Lamarr Edwards was
nothing to be taken lightly on the hoop court or at the bowling alley.
Nicknamed “Spider” for his quick
reflexes and known for his trademark
soaking-wet jheri curl, Edwards
never became a household name
outside of Genesee County, but
was equally impressive as many
professionals in both bowling and
basketball.
“His jheri curl kind of flied when
he was going down the court,” said
Craig Coney, a former Oakland
University basketball star who
battled Edwards in AA City League
games. “I just remember his
quickness and that first step to the
basket and he was real slim, so he
didn’t have much weight to carry
around to make the moves.”
The University of Michigan’s
iconic “Fab Five” basketball team
got caught up in Edwards’ spider
web on Monday, Nov. 23, 1992. In
front of 7,200 fans at Crisler Arena
in Ann Arbor, Spider pumped in 29
points to help Sam Ragnone AAU
beat the top-ranked Wolverines
122-121 in overtime of a preseason
exhibition contest.
UM sophomore Chris Webber
downplayed the loss at the time.
C-Webb was quoted in The Flint
Journal’s archives as saying: “This
is just an exhibition,” he said. “Was
it a wake-up call when Chicago
(Bulls) lost in exhibition?”
Despite Webber’s indifference on
the outcome, the game certainly
catapulted the Spiderman into
legendary status in his hometown.
“I happened to be at the game,”
said Genesee County Judge
Duncan Beagle. “It was only an
exhibition and (Michigan) may not
have been treating it like a real game, but the bottom line is that
Spider Edwards was the best player
on the court that night.”
Edwards is once again in the
spotlight as he joins the Greater
Flint Area Sports Hall of Fame’s
Class of 2012 for his heroic exploits
in sports. He is already a member of
the Flint Bowling Hall of Fame.
