Timeline
- 1923
- First black professional basketball team
The New York Rens (also known as the Harlem Rens) was the first black professional basketball team. The team was named after its home court, the Renaissance Casino in New York.
Founded and managed by Robert J. Douglas, the team ran up a record of 1,588 wins to 239 losses. They played from 1923 to 1939 and were the first black team in the Basketball Hall of Fame. On March 28, 1939, the Rens became the first black team on record to win a professional world's championship.
Source: AP Press
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- 1924
- First Negro League World Series
October 3, 1924 - The first world series between Negro League clubs was held in 1924. The series was a best-of-nine match-up between the Negro National League champion Kansas City Monarchs and the Eastern Colored League champion Hilldale. In a ten-game series, the Monarchs narrowly defeated Hilldale 5 games to 4, with one tie game.
- 1936
- Jesse Owens wins four gold medals
August 9, 1936, Jesse Owens won his fourth gold medal of the Olympic Games in Berlin. This was significant because it showed the world that Germany's doctrine of supposed Aryan superiority was suspect.
Owens had earlier won the 100 meters, 200 meters, and broad jump, setting world records in all three. His last gold medal was in the 4x100-meter relay, and his team set a world record there as well.
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- 1939
- The New York Ren's become the first black team to win a pro championship
March 28, 1939 - The New York Renaissance defeated the Oshkosh All-Stars 34 to 25, who were the champions of the segregated National Basketball League, to win the championship title in the first World Pro Basketball Tournament.
- 1947
- First Black All-American Basketball Player
Don Barksdale was the first black selected for All-American basketball honors. He was also the first black player on , and the first black captain of, the United States basketball team in 1948.
Source: Black First, p. 374
- Jackie Robinson becomes first black to achieve Major League Baseball status
April 10, 1947 - 28-year-old infielder Jackie Robinson became the first Negro to achieve major-league baseball status in modern times. His contract was purchased from the Montreal Royals of the International League by the Dodgers. Jackie was in a Brooklyn uniform at Ebbets Field on the following day as the Dodgers took on the Yankees in the first of three exhibition games.
- Jackie Robinson breaks color barrier
April 15, 1947 - Jackie Robinson, at age 28, becomes the first African-American player in Major League Baseball when he steps onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to compete for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Robinson broke the color barrier in a sport that had been segregated for more than 50 years.
- Larry Doby becomes first black player in the American League
July 5, 1947 - The first black player in the American League was Larry Doby, who joined the Cleveland Indians on July 5, 1947. In 1948, he became the first black to hit a run in the World Series. He also became the first black home run champion in 1952 (32 HRs), spending 13 seasons in major league ball.
- Dan Bankhead becomes the firsts black pitcher in the major leagues
August 26, 1947 - Dan Bankhead of the Brooklyn Dodgers entered in relief for a rivalry game against the Pittsburgh Pirates only to have the misfortune of giving 10 hits and 8 runs. However in his only at bat, Bankhead hit a home run.
- Robinson and Bankhead are first black players in a World Series
September 30, 1947 - The first black players in a World Series were Brooklyn Dodgers players Dan Bankhead and Jackie Robinson. Robinson participated in all seven games against the New York Yankees; Bankhead only appeared in one.
- 1948
- Satchel Paige signs with the Cleveland Indians
July 7, 1948 - On his 42nd birthday, Negro League star Satchel Paige signs a contract to play with the Cleveland Indians. Two days later he would become the oldest man to debut in the major leages. Though viewed as a publicity stunt, the crafty veteran would finish the season 6-1.
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- Satchel Paige becomes the first black pitcher in the American League
July 9, 1948 - Satchel Paige was the first black pitcher in the American League, the oldest man ever to debut in the major leagues (42 and two days) and the first black to actually pitch in a World Series. One of the best known players in black baseball, he became the first black elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame for his career in the Negro leagues in 1971.
- 1949
- Black players make first MLB All-Star appearance
July 12, 1949 - This historic game marked the first time that black players were selected for an All-Star Game. Appropriately, the game was held at Ebbets Field, where Jackie Robinson had democratized Major League baseball two years previously. These players included Robinson, Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe for the National League and Larry Doby for the American Leagie. Most felt that the new diversity of talent would finally tip the scales to the National League. However it was the American League who came out with the 11-7 victory.
- 1950
- Charles Cooper becomes the first African American drafted by an NBA team
April 25, 1950 - Charles "Tarzan" Cooper was drafted by the Boston Celtics making him the first black player ever drafted in the NBA.
- Earl Lloyd becomes the first Affrican-American player to appear in an NBA game
Earl Lloyd became the first African-American to play in an NBA game.
The contest was between the Washington Capitols and the Rochester Royals with Rochester winning 78-70.
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