In the history of the Pennsylvania vs Maryland All-Star Basketball Series, some outstanding citizens, some rabid fans, and numerous high school students have occupied the chairs which host the judges for the all-popular "slam dunk" contest.  Al Gornick, the former restauranteer from Steelton,  and Pennsylvania Lt. Governor Mark Schweiker, lead the list of  ex-judges.  Al Gornick, one of the beloved men of Steelton ran   Gornick's Fieldhouse, a great restaurant, sports bar, weekend dance hall and lore of sports nostalgia.   Any coach or sports personality in town always stopped by to talk sports at the Fieldhouse.  Al was also on the Central Pennsylvania Hall Of Fame Steering Committee and was one of the "slam-dunk" contest judges on more than one occasion.  This year, the All-Star game will be played on April 2, 2005 in Steelton.
  Lt. Governor Mark Schweiker became the Governor when Tom Ridge resigned to take the position of Director of the Homelands Security at the invitation of the President.  We have had a variety of personalities move in and out of  the Governor's Mansion on Front Street in Harrisburg in the history of the state. Governor Samuel  Pennypacker (1903-07) organized the Pennsylvania State Police during his term. Governor Gifford Pinchot (1923-27) the great conservationist and a former Yale University athlete  was known for his accessibility to the public. Governor Bill Scranton (1963-67) later  represented the United States at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and at the United Nations.  Governor Robert Casey (1987-95)  was probably the best athlete to preside as Governor, Casey played baseball, being drafted by the Phillies, and was named one of the top five basketball players in Lackawanna County going on to play at Holy Cross.  He was a great fan of high school basketball during his tenure as Governor.  He used to attend high school games in the Central Pennsylvania Area when his son Matt played for Bishop McDevitt High School in Harrisburg. In 1988, Matt invited some teammates to a sleep-over at the Governor's Mansion and in the morning, the boys sat around the table with the Governor, eating corn-flakes and talking basketball! 
  Governor Rendell seems to possess the qualities of many of these predecessors in the office, he has crafted the new slot machine legislation which will stand as a landmark for the future, he visits the Spot Restaurant for an occasional "Spot Dog,"  and he  is already the number #1 sports fan ever to occupy the governor's chair in this state.  The Centre Daily Times said, "at his January 2003 inauguration from the reviewing stand, Rendell enthusiastically cheered  marching units, from the Ambridge High School marching band to the Punxsutwaney Ground Hog Club. He even gave a high-five to Penn State's Nittany Lion mascot." The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that, "at the Philadelphia Eagle football home games,  the governor leaves his seat with about seven minutes left and hurries across the street to the Comcast studio to do the post-game show. It's a show Rendell has done since 1997, when he was mayor of Philadelphia. The two-hour post-game show starts immediately after the final whistle."  He has been a great "people's governor"  in his tenure leading the Keystone State thus far. 
   The Pennsylvania Basketball Website says, "this year Mr. Governor, we would like to invite you to be a judge for the  "Slam Dunk" Contest at the 2005 All-Star Basketball Game!  Your state, Pennsylvania plays Maryland!"

(Credits: Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Centre Daily Times, Pennsylvania Governors Website http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/governors/overview.asp?secid=31 )
(Photo credit: C. R. Clarke, Tioga County Historical Society)

Note: The All-Star games will be played on April 2, 2005 in Steelton.  In the main games, the Pennsylvania Girls will play the Maryland Girls and the Pennsylvania Boys will play the Maryland Boys.