The Checker Players (1975) by (my grandfather) Pontella Mason and James Voshell and a shot from The Wire season 1 episode 3 “The Buys”. I noticed this parallel on my second rewatch of The Wire. Given that the mural was located in Baltimore, and knowing the history of the creators of The Wire, its not a stretch to assume either David Simon or Ed Burns was familiar with the mural before its demolition. I have always been a fan of The Checker Players because to me it represents the responsibility of the black man to show the black boy the rules to “the game” i.e. LIFE. In the case of The Wire however, this is flipped. Although Dee teaches Wallace and Bodie the literal rules to the game their playing(and the rules to the drug game), It’s ultimately Dee who is playing the role of the student when the charm and naivete of Wallace makes Dee rethink his place in the drug game. Everything is a game and ALL THE PIECE MATTER.
