Marques Haynes facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 10, 1926 Sand Springs, Oklahoma |
| Nationality | American |
| Died | May 22, 2015 (aged 89) Plano, Texas |
| High school | Booker T. Washington (Sand Springs, Oklahoma) |
| Career information | |
| College | Langston (1942–1946) |
Marques Haynes (born March 10, 1926 – died May 22, 2015) was an amazing American basketball player. He was famous for being a member of the Harlem Globetrotters. Marques was known for his incredible skill at dribbling the basketball and keeping it away from other players. People said he could dribble the ball an amazing 348 times in just one minute!
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Marques Haynes' Early Basketball Days
Marques Haynes grew up in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. As a child, he learned to dribble a basketball in the dirt yard outside his home. He went to Booker T. Washington High School.
He received a $25 scholarship to play basketball at Langston University. He played there from 1942 to 1946. His college team, the Langston Lions, had an incredible record of 112 wins and only 3 losses. They even had a winning streak of 59 games!
In 1945, Marques showed off his dribbling skills during a game. He dribbled the ball for over two minutes to run down the clock. His coach was not happy at first, but the crowd loved it!
In 1946, Langston University played an exhibition game against the Globetrotters. Marques led his team to a 4-point win. The owner of the Globetrotters, Abe Saperstein, noticed his talent. After finishing college, Marques joined the Globetrotters. Before that, he briefly played for the Kansas City Stars.
Playing with the Harlem Globetrotters
Marques Haynes played with the Harlem Globetrotters from 1947 to 1953. He was part of a famous game in West Berlin on August 22, 1951. An amazing 75,000 people came to watch! Marques even said it was closer to 90,000. During that trip, he met the famous track star Jesse Owens.
Marques also traveled to South America with the Globetrotters. They played many exhibition games against top college teams in the United States.
In 1953, Marques left the Globetrotters after a disagreement with owner Abe Saperstein. He turned down a big offer to play in the NBA. Instead, he decided to start his own basketball team, the Harlem Magicians. He later found out that Saperstein partly owned the NBA team that offered him a spot.
Marques also turned down an offer to play for the Minneapolis Lakers in 1955. Even though he had legal issues with Saperstein, Marques went to his funeral in 1966. He joked that he was there to make sure Saperstein "didn't jump out of the casket."
Marques rejoined the Globetrotters in 1972 as a player and coach. In 1973, he started a clothing company. There, he met his wife, Joan, who was a model. He also appeared on The Harlem Globetrotters Popcorn Machine TV show in 1974–75.
After leaving the Globetrotters again in 1979, he played for other teams. These included Meadowlark Lemon's Bucketeers and the Harlem Wizards. He also played for a new version of his old team, the Harlem Magicians. By the end of his career, Marques Haynes had played in at least 12,000 games! He visited more than 100 countries.
Life After Playing Basketball
Marques Haynes retired from playing basketball in 1992. He had a professional career that lasted 46 years! In 1998, he was honored by being inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He was the first Globetrotter to receive this honor.
On January 5, 2001, the Harlem Globetrotters gave him a "Legends" ring in Chicago. They also retired his jersey number, 20, to honor him.
Marques and his wife moved to Plano, Texas, in the mid-1990s. They wanted to be closer to their daughters. In 2010, the Globetrotters helped him get a ticket to the 2010 NBA All-Star Game. In 2011, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. That same year, he joined the staff of the Texas Legends. This team is a farm team for the Dallas Mavericks. Even at 85 years old, he told the press, "Basketball is constantly on my mind."
Marques Haynes' Death
Marques Haynes passed away on May 22, 2015, in Plano, Texas. He was 89 years old. His death was due to natural causes.
Marques Haynes' Legacy and Influence
Marques Haynes is considered one of the greatest ballhandlers ever. Wilt Chamberlain, another famous basketball player, once said that what Marques did was something he could never do. Marques influenced many players, including Bob Cousy and Pete Maravich. He is often called one of the best basketball players who never played in the NBA.
Marques Haynes was known for his famous saying, "I'm Marques Haynes, I'll show you how!" He was also the father-in-law of Dallas Cowboys football star Drew Pearson.
A basketball game on March 16, 2022, was named the Marques Haynes Game in his honor.
See also
In Spanish: Marques Haynes para niños
