Dayton Rens
Encyclopedia
The Dayton Rens were a member of the USA National Basketball League
(NBL) for the 1948-49 season and were the only all-black team to play in a white league. This milestone came just one year after Jackie Robinson
, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, broke the color barrier
in Major League Baseball
. For the Rens, however, this milestone would be the only highlight of a season in which they finished in last place with a record of 16-43.
The Dayton Rens, formerly the New York Renaissance
, or Rens, moved to Dayton in the middle of the NBL season to replace the Detroit Vagabond Kings, who went out of existence on December 17, 1948. The Rens inherited the Kings' 2-17 record. The Dayton Rens compiled a 14-26 record, ending the season with an overall record of 16-43.
While not all that successful in their one year in the NBL, the Rens had been a widely successful and popular barnstorming team during the 1920s and 1930s. The Rens had traveled across the Northeast and Midwest of the United States, attracting crowds as large as 15,000 to watch their games. As such, the NBL invited the Rens in hopes of bolstering a league that was slowly fading away faced with direct competition from the newly formed National Basketball Association
(NBA). Four of the more popular NBL teams—the Minneapolis Lakers, the Fort Wayne Pistons, the Rochester Royals, and the Indianapolis Kautskys—had moved to the NBA prior to the start of the 1948-49 season. The NBL needed a popular team and so chose the New York Rens.
The choice to invite an all-black team was not all that difficult given that the NBL had been integrated almost from its inception. The NBL had come into existence on the eve of World War II
. With the entry of the United States into World War II and the drafting of many of its white players into the armed forces, the NBL sought out African-Americans to fill the vacancies on its teams. For the 1942-43 season, the NBL integrated when 10 black players joined two of its teams, the Toledo Jim White Chevrolets and the Chicago Studebakers. The integration of the African-American into the sport of professional basketball was conducted to shore up existing teams and franchises.
Thus, a history and tradition of African-Americans playing in the NBL existed when the New York Rens were invited into the league. Still, when the Rens took over the Dayton franchise in 1948, they were not welcomed by the locals.
The team had a fantastic lineup that included future Hall of Fame member William "Pop" Gates
, the Rens' player/coach, future N.B.A. player Hank DeZonie
, William "Dolly King
, Duke Cumberland, and George Crowe.
The move to Dayton to become the first all-black team in a white league was just another groundbreaking achievement by this team. The New York/Dayton Rens were pioneers that set the stage for the integration of the NBA, which occurred on October 31, 1950, when Earl Lloyd
became the first African American to play in an N.B.A., game with the Washington Capitols.
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
(NBL) for the 1948-49 season and were the only all-black team to play in a white league. This milestone came just one year after Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers, broke the color barrier
Baseball color line
The color line in American baseball excluded players of black African descent from Organized Baseball, or the major leagues and affiliated minor leagues, until Jackie Robinson signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization for the 1946 season...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. For the Rens, however, this milestone would be the only highlight of a season in which they finished in last place with a record of 16-43.
The Dayton Rens, formerly the New York Renaissance
New York Renaissance
The New York Renaissance, also known as the Renaissance Big Five and as the Rens, was an all-black professional basketball team established February 13, 1923, by Robert "Bob" Douglas in agreement with the Renaissance Casino and Ballroom...
, or Rens, moved to Dayton in the middle of the NBL season to replace the Detroit Vagabond Kings, who went out of existence on December 17, 1948. The Rens inherited the Kings' 2-17 record. The Dayton Rens compiled a 14-26 record, ending the season with an overall record of 16-43.
While not all that successful in their one year in the NBL, the Rens had been a widely successful and popular barnstorming team during the 1920s and 1930s. The Rens had traveled across the Northeast and Midwest of the United States, attracting crowds as large as 15,000 to watch their games. As such, the NBL invited the Rens in hopes of bolstering a league that was slowly fading away faced with direct competition from the newly formed National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
(NBA). Four of the more popular NBL teams—the Minneapolis Lakers, the Fort Wayne Pistons, the Rochester Royals, and the Indianapolis Kautskys—had moved to the NBA prior to the start of the 1948-49 season. The NBL needed a popular team and so chose the New York Rens.
The choice to invite an all-black team was not all that difficult given that the NBL had been integrated almost from its inception. The NBL had come into existence on the eve of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. With the entry of the United States into World War II and the drafting of many of its white players into the armed forces, the NBL sought out African-Americans to fill the vacancies on its teams. For the 1942-43 season, the NBL integrated when 10 black players joined two of its teams, the Toledo Jim White Chevrolets and the Chicago Studebakers. The integration of the African-American into the sport of professional basketball was conducted to shore up existing teams and franchises.
Thus, a history and tradition of African-Americans playing in the NBL existed when the New York Rens were invited into the league. Still, when the Rens took over the Dayton franchise in 1948, they were not welcomed by the locals.
The team had a fantastic lineup that included future Hall of Fame member William "Pop" Gates
Pop Gates
William "Pop" Gates was an American professional basketball player. He was born in Decatur, Alabama and attended high school in New York, New York. After playing college basketball at Clark Atlanta University, he continued his basketball career in New York City with the Harlem Renaissance, for...
, the Rens' player/coach, future N.B.A. player Hank DeZonie
Hank DeZonie
Henry "Hank" Lincoln DeZonie was an American professional basketball player. He was the fourth African-American player in the National Basketball Association , following Earl Lloyd, Nat Clifton, and Chuck Cooper....
, William "Dolly King
Dolly King
William "Dolly" King was an American professional basketball player. He was one of a handful of African Americans to play in the National Basketball League , the predecessor of the NBA....
, Duke Cumberland, and George Crowe.
The move to Dayton to become the first all-black team in a white league was just another groundbreaking achievement by this team. The New York/Dayton Rens were pioneers that set the stage for the integration of the NBA, which occurred on October 31, 1950, when Earl Lloyd
Earl Lloyd
Earl Francis Lloyd is a retired American basketball player. He was the first African-American to play in the National Basketball Association, in the 1950-51 NBA season...
became the first African American to play in an N.B.A., game with the Washington Capitols.