Hoops Hall of Fame Forms New ‘Early African-American Pioneers of the Game’ Committee
In an unprecedented move, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday that it has formed a new Early African-American Pioneers of the Game Committee, which has the clout to induct deserving candidates with a direct vote.
From the Basketball Hall of Fame’s announcement:
The Hall of Fame election process will also have a new look with the 2011 class. In previous years, four separate screening committees – North American, Women’s, International and Veteran’s – have reviewed the candidacies of more than 100 nominations. This year, there will be the addition of the newly formed American Basketball Association (ABA) and Early African-American Pioneers of the Game committees. Developed to maintain a strong focus on keeping history on the forefront of the voting process, these specialist committees will preserve a balance between two eras of basketball. Both the ABA and Early African-American Pioneers committees will each select one directly-elected Enshrinee for the annual Hall of Fame class, but since these single selected Electees are not designated as Finalists, the selections will be announced with the final class in April.
“An important role of the Hall of Fame is recognizing and celebrating the history of the game of basketball,” said Jerry Colangelo, chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Governors. “The addition of the ABA Committee and Early African-American Pioneers of the Game Committee help ensure that we have experts that put the game into historical context and show the true diversity that has helped shape the modern game.”
What is great about this new committee is that — just like the International and Veterans committees — it has the power to enshrine African American basketball pioneers with a direct vote.
Previously, a candidate had to become a finalist and then face a second round of balloting in the Veterans Committee for enshrinement. This usually led to candidates being overlooked.
Most people familiar with basketball history know that there are numerous African American pioneers of the game who are deserving.
Journalistic pioneers led by long-time sportswriter Howie Evans of the New York Amsterdam News have been lobbying this point literally for generations.
For more than a decade, the focus of our efforts here at the Black Fives Foundation (and its prior incarnation as Black Fives, Inc.) has been on advocacy for pioneers — black or white — who made contributions toward the development of African American basketball teams during the racially segregated Black Fives Era, a period that lasted through 1950.
Our list of potential candidates from this era who are “most deserving” for enshrinement was first published in 2007.
We hope that much lively debate about the merits of various potential candidates will follow.
Meanwhile, we believe that establishing the new Early African American Pioneers of the Game committee took a certain amount of courage on the part of Hall of Fame executives, and probably meant having to overcome some internal interference. So they deserve a lot of credit.
“It’s wonderful,” says Dr. Susan Rayl, a professor at State University of New York, Cortland, whose Ph.D. dissertation in 1996 was the seminal study of the New York Renaissance (aka “Rens”) all-black professional basketball team. “I think it’s very appropriate that we look at African Americans who laid the foundation prior to the N.B.A., and who paid the price for all of the players who are playing now.”
“It’s long overdue and this is a tacit acknowledgment of prior shortcomings, but their instinct is correct and they are to be commended,” says Ray LeBov, executive director of the Association of Professional Basketball Researchers. “In forming the committee it is critical that they select individuals who are truly experts and specialists in this area.”
###
Editor’s Note: Since being formed in 2011, this special committee has enshrined Reese “Goose” Tatum (2011), Don Barksdale (2012), Edwin B. Henderson (2013), Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton (2014), and John “Boy Wonder” Isaacs (2015). Its selection for the Class of 2016 is Cumberland Posey, Jr.
Has the Hall since dropped this direct-elect committee? I don’t see it on the current list: https://www.hoophall.com/news/naismith-basketball-hall-of-fame-announces-eligible-candidates-for-the-class-of-2023/
Yes apparently, a decision with which we completely disagree since there are many deserving candidates remaining to be enshrined.
That is unfortunate. Harry “Bucky” Lew has been skipped over, but at least he was on that list. Without it, his chances of gaining entry seem much smaller. Forgive the shameless plug, but I’ve written his biography, so I know he was the first Black player, coach, manager, referee, and owner in an otherwise white league. He deserves better!
Sorry to see Harry “Bucky” Lew officially passed over once again. Hopefully some day soon the first Black player, coach, gm, referee, and franchise owner in integrated professional basketball gets his call!
Thank you AL Pullins for the being the pioneer of the community, and opening doors so others like myself can be a part of.
Though many are deserving, none more so than Runt Pullins. Dr. Naismith invented a game. Runt Pullins invented basketball as it is played today. The first Globetrotter star, first trick dribbler, prolific scorer, and pioneering team owner. A concerted effort should be made on his behalf. Let others who followed in his footsteps, do so again.
Fabulous news, ain’t it Claude!
at last john -boy wonder-issacs and i spoke about something like this a-lot –while this is good–there is another side of basketball to think of–the arenas where many great players performed–names that should be remembered such as madison square garden–people dont remember nat-sweetwater-clifton/boston garden-chuck cooper/don barksdale-los angeles..there is a lot more of history out there..
Great news Claude! Maybe Cum Posey could be inducted in basketball as well as baseball.
Its very often the case where the originators of a movement get forgotten through neglect and thoughtlessness. Its great that these innovators will finally be recognized for their accompishments….
I trust that this announcement finally heralds the enshrinement of The Great and Honorable John Isaacs!!!
I truly hope so! He was a great man who inspired us to be the best we could be, on and off the court. I learned a lot from Mr. I.
This is great news I have always had the thinking that the hall of fame should induct players like the early black pioneers of basketball and players from the ABA. We should also to have them to add a list of players like myself that have played and have put in more them 20 years playing the game of basketball in the form of comedy basketball teams like Harlem Clowns and its founder Al “Runt” Pullins. Harlem Globetrotter great Goose Tatum should been in the hall of fame as well as Harlem New York playground legend Richard “Pee Wee” Kirkland. I am happy to get this news. I am working hard at building the National Sports Hall of Fame Museum in the state of Ohio and I plan to have a larger exhibit space for early pioneers of black basketball and induct some of those players into the NSHOFM. This museum will be the biggest sports entertainment museum in the world 250,000 sq. ft.
This is great news; it’s a real testament to the efforts of Claude Johnson to educate people about these basketball pioneers.