Don Barksdale facts for kids
Barksdale with the Boston Celtics in 1953.
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | March 31, 1923 Oakland, California |
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| Nationality | American | |||||||||||||||||||
| Died | March 8, 1993 (aged 69) Oakland, California |
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| High school | Berkeley (Berkeley, California) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||
| College |
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| NBA Draft | 1947 / Undrafted | |||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1948–1955 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1948–1949 | Oakland Bittners | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1950–1951 | Oakland Blue n' Gold Atlas | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1951–1953 | Baltimore Bullets | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1953–1955 | Boston Celtics | |||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Career NBA statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Points | 2,895 (11.0 ppg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rebounds | 2,088 (8.0 rpg) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Assists | 549 (2.1 apg) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Donald Argee Barksdale (born March 31, 1923 – died March 8, 1993) was an American professional basketball player. He was a true pioneer for African-American basketball players. He was the first to be named an NCAA All-American. He was also the first to play on a U.S. men's Olympic basketball team. Later, he became the first to play in an NBA All-Star Game. Don Barksdale was honored for his achievements by being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Contents
Early Life and Basketball Dreams
Don Barksdale was born in Oakland, California. His father, Argee Barksdale, worked as a Pullman porter. Don went to Berkeley High School nearby. For three years, the basketball coach wouldn't let him join the team. This was because the coach only wanted one Black player on the team.
College Career and Achievements
Don Barksdale didn't give up on basketball. He practiced his skills in local parks. Then, he played at Marin Junior College from 1941 to 1943. His talent earned him a scholarship to UCLA.
At UCLA, he played as a 6-foot-6 center for the Bruins. In 1947, he made history. He became the first African American to be named a consensus All-American. This means he was recognized as one of the best college players in the country. Don was also a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
During his time at UCLA, Don Barksdale owned a record store in Los Angeles. It was one of only two Black-owned record stores in the city. This allowed him to meet famous musicians like Etta James, Lou Rawls, and Nat King Cole.
Olympic Gold Medalist
In 1948, Don Barksdale made history again. He became the first African-American player on the U.S. Olympic basketball team. He joined the team at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. There, he helped the team win the gold medal. This made him the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal in basketball.
Getting on the Olympic team was not easy. Don was playing for the Oakland Bittners, an amateur team. A politician from Oakland, Fred Maggiora, fought hard for Don to be included. Some committee members did not want a Black Olympian. But Maggiora insisted that Don was one of the best players. The coach of the Phillips 66ers, Omar Browning, agreed. He said Don was the best player outside of Bob Kurland. So, Don was finally chosen for the team.
The 1948 Olympic team included five players from the University of Kentucky. They had just won their first national championship. The team played a practice game in Kentucky. Don Barksdale became the first African American to play against Kentucky in Lexington. He could not stay in the same hotel as his teammates. Instead, he stayed with a Black host family.
Adolph Rupp, the famous Kentucky coach, was an assistant coach for the 1948 team. He became a close friend to Don. Don faced unfair treatment, but he focused on playing basketball. He knew he would face prejudice, but he was determined to play.
Professional Basketball and Broadcasting
After college, Don Barksdale played for an amateur team in Oakland. He waited for the NBA to allow Black players. While playing basketball, he also started a career in radio. In 1948, he became the first Black radio disc jockey in the San Francisco Bay Area. He also worked in television and owned a business that sold beer. He was the first African-American beer distributor. He also hosted a TV show called Sepia Review on KRON-TV. This made him the first African-American television host in the Bay Area.
Playing in the NBA
In 1951, Don Barksdale signed a big contract with the Baltimore Bullets. He joined the NBA as a 28-year-old rookie. He was one of the first African Americans to play in the NBA. Other pioneers like Nathaniel Clifton, Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd, and Hank DeZonie had joined the league in 1950.
While playing for the Bullets, Don made history again. In 1953, he became the first African American to play in an NBA All-Star Game. Soon after, he was traded to the Boston Celtics. His basketball career ended two years later due to ankle injuries.
Life After Basketball
After his basketball career, Don Barksdale went back to working in radio. He also started his own record label. He opened two nightclubs in Oakland.
In 1983, he created the Save High School Sports Foundation. This organization helped save sports programs in Oakland schools from closing.
Death
Don Barksdale passed away on March 8, 1993, in Oakland, California. He was 69 years old and had throat cancer. He was survived by his two sons, Donald and Derek.
Lasting Legacy
Don Barksdale's life story was told in a documentary called Bounce: The Don Barksdale Story. It was released in 2007. The film was made by Doug Harris for Athletes United for Peace. This group helps young people through sports and media.
Don Barksdale was also honored for his work in broadcasting. In 2007, he was inducted into the Bay Area Radio Hall of Fame. His sister, Pam Barksdale-Gore, accepted the award for him.
On February 24, 2012, Don Barksdale was announced as a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was chosen by the Hall's committee for Early African-American Pioneers. He officially entered the Hall of Fame on September 7, 2012.
A character named D'Angelo Barksdale in the HBO TV series The Wire was named to honor Don Barksdale.
