To whoops and cheers from the crowd in a half-time ceremony at the game Thursday night, APSU retired the jersey of basketball great James “Fly” Williams. The crowd at the Dunn Center went wild.
William’s jersey plaque was placed on the north wall of the Center, a sports arena years after Martin put APSU on the sports map.
Williams expressed his appreciation to the SRO crowd and thanked former coach Lake Kelly and his teammates from 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons. APSU lost the game with Martin in an overtime decision, 87-82, dropping APSU to 12-10 in the Ohio Valley Conference.
In his time at APSU, Brooklyn native James “Fly” Williams brought national acclaim to the previously unknown college basketball team on the Clarksville campus. “Good memories,” Fly said, even as his fans remembered his exhuberant style on and off court. Fly led APSU to NCAA tournaments twice.
Fly is currently promoting a book, Fly 35, by Dave Link, which documents Fly’s life, including his later involvement with drug addiction, violence and time spent in prison.
His rehabilitation from that seamier side of life now has him placing his hand “in God’s” and working to bring a message of hope to young people in sports and beyond sports.
