Frank Washington is truly a living legend. Washington, 91, played professional basketball for the legendary New York Renaissance and the world famous Harlem Globetrotters.

He played for the Rens during the 1941–42 season. Then, he served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945. After the war, Washington, who grew up in Germantown, also played locally with the Washington Bears. In 1946, he started his career with the Globetrotters. He played with the Globetrotters until 1960.

Washington will be recognized as the oldest living player from the Rens at the Ford Freedom Award Program on May 17 in Detroit, Mich. The program is a fundraiser for the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. The event celebrates accomplishments in sports as well as other professions. The Rens will be honored with the Ford Freedom Award. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hall of Famer, will receive the Ford Freedom Scholar Award for talent, tenacity and teamwork. Abdul-Jabbar also produced a documentary on the Rens last year.

Washington is a real trailblazer in professional basketball. Like many Black players of his generation, he was good enough to play in the NBA. However, it wasn’t until 1950 that African Americans were given an opportunity to play in the NBA. Today’s superstars can thank people like Washington who made huge contributions to the game.

“I got the call from the Ford Foundation,” Washington said. “It’s something they have every year at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. They have honored judges, educators and lawyers over the years. They honored sports figures, too. I got a call from Howie Evans (sports editor, Amsterdam News). Howie told me they had been looking for me because of my association with the New York Renaissance. They’re going to honor Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He did a documentary on the team. As far as I know, I’m the only living person from the New York Renaissance.”

The New York Renaissance and the Harlem Globetrotters were two of the best Black basketball teams during the early years. The Rens were formerly known as the Spartan Braves of Brooklyn. In 1923 they became the Renaissance, named after the great Renaissance Ballroom in Harlem. The team was founded by Robert Douglas, who is regarded as the father of Black basketball.

Washington, a 6-foot-5 center, was very talented player. He has vivid memories of playing for the Rens.

“When I played for the Rens, they were transferring to the Washington Bears,” Washington said. “I played for the Rens in ’41. Then, I went in the service in ’42. I came out in ’45 and played for the Bears. I went to the Globetrotters in ’46.

“A lot of great players with the Rens helped me. In 1941, Zack Clayton and most of the guys who played for the Rens were from Philadelphia like Zack, Tarzan Cooper, Jackie Bethards, John Yancy, John Isaacs, Pop Gates and Jim Usry. John Isaacs and Pop Gates were from New York.

“We played some great basketball. We would have a game and then after the game there would be a dance. That was really big. I remember John Isaacs talking about that. It was good basketball. John Wooden (former UCLA head coach) said the Renaissance was the best team he ever seen. He said people would enjoy them then and enjoy them again today. I believe that.”

Washington spent most of professional career with the Globetrotters. During his playing days with them, he made two movies and went around the world six times.

“I had a good career with the Globetrotters,” he said. “I enjoyed it. If it had not been for the Globetrotters, there would not have been an NBA as we know it. I remember when the NBA started. We played on the card with them. I think this around 1948 or ’49. We would play on the undercard and what would happen every time we would finish playing the stadium would empty out.

“It would be nobody left to see the NBA game. So, what happen in order to get the NBA some exposure, the NBA turned it around. They played the preliminary game to the Globetrotters. That’s how they started getting some exposure.”

“I played some good players like Marques Haynes, Goose Tatum and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton. They could really play the game.”

Washington received a lot of exposure to the game as a youngster. He started playing basketball when he was 15 years old. Washington played at the Wissahickon Boys’ Club near his Germantown home. In addition, he played at new club at 12th and Columbia in North Philadelphia.

He played a lot of basketball at the Christian Street YMCA, 17th and Christian streets. South Philadelphia had a number of playgrounds and recreation centers, where some of the best players came to play on a regular basis.

“Zack Clayton used to take me to the Christian Street Y,” Washington said. “We played at the playground near 17th and Fitzwater streets. In fact, the Rens used to practice at both places. Zack would always have five or six people with him. That way we would get right on the court. We had a good time playing down there.”

After his pro basketball career, Washington moved into another arena. He started working for Pepsi Cola in Philadelphia. He gradually climbed the ladder within the corporation to become the community relations manager. He spent 35 years at Pepsi Cola. He worked with a number of organizations such as OIC of America, Urban League, NAACP, Operation Push, Concerned Black Men and the House of Ujoma. He also supported the Sonny Hill League, The Philadelphia Tribune Person of the Month and the Mobile Tennis program. In 1983, Washington had golf tournament that raised more than $700,000,000 in scholarship money for the United Negro College Fund.

In 1995, he put the finishing touches on a brilliant career in community service with Pepsi Cola. After three decades of providing support to many neighborhood efforts, he decided to retire.

“I wanted make a difference in the community,” Washington said. “I enjoyed working with a lot of people. It was very rewarding for me. It was a lot of work putting different events together, but it was a good experience. We helped a lot of people.”

Washington lives in Roxborough with his wife Barbara C. Merriweather, who he has been married to since 1995. Washington has one living son, Frank Jr., of California. His son Kevin drowned while trying to save a child in Illinois and his daughter Michele died of lupus in 1993 when she was 29 years old. She was a terrific basketball player at the University of Rhode Island. He is the grandfather of three: Jason Washington of Illinois, Dezjoli Washington of California and Zoe Michelle Washington of California.

“I’ve been really blessed over the years,” he said. “I’ve been surrounded by some good people.”

Washington will be honored by some great people in Detroit. He certainly deserves the recognition.

Contact staff writer Donald Hunt at (215) 893-5719 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

When Derrick Rose went down with a season ending injury in the first game of the Philadelphia 76ers-Chicago Bulls best of seven first-round NBA playoff series, some people believed the Sixers would now cruise the rest of the way in this quarterfinal matchup. Rose, the NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player, has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee and is done for the rest of this season and likely most of next year. His absence on the floor should help the Sixers, but fans should keep in mind the ability of teams to rally once they lose a star player.

If you’re a true Sixers fan, you remember 1980 when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar got hurt and missed Game 6 of the NBA championship series because of an ankle injury. Well, that’s the game when Magic Johnson, then a rookie, put on a magnificent performance. Johnson had 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and three steals to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 123-117 win over the Sixers. As a result, the Lakers ended up winning the league championship.

The only difference is that was one game. It would have been interesting to see how the Lakers would have responded if Abdul-Jabbar had missed the entire series. Nevertheless, Rose’s injury does change a lot of things.

Rose is one of the most explosive players in the NBA. The Bulls all-star guard averaged 21.8 points, 7.9 assists and 3.4 rebounds a game this season. He had 23 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in Chicago’s 103-91 victory over the Sixers on Saturday.

Now, the Bulls will have to play backup point guards C.J. Watson and John Lucas III against Jrue Holiday, Sixers 6-foot-4 playmaker. Holiday should have a big advantage against Watson and Lucas. However, Watson did play extremely well in an 89-80 victory over the Sixers on March 17. He had a game-high 20 points that night.

Without Rose, Chicago is pretty much left with a group of role players, which include 6-foot-7 Luol Deng, 6-foot-9 Carlos Boozer, 6-foot-7 Ronnie Brewer, 6-foot-7 Richard Hamilton, 6-foot-11 Joakim Noah and 6-foot-9 Taj Gibson. None of these players are superstars at this point in their careers. The Sixers should be able to matchup with Holiday, 6-foot-6 Andre Iguodala, 6-foot-7 Evan Turner, 6-foot-9 Elton Brand, 6-foot-1 Lou Williams and 6-foot-8 Thaddeus Young.

Holiday had 16 points and seven rebounds in game one. Brand was very impressive, scoring a team-high 19 points and grabbing seven rebounds.

The big thing with the Sixers is they have to do a better job on the boards and play better on defense. They have to force as many turnovers as possible. They need to get out and run whenever the opportunity presents itself. In spite of Rose not being there, the Sixers style of play shouldn’t change.

The Sixers will face the Bulls on Tuesday night, May 1 at 8 p.m. in what should be a very interesting Game 2 of this series. They could definitely use a win to shift the momentum with Games 3 and 4 at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday, May 4 and Sunday, May 6.

Rose missed 27 games this season. The Bulls were 18-9 without him. They know how to win without Rose. The Sixers have to remember and come with the same intensity as if Rose were still there.

Contact staff writer Donald Hunt at (215) 893-5719 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .