Vintage All-Black U.S. Military Basketball Teams: Vermont’s 10th Cavalry ‘Buffalo Soldiers’ Five, 1910


(Part 1 in a series of posts honoring vintage all-black U.S. military basketball teams. Skip to Part 2)

I recently mentioned that George Crowe, the last living New York Renaissance player, played with an African American military basketball team made up of servicemen from the base where he was stationed, at Camp Lee, Virginia.

Ever since, I’ve been wanting to point out that the existence of all-black military hoops teams goes as far back as racial segregation in the Armed Services.

One such team played in the early 1910s.  It was the 10th Cavalry “Buffalo Soldiers” Five, from Fort Ethan Allen in Colchester, Vermont.

The all-black 10th Cavalry 'Buffalo Soldiers' Five basketball team, circa 1911

The all-black 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers Five non-commissioned Staff and Band (S&B) basketball team, circa 1909.

The much celebrated and highly distinguished Tenth United States Cavalry Regiment had arrived in Vermont in 1909, for a four-year tour of duty.  The famous “Buffalo Soldiers” — made up of the Tenth Regiment and three other all-black regiments — had served heroically on the western frontier, in Cuba, in the Philippines, in Mexico, and elsewhere.

But when they first got to Vermont, residents in the predominantly white surrounding area were fearful of what it would be like to have relatively huge numbers of African Americans in their midst all at once.

So many blacks appeared almost overnight that white locals and African American soldiers alike sarcastically referred to the military base as “40th and Allen” — in a sly allusion to some (or any) inner city intersection.

But most Vermonters soon embraced the Tenth, and the feeling was mutual.  Ultimately many black soldiers remained in the area and settled into nearby towns.

This summer, the State of Vermont will officially celebrate the 100th anniversary of their arrival and service.

10th Cavalry 'Buffalo Soldiers' Five, advertisement

A newspaper advertisement promoting a game between the 10th Cavalry ‘Buffalo Soldiers’ Five and the New York All Stars, another all-black basketball team.

The 10th Cavalry Five basketball team was so good that it billed itself as the United States Army’s “colored” champions.

But self-billing can backfire.

When the team visited New York City in 1911 for a basketball game with the New York All Stars, another all-black team that was much smaller, they lost unceremoniously.

Despite being outsized and outweighed, “science conquered over beef and brawn,” reported the New York Age, a leading black newspaper, as the All Stars physically out-did the military squad in what was described as a rough game. “Medical aid and sticking plaster were called into use several times, and one soldier had a sweet short dream in the second half, but no one was seriously injured.”

The 10th Cavalry “Buffalo Soldiers” Five are admittedly from the ranks of the very obscure.  I mean, who could have known?

But not anymore.

And, there were many other such basketball teams that made pioneering contributions over the years.

(10th Cavalry Five photograph courtesy of the Anthony Powell Collection.)

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Edwin Henderson
14 years ago

Claude,

I am waiting for your book. When will it be ready? It would seem to me that from this blog, you would have a book to offer.

I just found time to look at you blog today, and I found the time to read it completely. Thank you for continuing to enlighten us with your knowledge of the Blackfive era, and the benefit of your extensive and continuous research.

Bill
14 years ago

Claude,

I am an almost 40 year old African American man who grew up in South Burlington, Vermont – in fact about 15 minutes from Fort Ethan Allen. This is a truly AMAZING story, one I’ve never heard. I will definitely be contacting some folks to get more info on this from there.

In the meantime, what other places can I check out for more on this unit? I’d love to get a print of that poster in the story. Think contacting the Powell’s directly might do anything? Do you have any plans to “re-invent” any of their uniforms or anything? I’ve got a couple of your cage shirts in my collection, something historical from my home state like this would be a GREAT addition!

Anything you can pass on to help me learn more is appreciated in advance.

Karen Wells
14 years ago

Claude,
U are truly amazing. I lived in Vermont in the late 70’s in Montpelier and I still visit. I am going to share this with my friends there. And yes … I too can’t wait for the book.

14 years ago

again you are digging up some good stuff for those of us who are sports (hoops) and history buffs.

Blaise M. Lamphier
14 years ago

Claude:

Another tremendous find…

I grew up in New England, as did my 83-year-old Dad, and neither or us ever heard about this team.

I truly appreciate your dedication to continued preservation of the Black Fives era and your efforts to bring this to the forefront of today’s collective consciousness.

Cheers my friend for your continued endeavors–

Blaise

P.L.
14 years ago

You continue to enlighten us who have the thirst for a deeper knowledge of our heritage. Thank you so much for the research, then the sharing of this most valuable information.

carl campbell
14 years ago

as always history is the black five basketball scene it let!s you know also about the city game back in the sands of time-claude keep on keeping on …i know that you know that ithanks