Detroit, MI
Radio host turns filmmaker to tell story of Black youth hockey team in Detroit
More than a decade ago, Gerald McBride was invited to a University of Michigan men’s hockey game by a client whose son was playing for the opposing team. It was his first time attending a hockey game and it made a lasting impression on him.
“It is completely sold out and I’m the only Black guy in the entire arena,” said McBride, who left the event wanting to know more about the history of Black players in the National Hockey League and wound up inspired to make a movie.
On Friday, “Black Ice: The Rhythm” opens for a weeklong run in metro Detroit at two metro Detroit theaters: Emagine Canton and the Birmingham 8 Powered by Emagine. It also will be screening at Emagine Birch Run near Flint and another Emagine theater in Minneapolis.
Directed and written by McBride, a longtime Detroit radio host and producer of TV and radio advertisements, the film is a contemporary story that also pays tribute to the long, unsung history of Black hockey players — a legacy that goes back to a Black hockey league formed in 1895 in Nova Scotia.
It follows a gifted young amateur hockey player, Robert (Buck) Taylor, who must put aside his dreams of going pro after a fight with a racist white player sends him to prison. Out on parole, he is tasked with coaching a fledgling youth hockey team at an inner-city Detroit rink that is in danger of being shut down to line the pockets of some local politicians.
“Black Ice: The Rhythm” has a narrative about an underdog team that touches similar emotional chords to “The Mighty Ducks” and “The Karate Kid.” It’s aimed at families and is described as faith-friendly. Winning is one aspect of the team’s quest, but so is making good choices and believing in yourself.
For McBride, who’s celebrating 45 years in radio, the project was more than a new twist to a lengthy career. “It wasn’t about making a bunch of money, but a message that needed to be shared,” he said in a recent phone interview.
The Mumford High graduate had his first brush with radio in 1975 when he represented his school as a Soul Teen Reporter through a program at WJLB-FM (97.9). “Each student would get the opportunity to go to the radio station and report on what was happening at their high school each week,” he recalled. “Once I got a chance to get inside the radio station and then hear myself on the radio, I got bit by the radio bug and have been doing it ever since.”
After attending the Specs Howard broadcasting school (now also covering digital media and graphic design and part of Southfield’s Lawrence Technological University), McBride worked in radio in Rochester, New York, and Flint before joining WMXD about 30 years ago.
He now hosts “Old School House Party” on Saturdays from 7 p.m. to midnight. A segment of the program, “Battle of the Old School,” lets listeners vote on showdowns between music greats, like Luther Vandross vs. the Isley Brothers, Toni Braxton vs. Anita Baker and, most recently, Michael Jackson vs. Prince. The show is syndicated to about 30 stations across the country, according to McBride.
After that memorable U-M hockey game, McBride started working on an idea for a script involving a Black hockey player. “This story just started coming together,” he said. He kept writing draft after draft, took screenwriting classes and even got positive feedback from some Hollywood producers.
With no financial offers on the table, McBride was done with waiting by early 2022. “I just decided to step out on my own, step out on faith, I should say,” he explained. It was then that he started doing preproduction. Shortly before filming started that spring, he was able to secure an SBA loan for $200,000 and later supplemented that amount with some of his own savings.
In the end, McBride was happy that he had so much control over the final product. “I’m so glad that I took this route, that I had an opportunity to learn every aspect of making the movie, distributing the movie, just wearing so many hats when we’re making a movie with an ultra-low budget film. I wouldn’t trade that experience for the world,” he said.
McBride worked with Productions Plus in Bingham Farms to cast the main actors. For the critical part of Coach Taylor, he chose Arthur Cartwright, an actor and filmmaker who won a prestigious 2018 Gilda Award for emerging artists from Kresge Arts in Detroit.
For the young hockey players, he turned to Detroit Ice Dreams, a nonprofit that promotes and subsidizes ice-related sports, mainly hockey, across the region for youths ages 3 to 17. He credits Cynthia Wardlaw, the vice president and program manager of Detroit Ice Dreams (and a devoted hockey mom herself), for connecting him with teens King Moore, Jovonn Crittenden and Tyler Moore, who filled the key roles of Flash, Mike and Jojo.
’They had been skating since they were 5 or 6 years old with Detroit Ice Dreams,” he said. “What a blessing that I was able to find all of these jewels right here in the city of Detroit.”
The majority of the hockey scenes were done at the Jack Adams Memorial Arena at the City of Detroit’s Adams Butzel Complex. Certain scenes also were done at Oak Park Ice Arena. McBride says he is grateful to Detroit for allowing the Jack Adams Memorial Arena ice rink to stay open beyond its usual hockey season in order for filming to take place.
In recent years, the NHL has spread the word on Black achievement in hockey through a mobile museum called the Black Hockey History Tour.
And just this April, Tennessee State University got closer to being the first historically Black school to inaugurate an ice hockey program by hiring Duante Abercrombie as its coach. Tennessee State’s plan for the team was announced in 2023 when the NHL draft occurred in Nashville.
McBride hopes “Black Ice: The Rhythm” will reach audiences all over America to let people know about the young Black athletes who are involved with hockey through Detroit Ice Dreams.
“We’re known as Hockeytown in Detroit, but just 15 minutes from where we have Little Caesars Arena and the Red wings and the Hockeytown restaurants and all of these great things, there is a whole other world of hockey that people don’t know about.”
He believes that once the Emagine showings demonstrate “that we were able to fill some seats here in these four cities, this movie will have legs to go across the country.”
McBride says the lesson of the film applies to his own leap into filmmaking.
“If anybody can walk away with something from the movie, making the right choices in life would be one of the main things. And, of course, the other one is don’t be afraid. Just believe. A lot of times, we’re afraid to step out on our dreams and our ideas.
“But if we’re not afraid,” he added, “we can step out on faith and believe it can happen.”
For tickets and more information on “Black Ice: The Rhythm,” go to its official website at therhythmmovie.com. Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds at jhinds@freepress.com.
Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Ranger Suárez entered Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers with a 1.75 ERA in 15 starts, leading all MLB pitchers.
By the end of Suárez’s 16th start, his ERA jumped to 2.01 (though that was still good enough for first place) because the Tigers scored four runs on five singles in the fifth inning.
The Tigers earned a 4-1 win over the Suárez-led Phillies on Tuesday in the second of three games in the series at Comerica Park. With the victory, the Tigers (37-42) can take the series from the Phillies in Wednesday’s finale.
JACK BE NIMBLE: Tigers’ Flaherty finds elite version of fastball, slider by scrapping cutter
For the Tigers, left-hander Tarik Skubal — the frontrunner to win the American League Cy Young Award — delivered seven scoreless innings on three hits and one walk with seven strikeouts against the National League’s best team to beat the NL’s best pitcher.
He threw 91 pitches.
Skubal, who retired 13 of his final 14 batters, has a 2.32 ERA in 16 starts, which ranks third in MLB. He trails only Suárez (2.01) and Boston Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck (2.18).
The Tigers scored all four runs in the fifth inning against Suárez, sparked by three singles in a row from Justyn-Henry Malloy, Jake Rogers and Ryan Kreidler at the bottom of the lineup.
Kreidler failed to execute bunts on back-to-back pitches, immediately putting himself in a two-strike hole, but instead of striking out, he put a down-and-away changeup in play. The play was ruled an infield single, but shortstop Trea Turner booted the ground ball from Kreidler to load the bases.
The Tigers took a 1-0 lead when Matt Vierling grounded out.
Andy Ibáñez, a right-handed hitter who rakes against left-handed pitchers — with a .375 batting average vs. southpaws — provided some insurance when he attacked Suárez’s down-and-away changeup for a single up the middle, scoring two runs for a 3-0 lead.
A two-out triple from Riley Greene — his fourth triple this season — extended the Tigers’ lead to 4-0. Greene shot Suárez’s middle-down cutter past first baseman Bryce Harper and into the right-field corner.
Suárez allowed four runs on nine hits with zero walks and four strikeouts across six innings. He thrived on groundball outs in the early innings, but the Tigers found holes in the defense in the fifth to help Skubal win the pitching duel.
Meanwhile, Skubal generated 19 whiffs on 42 swings — a 45.2% whiff rate — with 11 changeups, five fastballs, two sliders and one curveball. His fastball averaged 97.5 mph.
Skubal bounced back from back-to-back below-average road performances in his last two starts, in which he allowed four runs in 6⅓ innings to the Houston Astros and five runs (four earned runs) in four innings to the Atlanta Braves.
This time, Skubal shut down the Phillies to show himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball.
Finishing what Skubal started
Right-handed reliever Shelby Miller and right-handed reliever Jason Foley completed the eighth and ninth innings, respectively, to finish what Skubal started.
Miller retired all three batters in the eighth.
Foley couldn’t keep the shutout intact, as Harper — the first batter in the ninth — blasted an elevated fastball for a solo home run to left field, cutting the Phillies’ deficit to 4-1.
It was Harper’s 20th homer this season.
But Foley retired the next three batters — Alec Bohm (flyout), Nick Castellanos (groundout) and pinch-hitter Bryson Stott (flyout) — to finish the game in a tidy 2 hours and 4 minutes.
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
Listen to our weekly Tigers show “Days of Roar” every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com, Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at freep.com/podcasts.
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan this week announced the first three communities selected to build solar arrays on vacant land as part of the city’s Solar Neighborhoods project.
The program, part of the city’s plan to reduce neighborhood blight and fight climate change, aims to create 200 acres of solar arrays to generate enough clean energy to power all 127 of the city’s municipal buildings.
Gratiot/Findlay, Van Dyke/Lynch, and State Fair neighborhoods were selected for Phase 1 of the project, which will turn 104 acres of land in the combined areas into solar fields.
Five more neighborhoods are finalists for the expected Phase 2 of the program.
Neighborhood benefits
Only 21 homes in the area slated for the construction were identified as owner-occupied. Each homeowner accepted at minimum $90,000 and moving assistance to leave the area. Renters in the area will receive the cost of relocating and 18 months of free rent in their new homes.
There are 159 owner-occupied homes in the area adjoining the location of the new fields. Those homeowners will receive $15,000 to $25,000 in energy efficient upgrades to their homes. Upgrade options include:
- Windows
- Roof repairs
- Residential solar panels
- Energy efficient appliances
- Air sealing and home insulation
- Energy efficient hot water heaters and furnaces
- Smart thermostats
- Energy efficient lighting
- Battery backups
The homeowners living in the areas slated for construction who did not want to move were offered the same benefits and agreed to have the fields built around them.
Landlords and vacant landowners will receive fair market value pursuant to Michigan’s condemnation law.
Watch: Crowd goes wild as Rickie Fowler makes winning putt at Rocket Mortgage Classic
Crowd at Detroit Golf Club reacts as Rickie Fowler sinks birdie putt on No. 18 to win three-man playoff at the Rocket Mortgage Classic, July 2, 2023.
Jenna Malinowski, Detroit Free Press
The Rocket Mortgage Classic is returning to the Detroit Golf Club for its sixth iteration. The tournament, featuring 156 golfers, begins Thursday, but there will be events on Tuesday and Wednesday as well.
Tuesday: First Tee — Greater Detroit Youth Clinic
When: 3 p.m.
Where: Driving range behind the clubhouse.
TV/Streaming: None.
The buzz: “The First Tee – Greater Detroit Youth Golf Clinic presented by PGA TOUR Superstore will provide elementary and middle school-aged youth with an opportunity to learn fundamental golf skills and tips from PGA TOUR Teaching Professionals,” according to a release from Rocket Companies. “This [Watch & Learn] format will allow participants to observe as the pros hit balls and talk through their shots. No equipment is required.”
Tuesday: Area 313 Celebrity Scramble
When: 5 p.m.
Where: Detroit Golf Club.
TV/Streaming: None.
The buzz: The Area 313 Celebration Scramble pits six four-player teams against each other in a three-hole exhibition match over Nos. 14-16 at Detroit Golf Club. In addition to the usual golfing celebrities, such as Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo and Detroit Lions legend Calvin Johnson, the event will feature WWE wrestler “The Miz,” Sam Merrill of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson and former Michigan and NBA star Chris Webber.
Wednesday: Detroit Community Days and Delta Dental Pro-Am
When: Gates open at 6:45 a.m.
Where: Detroit Golf Club.
TV/Streaming: None.
The buzz: “Returning for the third straight year, Detroit Community Days presented by Jeep® will offer all fans complimentary admission and parking for the Rocket Mortgage Classic’s special events on Tuesday, June 25 and Wednesday, June 26. The brand will showcase its Grand Wagoneer, Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee models on site,” according to a release from Rocket Companies. “On Wednesday, June 26, fans can get up close to the action and watch PGA TOUR professionals playing in a relaxed setting throughout the day during the Delta Dental Pro-Am at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.”
THE BIG NAMES: 2024 Rocket Mortgage Classic field is set; here’s who’ll be at Detroit Golf Club
Thursday – Sunday: Rocket Mortgage Classic
Rickie Fowler is the defending champion, and Willie Mack III earned a berth by winning the weekend’s John Shippen Invitational. The final four spots were decided in a qualifying tournament Monday, with Brandon Berry, Nick Bienz, Angelo Giantsopoulous and Danny Guise making the cut.
When: Gates open at 6:45 a.m.
Where: Detroit Golf Club.
TV: Thursday & Friday — Golf Channel (3-6 p.m.); Saturday/Sunday — Golf Channel (1-3 p.m.), CBS (3-6 p.m.).
Streaming: ESPN+.
Thursday: First Round play starts on 1st and 10th tees; hospitality food and beverage begins 11 a.m.
Friday: Second Round play starts at 1st and 10th tees; hospitality food and beverage begins 11 a.m.
Saturday: Third Round gates open: 7:15 a.m., play starts on 1st tee; hospitality food and beverage begins 11 a.m.
Sunday: Final Round gates open: 7:15 a.m., play starts on 1st tee; hospitality food and beverage begins 11 a.m.; trophy presentation on 18th green following the conclusion of play.
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