Although basketball is currently seen as a diverse sport, this has not always been the case. Basketball was invented in 1891 by a white, Canadian American named James Naismith at the Young Men’s Christian Association Training School (YMCA). As the game developed, it remained a primarily white sport throughout the United States. It wasn’t until 1950, almost 60 years after the invention of basketball, and 4 years after the creation of the National Basketball Association (NBA), that a non-white player was drafted onto an NBA team. This player was Charley “Chuck” Henry Cooper. Cooper was drafted 13th overall in the second round to the Boston Celtics, making him the first ever African-American to be drafted to the NBA. Cooper overcame many social and racial barriers throughout his career. This blog tells the lesser known story of Chuck Cooper as he paved the way for many Black athletes that followed in his footsteps; creating change in the world of sport.
A Brief History
Chuck Cooper was, and still is, an influential Black man in the sport community. Cooper was born on September 29, 1926, the youngest of six children to Emma and Daniel Cooper. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he attended Westinghouse High School. Chuck Cooper excelled in academics but thrived in basketball; where his role was a power forward and occasionally a short forward. When he tried out for the basketball team at school, he was forced into the unfavourable roles, known as “dirty work”, despite his obvious talent, as a consequence of his skin colour. He was told to open up room on the court for other players on the team, giving them opportunities to make baskets, while he was never allowed to shoot the ball in a game setting. Chuck was talented and worked extremely hard but was overlooked at Westinghouse due to the colour of his skin. In his senior year, Cooper was selected to play in an all-city team, demonstrating that he was one of the best players within his school. From there, he went on to play at West Virginia State University. At West Virginia State, Cooper played exceptionally well. However, in 1944 after six months in university, he left to serve in the military during the tail end of World War II. When he returned home, he attended college at Duquesne University in his hometown of Pennsylvania where he studied education. At Duquesne, Cooper again excelled in both academics and basketball; this is where scouts took an interest in him. Scoring almost 1000 points in his four years at Duquesne, he received the title of team captain and was awarded several “All American Honours” in his senior year (Wiggins, 2004) At the collegiate level, Cooper was discriminated against heavily. During the season, Tennessee was scheduled to play against Duquesne however, the volunteers at this game refused to participate if “the Black player” stepped on the court. Fortunately, the team forfeited the game in support of Cooper.
Cooper and the Harlem Globetrotters
Before his days as an NBA star, Cooper was signed onto the Harlem Globetrotters, an all-Black basketball team. The team went on tours to raise awareness for the racial inequalities that prevented African American advancement in sport (Thomas, 2011). They played exhibition games against other states and became a huge source of entertainment. Their success was largely attributed to the owner of the team, a white Jewish man, Abe Saperstein (Lombardo, 1978). The Globetrotters dominated every game, but this was not enough to maintain viewership. Saperstein suggested that the team incorporate tricks and show-like moves into their games. This decision led to the members of the Harlem Globetrotters to be viewed as entertainers rather than athletes. (Szto, 2020). The tactic of adding tricks to the games increased viewership, however, these antics reinforced the stereotype believed by most white Americans that Black athletes are less dedicated, unintelligent show-offs (Szto, 2020). Further, the Harlem Globetrotters existed as a contradiction as they were seen as celebrity-like when performing but off the court, they were not considered worthy of attention because they were Black. On tour, the team had to sleep in a jail in Nebraska as no one else would offer them accommodation (Szto, 2020). Even a chimpanzee was offered a hotel suite in one state, while the Globetrotters were not permitted into the white-only hotel (Szto, 2020). Playing into the racism that Chuck Cooper faced, he forced to embrace his blackness unapologetically on the court with the Globetrotters while remaining a targeted Black man off the court. It must have been a challenge going from a fully Black team to a team in which he was the only Black person in the NBA.
He shouldered a tremendous burden with grace, humility, and a sense of history that told him better days were always ahead – if not for him, for an entire race of people.
https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/charles-chuck-cooper/
NBA Career
Though Chuck Cooper was successful, it did not come easily for him; having to battle discrimination throughout his entire career. Cooper was drafted on April 26th, 1950 shortly before two other Black men, Earl Lloyd and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton. The three of them were known as “the holy trinity that broke the colour barrier in the NBA”. Racism affected them all directly, but Cooper felt he got the brunt of it. The owner of the Boston Celtics, Walter Brown, was highly discouraged to draft Cooper because he is Black. Brown did not oblige to those concerns and stated: “I don’t give a damn if he’s striped or plaid or polka dot, Boston takes Charles Cooper of Duquesne!”. More times than not, he had to sleep at different hotels from the rest of the team and was even forced to sleep on a train because no hotels would accept him as a guest. Further, he often had to eat at different restaurants than his teammates because the owners would not let Black folk in.
By nature Cooper was a gentle man, but he had no qualms about fighting when the need arose. In fact, the NBA was so rugged in those days that fighting skills were a player’s key to survival. Cooper had a standing rule about racial slurs – he would give the offender one chance to take it back. If it wasn’t taken back then look out.
(Thomas, 2002).
Chuck Cooper spent four seasons with the Boston Celtics before moving on to the Milwaukee Hawks and then the Fort Wayne Pistons, overall playing 409 games in the NBA . Cooper scored an astounding 2725 points throughout his career in the NBA, averaging approximately 6.66 points per game. Unfortunately, his basketball career ended early in 1956 due to a car accident that injured his back. Cooper was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1974. After his career, he admitted that he had many negative feelings about how he was treated throughout his NBA experience. He was discriminated against regularly by opposing teams, administration, coaches, teammates and fans, leading him to give up basketball even after recovering from his injury.
I think that even though he was the first trailblazer, I don’t think he enjoyed that experience. I think it was painful, and nobody likes pain.
https://biography.jrank.org/pages/2339/Cooper-Charles-Chuck.html
The Legacy Lives On
Unfortunately, Chuck Cooper passed away of liver cancer in 1984. His son, Chuck Cooper III, went on to create the Chuck Cooper Foundation in honour of his father and role model. This foundation works to further the education of young people while honouring Cooper’s legacy. The Chuck Cooper Foundation awards students with scholarships and provides leadership development and opportunities to those who are deserving. The goal is to help students achieve their highest potential in life, while fighting against the acts of racism that Black students are destined to endure.
Racism is still present in the world around us. The sport of basketball today is seen as very diverse however, the players on the court are not the people with the power. The ones who hold the real power are the scouts and team owners; and in basketball, most of these people are white. Players are seen as disposable because there are so many athletes available to choose from (Szto, 2020). In order for basketball to be truly diverse, there needs to be gender and race equality in the roles of power within the NBA.
Chuck Cooper undoubtably stands as a role model for black athletes but his perseverance and determination should be admired by all. Cooper’s legacy should inspire others to show their full potential and be who they are, unapologetically.
Academic References
Lombardo, B. (1978). The harlem globetrotters and the perpetuation of the black stereotype. Education library journals. 35(2), 60.
Szto, C. (2020). KNPE 397: Race, Sport and Physical Cultures, Lecture 4: Multiculturalism and Diversity. School of Kinesiology and Health, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada.
Szto, C. (2020). KNPE 397: Race, Sport and Physical Cultures, Lecture 7: Blackness. School of Kinesiology and Health, Queen’s University, Kingston, Canada.
Thomas, D. (2011). Around the world: problematizing the harlem globetrotters as cold war warriors. Sport and society. 14(6), 778-791.
Thomas, R. (2002). Frustrated Pioneer. They Cleared the Lane: the NBA’s Black Pioneers. (pp. 63).
Wiggins, D. (Eds.). (2004). Chuck Cooper. African Americans in Sports. (pp. 75). M.E. Sharpe.
KNPE 397 
