The legacy of the ‘Father of Black Professional Basketball’

By Rashad Miller BET co-founder Robert L. Johnson is often recognized as the first Black majority club owner of a major sports league team when he purchased the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats (now the Charlotte Hornets) in 2002, but the first Black owned professional team was actually formed almost 80 years prior.& Robert ‘Bob’ Douglas was born in the British West Indies on Nov. 4, 1882. According to Naismith Hall of Famer John Isaacs, Douglas’ first sport was soccer and after playing soccer one day, he was invited to watch a basketball game. That day would not only change Bob’s life, but the game of basketball overall. Douglas’ passion for basketball manifested itself into him wanting to be involved with the sport in any way possible. He eventually found and managed a team named the Spartan Braves, named after the Spartan Field Club. Bob knew his team would need a venue to play in and that’s when he’d meet with William Roach. William ‘Willie’ Roach was one of the owners and operators of the Renaissance Ballroom and Casino. The venue was fully owned and operated by the Sarco Realty and Holdings Company, Inc., an all African American company. The ‘Renny’ as...