Wee Willie Smith
Encyclopedia
William T. "Wee Willie" Smith (April 22, 1911–March 14, 1992) was an American professional basketball
player.
The 6'5" Smith was one of the first great African American
basketball players. He played for several amateur
leagues in the Cleveland
area before being signed by the New York Renaissance
, an all-black professional team, in 1932. From 1932 to 1936, Smith and his six teammates won over 400 games, including an 88 game winning streak from January 1, 1933 to March 27, 1933. The entire 1932-33 Renaissance team was collectively inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
in 1963.
Smith played for several other professional teams, including the Cleveland Chase Brassmen of the NBL
. He was one of the few black players in the history of the NBL. After basketball, he worked as a custodian in the Cleveland Public Schools and operated a beverage shop. He was inducted into the Harlem Hall of Fame and the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 1977.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player.
The 6'5" Smith was one of the first great 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...
basketball players. He played for several amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
leagues in the Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
area before being signed by 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...
, an all-black professional team, in 1932. From 1932 to 1936, Smith and his six teammates won over 400 games, including an 88 game winning streak from January 1, 1933 to March 27, 1933. The entire 1932-33 Renaissance team was collectively inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
in 1963.
Smith played for several other professional teams, including the Cleveland Chase Brassmen of the NBL
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...
. He was one of the few black players in the history of the NBL. After basketball, he worked as a custodian in the Cleveland Public Schools and operated a beverage shop. He was inducted into the Harlem Hall of Fame and the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame in 1977.