John Isaacs
Encyclopedia
John Isaacs was an early African-American professional basketball player. Born in Panama
but raised in New York City
, he was a member of the New York Renaissance
, the Washington Bears
, and various other teams.
Isaacs was born in 1915 in Panama, his father from Jamaica
and his mother a Panamanian. He grew up in Harlem, speaking both English and Spanish. Isaacs was a 6-foot, one-inch, 190 pound guard who led the basketball team at Textile High School (later Charles Evans Hughes High School) to a title in the 1935 New York City High School Basketball championship with all-City honors for himself. Offered a professional contract by Bob Douglas
, owner of the Harlem
-based, all-African American
New York Renaissance
basketball team, he accepted the offer, but only after getting approval from his mother.
With the Rens, Isaacs led the team to season records of 122-19, 121-19, and 127-15. The team won the first World Professional Basketball Tournament
, held in 1939 at Chicago Stadium
and sponsored by the Chicago Herald American, with the team making it to the finals by beating the Harlem Globetrotters
of Chicago
27–23, to face the Oshkosh All-Stars
, who lost to the Rens 34–25 in the tournament final. Isaacs won a second title in 1943 with the Washington Bears
, again defeating Oshkosh. Isaacs scored a game-high 11 points to lead the Bears to a 43–31 win and their first title. Paid $175 per month, plus expenses, to play basketball. Isaacs supplemented his professional salary with jobs on the assembly line at Grumman Aircraft and at New York Life Insurance during the off season.
Isaacs played with several other all-black professional basketball teams after his time with the Rens and Bears, including the Manhattan Nationals, Hazleton Mountaineers
of the Eastern Professional Basketball League, and Utica Olympics
of the New York State Professional League), and in the American Basketball League with Brooklyn and Saratoga.
Long after retiring from professional sports, Isaacs won medals at the New York State Senior Games in tennis, Frisbee, softball throwing, as well as in basketball.
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
but raised in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, he was a member of 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...
, the Washington Bears
Washington Bears
The Washington Bears were an all-black professional basketball team of the 1940s.Sponsored by movie theater owner Abe Lichtman, the Bears played their home games at Turner's Arena in Washington, DC. Most of the team was composed of former New York Renaissance players, such as Pop Gates, Tarzan...
, and various other teams.
Isaacs was born in 1915 in Panama, his father from Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and his mother a Panamanian. He grew up in Harlem, speaking both English and Spanish. Isaacs was a 6-foot, one-inch, 190 pound guard who led the basketball team at Textile High School (later Charles Evans Hughes High School) to a title in the 1935 New York City High School Basketball championship with all-City honors for himself. Offered a professional contract by Bob Douglas
Bob Douglas
Robert L. "Bob" Douglas was the founder of the New York Renaissance basketball team. Nicknamed the "Father of Black Professional Basketball", Douglas owned and coached the Rens from 1923 to 1949, guiding them to a 2,318-381 record...
, owner of the Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
-based, all-African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
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...
basketball team, he accepted the offer, but only after getting approval from his mother.
With the Rens, Isaacs led the team to season records of 122-19, 121-19, and 127-15. The team won the first World Professional Basketball Tournament
World Professional Basketball Tournament
World Professional Basketball Tournament was an invitational tournament for professional basketball teams in the United States held in Chicago, Illinois by the Chicago Herald American. The annual event was held from 1939 to 1948...
, held in 1939 at Chicago Stadium
Chicago Stadium
The Chicago Stadium was an indoor sports arena and theater in Chicago. It opened in 1929, and closed in 1994.-History:The Stadium hosted the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL from 1929–1994 and the Chicago Bulls of the NBA from 1967–1994....
and sponsored by the Chicago Herald American, with the team making it to the finals by beating the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
27–23, to face the Oshkosh All-Stars
Oshkosh All-Stars
The Oshkosh All-Stars were a professional basketball team based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. From 1937 to 1948 they played in the National Basketball League, a forerunner to the NBA. The team appeared in the NBL finals five consecutive years , winning twice...
, who lost to the Rens 34–25 in the tournament final. Isaacs won a second title in 1943 with the Washington Bears
Washington Bears
The Washington Bears were an all-black professional basketball team of the 1940s.Sponsored by movie theater owner Abe Lichtman, the Bears played their home games at Turner's Arena in Washington, DC. Most of the team was composed of former New York Renaissance players, such as Pop Gates, Tarzan...
, again defeating Oshkosh. Isaacs scored a game-high 11 points to lead the Bears to a 43–31 win and their first title. Paid $175 per month, plus expenses, to play basketball. Isaacs supplemented his professional salary with jobs on the assembly line at Grumman Aircraft and at New York Life Insurance during the off season.
Isaacs played with several other all-black professional basketball teams after his time with the Rens and Bears, including the Manhattan Nationals, Hazleton Mountaineers
Hazleton Mountaineers
The Hazleton Mountaineers were one of the original six franchises in the Eastern Professional Basketball League. The Mountaineers were the league's first team to have an integrated roster, as two former members of the New York Rens, Bill Brown and Zack Clayton, joined John Isaacs on the...
of the Eastern Professional Basketball League, and Utica Olympics
Utica Olympics
The Mohawk Valley Thunderbirds were an American basketball team based in Utica, New York that was a member of the Continental Basketball Association....
of the New York State Professional League), and in the American Basketball League with Brooklyn and Saratoga.
Long after retiring from professional sports, Isaacs won medals at the New York State Senior Games in tennis, Frisbee, softball throwing, as well as in basketball.