World premier film screening to benefit Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County
Documentary “The Tin Can Man” celebrates Class of 1972 Hendersonville High School basketball championship
One of the greatest basketball teams in Western North Carolina history is celebrated in a short documentary film with a world premiere in Hendersonville, NC, Saturday, July 9, at Blue Ridge Community College’s Education & Technology Center.
“The Tin Can Man” focuses on the underdog Hendersonville High School boys’ basketball team that won the 3A state championship in 1971-72. It remains the only 3A championship captured by a team from the western part of the state. That season, the Bearcats, despite a 2A-sized enrollment, voluntarily moved up a classification, at the same time that longtime head coach Jim Pardue took a bold step into the future by starting four Black student-athletes.
“This is a great story about the power of a basketball team to unite a town and beat the odds to win a championship,” said Keith Dunnavant, the producer of the Prep Legends series. Dunnavant is an acclaimed filmmaker and author of best-selling books about Paul “Bear” Bryant, Bart Starr and Joe Montana and is frequently seen as a featured historian on ESPN, SEC Network and other television channels.
A limited number of tickets are available for this special event, with proceeds benefiting the Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County. Tickets may be purchased through the Boys & Girls Club by visiting www.bgchendersonco.
“We are thrilled to be chosen as the benefiting agency for this exciting premiere,” remarked Boys & Girls Club executive director, Julia Hockenberry. “This is a story about opportunity, tenacity and resilience that mirrors so many stories of the youth served by our organization. It will be a great night celebrating the heart of our community, across generations.”
Presenting sponsors are Fazio Golf Design, Hunter Subaru, Morrow Insurance, Triangle Stop Food Stores, and Vista Strategies.
VIP tickets, which include access to a pre-film “pep rally” reception with light refreshments and wine/beer, are available for $100 each, and general admission tickets are available for $50. After the film, Dunnavant will moderate a question and answer session with members of the team.
Doors open for the VIP reception at 6 p.m., which will be followed by the film screening at 7:30 p.m.
PHOTO CAPTION: Harold Albany, the leading scorer for the 1971-72 state champion Hendersonville High School Bearcats, being interviewed for documentary THE TIN CAN MAN.
