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Macker backer promotes having good time at event
By John Bassetti
YOUNGSTOWN
Photo
Mark Seger of Cortland Ohio is about to put up a shot over Phil Monfoletto of Buffalo New York.
It was quite a sight.
Flags, colors, music and plenty of movement.
That was a description of Saturday’s Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament in the Covelli Centre parking lot.
“Unbelievable. What a day,” said Dolph Carroll, a committee member of the local tournament which was organized by Youngstown Christian School.
To validate Carroll’s statement was national Gus Macker founder Scott McNeal.
“The objective of Gus Macker is to have a good time,” the 54-year-old Michigan resident said of his tournaments in 50 cities around the country.
“It’s hard to describe,” said McNeal. “It’s lots of things,” he said while eating a Tropical Sno treat in Saturday’s sun.
McNeal attends one Macker each weekend in the summer. He visited Youngstown because of its relative newness.
“I try to help organizers get started. I go town to town and create these little relationships and hope they get the Macker bug, like the Youngstown Christian people,” McNeal said. “They’ve put in a lot of work and you can see that from the way the event has been received.”
The Gus Macker concept is simple.
“It’s half-court basketball, but it’s more of a family, festival-type thing,” McNeal said. “The more we make it that way, the more we think people will come.”
McNeal admits that it’s a niche event that fits best in small towns.
It has pockets of popularity, such as Chillicothe, Nelsonville, Zanesville and Lancaster.
“We have about 12 in Ohio, but we’re not as strong in the northeastern part. It has that small town barn-raising feel,” McNeal said. “Once it glows, everybody wants one in their town. I’ve got to make sure I don’t saturate it.”
It’s been compared to Cooperstown and the Soap Box Derby atmosphere.
It’s Americana.
Although the concept may be interpreted differently, McNeal’s role is to maintain the uniformity of the game and the system.
He wants the “driveway” flavor of 3-on-3 perpetuated.
Macker is not a non-profit, but it works with non-profits in every town.
“We’re a regular LLC-type of company that I own,” McNeal said. “I travel around and benefit local groups. They hire me to bring the baskets, do the scheduling and do the color commentary.”
His Macker traveling troupe provides the trophies and rolls out the bible of how to do Macker from town to town.
“We take them to a conference, instruct and walk hand-in-hand as they carry out the work,” McNeal said. “The ultimate goal is to keep money in the town for whatever the designated benefit is.”
McNeal was a school teacher and coach.
“They say if you can’t play the game, coach, and if you can’t coach, start your own tournament,” McNeal said.
McNeal’s wife does scheduling and his mother sells merchandise. The year-round operation has a staff of 6 or 7.
Seasonal employees are college kids from Michigan.
McNeal considers Macker the Barnum & Bailey of half-court basketball.
The Macker pseudonym originated in his youth.
“I was in shop class in 6th grade and one friend was given the job of putting names on our lockers. Instead of putting my real name, the kid made up a nickname. With Mack, he took Gus,” McNeal said. “I don’t know where Gus came from, but rumors point to a Michigan State coach back in the day. So he stole Gus and threw it on the Mack.”
Some locations, such as Quincy, Ill., and Muncie, Ind., have held Gus Mackers for 20-25 years.
“It’s for the guy sitting in the Lazy Boy or the kid, who may or may not play at all,” McNeal said.”
The tournament counts college coach Rick Mahorn as an alumnus.
Sharon, Pa., was the site of Mackers for years.
“The Frankovich family ran it out of their home, but had it downtown,” McNeal said. “It benefited local charities there. Basically, they couldn’t run it because it got too big and they got tired.
“A lot of volunteer groups burn out after 10 years or so of Macker,” McNeal said. “It’s a lot of work. ‘Frankie’ just couldn’t keep it going. They’re in our hall of fame. They’re very close to our family.”
McNeal had a reunion with the Frankovich family on Saturday.
“You can discover it [the Macker idea], but if you don’t find someone who has that Macker bug, you need that rally monkey because it’s a lot more work than you get in return.”
McNeal tried to explain the Macker magic.
“It’s something people get in their blood and can’t wait until next year. It’s like a country fair in a lot of towns. I couldn’t dream of doing anything more fun than this.”
The event’s national scope skyrocketed after Sports Illustrated had a lengthy story in 1985.
“That’s when it turned from being in my driveway to something national,” McNeal said of the 3-on-3 that peaked in the mid-80s through the 1990s.
“Now, we’re chasing a dream of keeping going. It still seems to have a good following and has become a lot more youth-oriented,” he said. “When I first started going around the country, it was mainly adult males. Now it’s 55-60 percent youth. We like that because we’re kind of Disney-like with our Macker guy.”
McNeal admits that Macker’s corny style and prohibition of alcohol and tobacco may not be for everyone.
“We don’t mind being in little downtowns because that fits us. Putting it in bigger cities doesn’t have the same feel.”