Philadelphia Basketball Hall Of Fame

(who's father was coach of the team) only received the reward because he was the best white player.

Lloyd was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 2003 for breaking the NBA racial barrier. He said that he had never encountered racial resentment from teammates or opposing players, but he remembered taunts from spectators. Lloyd stated that, “My philosophy was: If they weren’t calling you names, you weren’t doing anything. If they were calling you names, you were hurting them.” Lloyd recalled how a hotel manager in Baltimore refused to give him a room during a trip in the early 1950s and how his coach, Al Cervi, protested loudly to no avail. This proves that Earl Lloyd had to get past Hard times to Achieve something

Most people know him as an 11 time NBA Champion, 5 time MVP, 12-time All-Star and he were the centerpieces of the Celtics dynasty during his 13-year career. Bill Russell ended up as the most successful player in the history of the NBA and formed the centerpiece of the greatest dynasty in the history of the league. For his accomplishments in the Civil Rights Movement on and off the court, Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011. Bill was outstanding at everything he ever put his mind to. For all that he accomplished on and off the field, Bill Russell is definitely one of the all-time great players of Basketball.

Chuck Cooper had became the first black NBA player on April 25th, 1950. Drafted by the Boston Celtics, Cooper had gone through hell as being the only black man in the NBA. He had played six seasons for the Celtics, and one season for the Milwaukee St. Louis Hawks. Before finishing his career with the Harlem Magicians he has played one season with the Forth Wayne Pistons. Cooper had earned his masters in social work from the University of Minnesota. He also had became the city of Pittsburgs black head of directior of the department of of parks and recreation. He also worked as a supervisor of Pittsburgs national bank affirmative action program before he had died in 1984.

Collegiately, Jordan’s legacy was established as a freshman when he nailed the game winning shot in the National Championship versus Patrick Ewing’s Hoyas. Even though, the Tar Heels didn’t hoist the trophy in the following years with Jordan, one thing was constant, Jordan himself. Win or lose, no matter the players around him or the level of competition, he would always put on a show. This would hold true as Jordan’s rise to prominence conveyed an analysis of sport’s emergence on the global stage.

We know this because Coach Haskins wanted the players to prove that basketball should be about skills, not race. The coach wanted a team that would win, not a team that would fit the basketball stereotype of the 1960’s. He decided to recrute black players, and it ended up working out for the best. Also, the team stayed together even in the worst of times, because they knew they could overcome the challenges and prove they were a good

The first African American baseball player, Jackie Robinson and unfortunately that is all the majority of Americans know him for. Personally, I had no intensive knowledge on Robinson before this course. I knew what the rest of America knew, thinking his legacy only pertained to the aspect of sports, the integration of sports and the mindset and endurance that an athlete should have. Ignoring the fact that his legacy continues today in the day to day of everyone not just athletes. Many fail to acknowledge the ties that Robinson had with the fight for equality and the Civil Right Movement. His deep involvement in the fight for

On May 6, 1999, Bill Russell, the man who redefineed the center by his unique shot-blocking, man-to-man defense and rebounding ability, and contributed to his team Celtics by his outstanding performance and remarkable leadership, finally attended his own retirement ceremony after 27 years of retirement. This great man in the history of American basketball refused to have a ceremony in 1972 in Boston, the city he perceived as the “racist city”, because of his concern of discrimination. On February 15th, 2011, Bill Russell received the Medal of Freedom from President Obama for his contribution to civil rights movement. Obama described him as “the man who stand up for the dignity of all men”. From being insulted, being refused in restaurants during tournaments, intimidating the world with his long arms and strong opinions, to challenging the politics of sports and fighting against racism, it has been a long way for Bill Russell, for American basketball, and for American society. Basketball, one of the major sports in America, presents the civil rights breakthrough both in professional games and in colleges. The book “King of the Courts: Bill Russell and the Basketball Revolution” by Aram Goudsouzian and “Getting Open: The Unknown Story of Bill Garrett and the Integration of College Basketball” by Tom Graham, and Rachel Graham Cody, reveal the story of how two of the greatest players in the history of American basketball, broke the color barriers in basketball and foster the

“After God and my father, I respect Larry Bird more than anyone,” said basketball legend, Earvin “Magic” Johnson. With the odds set against him, a country boy from the basketball hotbed of Indiana, Bird was able to make a name for himself and has left an impact on the basketball world like no other. Creating an image was hard for Bird; he dropped out of Indiana University after just twenty-four days because he was unable to adjust to the crowded university culture. Bird worked as a garbage man after he dropped out, forgoing his basketball career to spend time at home. Bird loved his time as a garbage man, where he learned to enjoy the simpler parts of life. Bird’s father committed suicide during this time, forcing him

Coach Dan Haskins was the basketball coach of Texas Western University. When he got his position he wanted to recruit basketball players that could help Texas Western University's basketball team. As he journeyed to find basketball players, he recruited 7 black players. During that time period it was not common for black players to play in universities basketball teams, especially in Texas. The Texas Western Miners consisted of 7 black and 3 white athletes. Coach Haskins decision to recruit black basketball players affected the team to be harassed and threatened, the funding boosters threatened to pull funding from the team, and won the championships.

In 1924 a young Jewish man named Abe Saperstein was chosen to coach an African American semi pro basketball team called the Giles Post American Legion Quintet. Little did he know that with this position he would eventually revolutionize the game of basketball and help to initiate integration throughout the country, while establishing himself as an unknown and unconventional hero. Saperstein was a masterful promoter and businessman who would build the most well known sports franchise in history. He was also a visionary who knew the immense impact that African Americans could have on the game of basketball and was determined to force integration throughout the game of

My hero is a very special person, who not only holds an unbelievable legacy in the National Basketball Association but is also a very inspirational human being. Although he prefers the name “Vince”, Vincent Lamar Carter was born on January 26, 1977 in Daytona Beach, at the Halifax Hospital. At age 4, Vince Carter started to attend public and private schools located in Deland, South Miami, and Daytona Beach. Did you know that Vincent was the only seventh-grader to play on Campbell Junior High School’s varsity basketball team as a starter?! Furthermore, Carter was the captain of Mainland High School’s Volleyball team, nevertheless, he was the most decorated basketball player to grace the court at Mainland High School, where he graduated with

New York, New York- Walt Frazier is one of the greatest Knicks, and one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. He is the epitome of the overused word legend, expect in Frazier case he actually fits the description. Part of his legend is that he gives back to the city that made him into a household name. His annual basketball camp is held in the city which gives many youths a chance at running drills, and doing various cardio workouts with instruction from various coaches that ranges from the high school, college, and even pro level. Thousands of kids from across the city of all races flock to this camp to learn the game of basketball from one of the all time greats.

With that interest and following eldest brother William footsteps, reeled in coaches from a variety of high schools throughout Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1979, Wayman attended Booker T. Washington High School in north Tulsa the home of the Hornets. From there he played three years on varsity mighty hornets basketball team. Leading his team to wins after wins. In his junior year, he took his team to state. Wayman average 18.8 points and 14 rebound per game. Ending with a celebratory moment of winning the championship of 1981. Although music and basketball was Wayman priority, he brought someone else in his life, “future wife Regina in April 1981 at church. They were juniors at two different Tulsa high schools, and she did not know he was one of the most heavily recruited basketball players in the country” (Wikipedia). A graduate of BTW class 82’ from his high school years Wayman knew he was blessed, he excelled in the game of

“Playing college basketball requires a lot of hard-work. Having the opportunity to play college basketball isn’t given to you in your hands; it’s given to you by your performance on the court” says Sue Wicks, a WNBA Hall-Of-Fame from the New York Liberty. As a member of my high school girls’ varsity basketball team, this quote truly inspired me because I wanted to become just like her; playing college basketball after high school, volunteering my time working with kids and being inducted into the Hall of Fame. I had the opportunity to work with her at the Generation Fitness Center in the Newark Museum. Without having my first job at the Newark Museum, I would have never met Sue Wicks nor had one the best moments of my life. The best