Over the years, Prison Journalism Project has published a number of stories about the meaning of sports to people inside.
Sports play a big role in prison. Some people run to feel more human. Others use the predictable cadence of sports seasons to measure the time left on their sentence. And still others are lucky enough to meet their favorite athletes when they visit their prison.
Here, PJP is publishing a collection of six stories about all the ways incarcerated people connect to sports.
“From Prison, I Watched My Nephew Turn Into a Football Star” by Brandon J. Baker: “I played football in high school and was recruited by the University of Oregon, where my other nephew, Gary Baker, played. But instead of reaching the bright lights of a top-tier college football stadium like Brandon, I was sent to prison at 18.”
“Golden State Warriors Bring Their Game to San Quentin Prison” by Timothy Hicks: “The Golden State Warriors have now won five of the eight games they have come into the prison to play. The GSW’s NBA team has also won the NBA Championship four of those times after they have come into the prison.”
“How Clocks — and Football — Help Me Mark a Life Sentence” by Kamili Matata: “In June 2021, I went before the parole board and was denied. I was given three years to make more improvements for a shot at parole in 2024. I measure that time as three Vikings seasons, three Super Bowls and three NFL drafts. Regardless of whether or not I am paroled in 2024, I know that the work I have put in to better myself will give me the tools I need to make the gift of time work for me.”
“So I Run” by K.C. Johnson: “For a moment, I close my eyes and become my other self — my more-human self. I plug in my headphones, adjust my shades, and suddenly I am alone, just another person going for a run. I run with music, never silence. The silence is a vacuum, allowing darkness to seep in, weighing me down as it slowly fills my mind. My body is craving a physical punishment. So I run.”
“Touch Starved: Finding Meaningful Physical Contact Through Prison Hoops” by A. Smith: “As I watched, I took particular notice of how often the men touched one another. They blocked each other ferociously, looping arms around their quarry, touching lower backs, chests and forearms. At one point, one man held his hands on another man’s side as he came down from a layup.”
“I’m Watching the Knicks’ Playoff Run From Prison” by Darrell Powell: “For more than 20 years, I served one of the most miserable sentences while rooting for one of the most miserable teams in sports. But things have started to turn for the Knicks, who have made the playoffs three of the last four seasons. In some ways, I have seen my own life reflected in the ups and downs of my favorite basketball team.”