New York Renaissance facts for kids

The New York Renaissance, often called the Rens, was a groundbreaking basketball team. It was the first professional team in history owned by Black people and made up entirely of Black players. Robert "Bob" Douglas started the team in October 1923.

The team got its name from the Renaissance Casino and Ballroom in Harlem, New York. This building was an entertainment spot with a ballroom that became the Rens' home court. After games, people often stayed for a dance with the team's own orchestra. The Rens' success helped change Black basketball from an amateur sport to a professional one. At first, they played mostly in Harlem. But soon, they traveled across the country, playing in bigger venues for more money. 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 the basketball team of the Spartan Field Club, a sports group in Manhattan.

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 and drew the biggest crowds. In their early years, the Rens wanted to beat the Original Celtics. The Celtics were the top white team at the time. The Rens finally beat them for the first time on December 20, 1925.

Record-Breaking Wins

During the 1932–33 season, the Rens had an amazing record of 120 wins and only 8 losses. Six of those losses were to the Celtics, but the Rens also beat them eight times. In that same season, the Rens won 88 games in a row. No other professional basketball team has ever matched this winning streak.

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

Key Players of the Team

From 1923 to 1948, the team's overall record was 2,588 wins and 529 losses. Many important players were part of the Rens. These 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 signed David "Big Dave" DeJernett. He was the first top-level team to sign a Black college star.

Moving to Dayton

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

The Rens finished the NBL season as the Dayton Rens. After that season, the NBL joined with the Basketball Association of America. This new league became the National Basketball Association (NBA). At first, the NBA was only for white players. Because of this, the Rens team broke up in 1949.

Honoring the Rens

The New York Renaissance team has received many honors for its achievements.

Basketball Hall of Fame

The 1932–33 New York Renaissance team was added to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1963. This was to honor their incredible 88-game winning streak. Seven former Rens players are also in the Hall of Fame as individuals. These players are Tarzan Cooper, Pop Gates, Nat Clifton, John Isaacs, Zack Clayton, Fats Jenkins, and Sonny Boswell. The Rens' founder and owner, Bob Douglas, is also in the Hall of Fame for his contributions to basketball.

Street Co-Naming

On May 9, 2017, a committee in Manhattan voted to ask for a street to be renamed. They wanted the corner of West 138th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard to be called New York Rens Court. This would honor the team's history in Harlem.

Stage Play About the Rens

Writer and director Layon Gray created an off-Broadway play called Kings Of Harlem. This play celebrates the Rens team. It focuses on their 1939 season when they won the first World Basketball Championship. The play won several awards in 2018. In October 2023, the play was performed in Delaware to celebrate the team's 100-year anniversary. [1]

See also

In Spanish: New York Renaissance para niños