May 24, 1963 Joe Dumars III, hall of fame basketball player and basketball executive, was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. Dumars played college basketball at McNeese State University and was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the 1985 NBA Draft. Dumars played his entire 14-season professional career with the Pistons and was a six-time All-Star and […]
Tag Archives | All-Star
May 6th in African American History – William Howard “Willie” Mays
May 6, 1931 William Howard “Willie” Mays, hall of fame baseball player and “The Say Hey Kid,” was born in Westfield, Alabama. Mays began his professional baseball career in 1947 in the Negro Baseball Leagues. In 1950, Mays was signed by the New York Giants and he began his major league career in 1951. Mays […]
April 22nd in African American History – Spencer Haywood
April 22, 1949 Spencer Haywood, retired basketball player, was born in Silver City, Mississippi. Haywood moved to Detroit, Michigan and in 1967 led Pershing High School to the Michigan State Basketball Championship. In 1968, Haywood was the leading scorer on the United States’ Gold Medal winning Olympic team in Mexico City. Later that year, he […]
February 22nd in African American History – Julius Winfield “Dr. J” Erving, Jr.
February 22, 1950 Julius Winfield “Dr. J” Erving, Jr., hall of fame basketball player, was born in Roosevelt, New York. Erving played college basketball at the University of Massachusetts and is one of only five players to average more than 20 points and 20 rebounds in NCAA Men’s Basketball. In 1971, he began his professional […]
February 22nd in African American History – Dennis Wayne Johnson
February 22, 2007 Dennis Wayne Johnson, hall of fame basketball player, died. Johnson was born September 18, 1954 in Los Angeles, California. Johnson played college basketball at Los Angeles Harbor College and Pepperdine University. He was selected by the Seattle Supersonics in the 1976 NBA Draft and over his 15 season professional career was a […]
February 5th in African American History – Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron
February 5, 1934 Henry Louis “Hank” Aaron, hall of fame baseball player, was born in Mobile, Alabama. Aaron started his professional baseball career in 1951 with the Indianapolis Clowns of the Negro American League. In 1952, he signed a contract with the Boston (later to be the Atlanta) Braves and made his Major League Baseball […]
October 31st in African American History – Frederick Stanley McGriff
October 31, 1963 Frederick Stanley McGriff, former Major League baseball player, was born in Tampa, Florida. McGriff was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 1981 amateur draft and reached the majors full time in 1987.