basketball coaches sitting on the side of the bench of the opposing team. They came to look at Lincoln players against us upstarts. Lincoln beat us by 30 points the year before and who knows how many points the years before that. After the tremendous game that the Wildcats played, we beat Lincoln for the first time in Lincoln‘s history! Lincoln players cried, and we jumped with joy! The coaches who came to witness what they thought would be a sweep by Lincoln, were left speechless that night.

After our historic victory, everyone headed to the Chinaman joint for some pork and rice or shrimp St. Paul, and to Mr. Ezekial Trice's restaurant trailer to get a tripe sandwich or burger basket to celebrate.

Our second match up with Lincoln was on their home court. They had talked trash all week in the newspaper of how they were going to beat us. They bragged about an unprecedented sweep. We were confident that if they did win, it wouldn't be the shameful beating they were accustomed to before Coach Ernie Page's Wildcats took them to task. I will never forget this incident as long as I live. I dove into the crowd for a loose ball on the Lincoln side. I felt the coldness of a long pistol on my cheeks. The voice said, " If you score again, you die!" After I left the crowd, I went back to our bench, a little shaken and nervous. I scanned the crowd of Wildcat's fan. I spotted Jake Harris, Bunch Jefferson, Dexter Swift, Jonny Bill (my cousin), and Reginald Adams. In our humble village, they had the reputation of being THE REGULATORS. I felt at ease and gained my composure when I saw them because I knew they would have layed it down to protect my life. I told Coach Page what had happened. Anger flashed across his face and he said, " F#@ck them N*gg*s! Let's play ball!" My teammates ( Jesse Woolfork, Glenn Chapman, Stanley Crawford (Big Juicy), Richard McKire, Forest Newbern, James ( Smitty Rue) Smith, Ellsworth Wellmaker and I played a valid game. To Lincoln‘s disappointment, they won by a dissapointing two points. After the game, Lincoln fans were so infuriated by their measely point victory, they began chasing us when we exited the gym to board our bus home. I've never seen Smitty Rue run that fast in my life! He beat everybody boarding the bus that night. We played as a team and fought to the end. We finished sixth in the state of Illinois that year by losing to Lawrenceville, who won it all.

The next season, 1972 to 1973, most of the team was back with exception of Glenn Chapman and Stanley Crawford. Two of my most memorable games was my first game against St. Louis Public League, a powerhouse. We beat them by 30.points. Their coach said that he scheduled their first came against us because he was told it would be an easy win. I guess somebody told him wrong.

Our next big win that season was against our hometown rivals, Madison. We all remember Brooklyn and Newport never ever ever got along on or off the court! We were always fighting. Generations before us carried the same town rivalry. This game presented itself as an opportunity to take them to the whipping shed for all the years past. We thoroughly beat them three times that season on the court. Man....you couldn't tell B-town people N.O.T.H.I.N.G.! As this generation would say, We were the shiiid! The pride and positive attention that Coach Page, our basketball team and school band, directed by Mr George Hudson brought to our village was phenomenal. Some may say they were among the best years living in Brooklyn.