Hall of Famebasketball player Artis Gilmore, who took Jacksonville University to the NCAA championship game in 1970, is gearing up for a different kind of March Madness.
Gilmore plans to file Oct. 13 for an at-large Jacksonville City Council seat in a challenge toincumbent Nick Howlandin the March 9 first election, according to an announcement of his intention.
Howland, currently serving as City Council president, is seeking another four-year term.
Gilmore is making his first run for elected office. He worked at City Hall more than a decade agoas Mayor Alvin Brown's ambassador for sports, entertainment and physical fitness to help bring more sporting events to Jacksonville and be a public health advocate.
improbable NCAA Tournament run still celebrated
After taking Jacksonville University to the brink of a national championship before falling to UCLA, Gilmore went on to an 18-year career in pro basketball in the American Basketball Association, the National Basketball Association and in Europe.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Basketball great Artis Gilmore running for Jacksonville City Council
