As a longtime resident of League City, some of Dr. Lynn Davis’ favorite childhood memories include time spent on the basketball court at League Park.
“Everybody knew everybody and that meant games every night before heading home for dinner.” said Davis. “It’s where we hung out.”
Joining Davis on the concrete court were the Lenox brothers, Bennie, Curley, and Scooter, along with their nephews Jimmie Dale and Ronnie. Honing their skills at League Park, all five of the boys went on to play basketball at Clear Creek High School and began a basketball legacy for the school under the direction of George B. Carlisle, who guided the Wildcats to 11 state tournaments in 13 years, including a 1963 state championship.
“Clear Creek basketball was everything to the League City community back then,” said Davis. “You would have to arrive hours early to get a seat for the game, but it was worth it to watch the Lenox family. They were my buddies and teammates, but they were amazing. I learned a lot from those guys, and they set pretty high standards.”
Bennie Lenox went on to play at Texas A&M and led the Southwest Conference in scoring his junior and senior years, and he held the single-game SWC scoring record of 53 points. He was drafted into the NBA by the Baltimore Bullets. Curly went on the play for Texas A&M and Southwest Texas State. When Jimmie Dale was a junior and Curly was a senior, the Wildcats won the state championship in 1963, with Jimmie Dale scoring 28 points in the championship game. Brother Ronnie was also a contributor to the basketball legacy, but he also excelled in football and earned a scholarship to Stephen F. Austin University. Scooter was the last to emerge from the Lenox bloodline and went on play three years at the University of Texas. During his senior year the longhorns beat the University of Houston in the NCAA tournament.
Of the five Lenox basketball-playing family members, only Scooter and Ronnie are living. As a tribute to his longtime friends and to honor their legacy in the League City community, Dr. Davis recently spearheaded an effort to rename the basketball court at League Park “The Lenox Family Court.”
“League City has always had a huge basketball community and the Lenox family were instrumental in creating that,” said Davis. “I wanted to do something to honor my friends and their contributions to this city.”
The League City Council unanimously approved the naming in September of 2020, and a dedication ceremony is planned for Saturday, April 24 at 10 a.m. at League Park with family members coming in from all over the state. Supporters of Clear Creek High School Basketball and members of the community are invited to attend as well.
