The year was 1986 and Larry Bird was sporting a stunning mullet, Earvin Johnson was “Magic” and Charles Barkley’s dunks had more weight than his rear-end. That man they call “Magic” pulled a bunch of his friends together, as he was in the habit of doing, to play in a charity-related all-star game. Imaginatively, he named the players the “Magic Johnson All-Stars.” One team wore blue, they were called BLUE. The other team wore white, they were called WHITE.
A Midsummer Night’s Magic was the name of the event and in watching it, any sane man, woman or child would have to declare it one of the greatest all-star games ever played. If the 2010 NBA All-Star Game has even one-quarter of the excitement of this one, I’ll be thrilled.
You have Larry Bird and Magic Johnson on the same team. You’ve got the Human Highlight Film, Clyde the Glide, Isiah, Sir Charles Barkley, Spud Webb (yes, Spud!) and Mark Aguirre… just to name a handful. The coaches were Bill Russell and Jerry West. Chick Hearn called the game… the only element it was missing was a #23 in high-waistbanded short-shorts and Nike hightops. The score was 170-166 — need I say more?
Oh, and in case this dunk-fest of a game was not enough, there was actually an awesomely contested dunk competition as part of the event as well! Spud Webb, Dominique, Sir Charles, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper. How we all would have sold our best Fleer Ultra cards for a ticket to this event.
