It was just another assignment when I went down to the old Trailer Park gym on Rome Ave. to do a story on the Florida Wheels. This was back in the dark ages of the ‘70s and even being sportswriter I couldn’t work up a whole lot of enthusiasm for wheelchair basketball.
It was Chuck Porter, a member of the Wheels squad, who had lured me onto the court, loaning me his chair so I could experience a little bit of the game.
It took about five minutes to realize that this was a different game requiring different skills. While the two teams raced up and down the court I made one trip and was out of gas. Not only that my hands were getting raw from trying to twist the chair around. And I was getting banged around by other players in chairs. In short I was getting mugged on the court.
But the experience also allowed me to feel a little of the bonding of the players, men who had decided to take on their special challenges to the fullest. I did my story and then found myself coming back to the gym and even borrowing a chair now and then to worked with the team, even if I was no match for their skill level.
After a couple of hours in the unairconditioned gym they would roll over to Leos bar for a couple of beers. It became a weekly ritual. The Wheels played in a national league and traveled around the South playing in their division.
The Wheels disbanded years ago but Porter, who has worked as chairman of the Mayor’s Alliance on Disabilities, called to tell me they will have a reunion next Wednesday, May 14th at 1 p.m. at the Embassy Suites out on Fowler Ave.  by the USF campus. He’s looking for former players, coaches, refs, anybody who was a part of that special time. If you want some more information, you can call Chuck Porter at (813) 886-4163.