New York Renaissance facts for kids

The New York Renaissance, often called the Rens, was a groundbreaking basketball team. They were the first professional team in history owned by Black people. All their players were also African American. Robert "Bob" Douglas started the team in October 1923.

The team got its name from the Renaissance Casino and Ballroom. This was a large entertainment place in Harlem, New York. The ballroom served as the Rens' home court. Sometimes, their games were followed by a dance party with the team's own orchestra! The Rens' success helped change Black basketball from an amateur hobby to a professional sport. At first, they played mostly in Harlem. But soon, Bob Douglas realized they could earn more money by traveling. They started "barnstorming," which means traveling across the country to play games in different cities. The Rens are also featured in a 2011 documentary called On the Shoulders of Giants.

Early Years of the Rens

The Rens were one of the best basketball teams in the 1920s and 1930s. They were first known as the Spartan Braves. This was a basketball team from a sports club in Manhattan. The club originally focused on cricket.

First Game and Big Wins

The Rens played their first game on November 3, 1923. They won against the Collegiate Five, an all-white team. Games between Black and white teams were common. These games often attracted the biggest crowds. In their early years, the Rens wanted to beat the Original Celtics. The Celtics were the top white team at that time. The Rens wanted to be known as the world champions.

They finally beat the Celtics for the first time on December 20, 1925. The score was 37 to 30.

Amazing Winning Streak

During the 1932–33 season, the Rens had an incredible record. They won 120 games and lost only 8. Six of those losses were to the Celtics. However, the Rens also beat the Celtics eight times that season. During this amazing season, the Rens won 88 games in a row! No other professional basketball team has ever matched this record.

In 1939, the Rens won the first professional basketball championship. They beat the Oshkosh All-Stars, a white team, 34–25. This big win happened at the World Professional Basketball Tournament in Chicago.

Team Records and Key Players

From 1923 to 1948, the team had an overall record of 2,588 wins and 529 losses. Many important players were part of the Rens. Some of them included Clarence "Fats" Jenkins, Pappy Ricks, Eyre Saitch, Bill Yancey, "Wee" Willie Smith, Charles "Tarzan" Cooper, Zack Clayton, John Isaacs, Dolly King, Pop Gates, and Nat Clifton. In 1936, the Renaissance team made history again. They signed David "Big Dave" DeJernett. He was a talented African American college star from Indiana Central.

The Rens Move to Dayton

In the 1948–49 basketball season, the Rens moved to Dayton, Ohio. They took the place of the Detroit Vagabond Kings. That team had stopped playing in December 1948. The Vagabond Kings had been part of the National Basketball League (NBL). This league allowed both Black and white players.

The Rens played the rest of the NBL season as the Dayton Rens. After that season, the NBL joined with another league. This new league was called the National Basketball Association (NBA). The NBA started in the 1949–50 season. At first, it was only for white players. Because of this, the Dayton Rens team disbanded.

Honoring the New York Rens

The New York Renaissance team has received many honors.

Basketball Hall of Fame

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame recognized the 1932–33 New York Renaissance team. They were inducted as a group in 1963. This was to honor their amazing 88-game winning streak. This streak is still the longest in professional basketball history.

Seven former Rens players have also been inducted into the Hall of Fame individually. These players are Tarzan Cooper, Pop Gates, Nat Clifton, John Isaacs, Zack Clayton, Fats Jenkins, and Sonny Boswell. The founder and owner of the Renaissance Big Five, Bob Douglas, is also in the Hall of Fame. He was honored for his contributions to the sport.

Street Naming in Harlem

On May 9, 2017, a special committee in Manhattan voted to support a new street name. They asked the New York City Council and the Mayor of New York City to make it official. They wanted the southeast corner of West 138th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard to be named New York Rens Court. This would honor the team in their old neighborhood.

Stage Play About the Rens

Writer and director Layon Gray created an off-Broadway play called Kings Of Harlem. This play celebrates the New York Rens. It focuses on their 1939 season, when they won the first World Basketball Championship. The play won several awards in 2018 at the Carbonell Awards in Miami. These included Best Play and Best Director. The play was performed again in October 2023. This performance marked the 100-year anniversary of the team's founding.

See also

In Spanish: New York Renaissance para niños