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South Berkeley is a neighborhood in the city of Berkeley, California. It extends roughly from Dwight Way to the city’s border with Oakland, between Telegraph Avenue in the east and either Sacramento Street or San Pablo Avenue in the west. The neighborhood is among Berkeley’s most economically depressed. Nevertheless, South Berkeley offers many attractive features: the Ashby BART station, many restaurants and cafes, the Shotgun Players’ performing space, the Berkeley Tool Lending Library, proximity to the Berkeley Bowl supermarket, and a number of fine liquor stores. As rent has risen in the city of Berkeley over the past several years, South Berkeley has become more attractive to students and other young people, and rents in the area have become comparable to other parts of Berkeley.[citation needed] The neighborhood is crisscrossed by bus lines and is arguably among the most bicycle-friendly areas of the San Francisco Bay Area. Also at the Ashby Bart Station there is a flea market in a section of the parking lot. During the late afternoons on the weekend, many percussionist and homeless gather to play tribal beats.
South Berkeley is rich with history. Along Ashby Avenue, Union Pacific once ran a trolley that took passengers to the shoreline, which at the time extended along what is now San Pablo Avenue. South Berkeley has been the East Bay mecca for sports. From highly competitive Softball leagues to the Midnight & Twilight Basketball League at Grove Street Park and "YAP", which stands for the "Youth Athletics Program". The park is most commonly referred to as Grove Street Park, or GSP, and "YAP" specifically being the rec center or its programs. The Tennis courts at "Grove Street Park" is now called William C. Charles Courts, named after the late "Mr. Charles" who would stand on "Grove Street"(which was renamed Martin Luther King BLVD in the 1980s) while greeting and waiving to everybody who drove or walked past on weekday mornings. He would literally stand in front of his house on the corner of Martin Luther King and Oregon Street every morning from about 7am to 10am waiving to cars, pedestrians, kids, and anyone who passed by while saying "Keep smiling" and "Have a beautiful day", or he'd just look at you, waive, and say "Beautiful". He did this every day for 25 years, just for the sake of doing it. South Berkeley residents respected and appreciated Mr. Charles. People would routinely honk as they drove past Oregon and MLK and passer byers would say "hi Mr Charles" in response to his greeting. He passed away in 1998, and the Grove Street Park tennis courts were named in his honor. Grove Street Park is home to the only nationally ranked men's team "Berkeley All-Stars" who are coached by Bay Area basketball legend Eugene Evans. Grove Park and San Pablo Park have been the breeding grounds for many well-known athletes, including Don Barksdale, Claudell Washington, Phil Chenier, Shooty Babbitt, Drew Bennet, Rashidi Barnes, Trinnel Brown, Tanda Rucker, Jauleah Woods,Phil Cotton, Fred Cotton, Jerod Cherry, and Jason Kidd.
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