Picture imperfect

What is the power of a picture? Plenty if the subject is Midnight Basketball.

 In Friday's Press-Telegram, a story about Union Pacific's decision to sponsor the popular inner-city league was accompanied by a picture of Mayor Bob Foster and the league's new coordinator, Clarence Rhone, admiring a decorated ball presented to the mayor.

The picture miffed several people who were associated with the league and supporters of Leonard Adams, the former coordinator of the league who left the league after a dispute about his duties with staff from the Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine, which oversees the program.

It seemed curious that the ball, dated 2007, would be presented to the mayor at this time. As if it had come from the Land of Lost Souvenirs, which is probably not far from the Island of Misfit Mascots, where the Sexual Harassment Panda lives. But I digress.

The presentation of the second-hand souvenir is no laughing matter to some.

Leva Ross, the artist who painted the ball at Adams' request, thought the photograph mistakenly led readers to deduce that Rhone and the current leadership of the league were taking credit for the ball.

According to Ross in a letter to the mayor, "Mr. Adams purchased the basketball with his own money because he wanted to show his appreciation to you for your support of the then long-running successful Midnight Basketball program. Mayor Foster, I think you should know that I completed the artwork on the artistically enhanced basketball over a year ago."

Adams had intended to present the ball, to Foster to thank him for the city's decision a year ago to retain the program when it was threatened. Adams said the ball was confiscated from him when he left Midnight Basketball.

Ross said in his letter he thought it was disingenuous of city officials to take credit for and present the ball more than a year later and under a different administration.

So now, as Paul Harvey would say, you know "the rest of the story."