Please join me in wishing a Happy Birthday to George Crowe, the last surviving member of the New York Renaissance professional basketball team. Crowe turns 88 years old this weekend.
Please join me in wishing a Happy Birthday to George Crowe, the last surviving member of the New York Renaissance professional basketball team.
George Crowe, circa 1948.
Recently, I’ve been catching up with Crowe. It has been an honor, and a privilege.
Next week I’ll explore the man in a full length article that I will post here on The Black Fives Blog.
For now I can tell you this: He’s had an amazing, fascinating career and life, where he’s made the most out of each moment and therefore was at the right place at the right time … every time.
Yet, as we know, nothing is a coincidence.
Crowe, at 6 foot 3 inches and 206 lbs., played for the Renaissance in the late 1940s.
He was a member of the squad that joined the National Basketball League for the 1948-49 season as the Dayton Rens.
During his time, Crowe amassed a bewilderingly enviable list of accomplishments and experiences, staying constantly in the national newspaper headlines as a two-sport star in basketball as well as baseball.
But, had you ever heard of him?
I’ll get into all of it next week!
For now, please send your birthday wishes (below) to George Crowe, the last Ren.
Please donate. Your generous tax-deductible donation helps the Black Fives Foundation use this history to teach life lessons relevant today! Thank you!
Happy Birthday Mr. Crowe!
You are a most amazing man, and it’s an honor and a privilege to know you!
May all your wishes come true!
Sincerely,
Claude
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I know it was definitely and honor and a privilege to sit and talk with this great man and great pioneer of “the game”, a man who played on team that John Wooden credited for inventing the “motion offense” and other great things about the great man and his Rens. Awesome!!! LET’S GOOOO : )
Happy Birthday Mr. Crowe …
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Way to go, Crowe! Happy Birthday!
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Happy Birthday Mr. Crowe! Have a wonderful day.
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Happy Birthday, Mr. Crowe! I wish you many happy and healthy returns!!
Tracie Howard
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Any friend of Claude’s is a friend of mine, HAPPY BIRTHDAY GEORGE. Sunday is my birthday too! How honored I am to share a birthday with you. I wish you a great day!
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Is it MR. Crowe, now? Hummmm, to me it’s going to be George, unless I find out what your “nick” name was. Many don’t remember that you were a pretty good baseball player too. Maybe being a great athlete runs in the Crowe family. Your brother Ray, coaching the Crispus Attucks High School in basketball, Indianapolis, Indiana. with my pal the Big “O”, winning the Indiana High School Basketball Championship, in 1953, I believe…or was it 1954? Great talking to you on several occasions. Hang in there man…you ARE history and people should know about you………….HAPPY BIRTHDAY… bill
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Hi George!
Happy birthday to you and many more! Thanks to my older brother, I remember you from one of his baseball cards after your great season with the Cincinnati Reds, belting 31 HRs and 92 RBIs.
Cheers,
Blaise
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I forgot to mention that Big George’s best season in baseball (31 HRs and 92 RBIs) was with the Reds in 1957.
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Hello Mr. Crowe,
I hope you have a marvelous 88th Birthday!!! Thank you so much for helping to pave the way to create the basketball ball I see today so many generations later… That’s what I call a lasting impact! You’re the best!!!
–Stephano
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Mr. Crowe thanks so much for advancing our present thought through all your hard work, passion and diligence. May you have a Happy Birthday and many more to come.
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Happy Birthday, Mr. Crowe! Thanks for everything that you and your teammates did to make things better for all of us.
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Happy birthday Mr. Crowe!
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Happy birthday to you, Mr. Crowe!
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Dear Mr. Crowe,
On behalf of the staff at the Black Athlete Sports Network and every African-American who has ever laced up a pair of basketball sneakers for his or her team, we humbly thank you and your colleagues for paving the way for us.
Happy birthday to you this weekend and here’s hoping that there will be many more.
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Happy birthday, Mr. Crowe. All honor to you as a pioneer and a terrific athlete!
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Happy Birthday Mr Crowe .from Owensboro,ky.
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Best wishes Mr Crowe for a happy and healthy birthday.
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Mr. Crowe,
Happy Birthday Brother!! We stand on your shoulders. I proud to be able to convey these birthday wishes to a pioneer of the struggle. I’m also happy that we can both rejoice in these ‘Obama Days”
Peace
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Mr. Crowe,
Wishing you a very Happy Birthday and many more!
(a fan of the New York Black Yankees)
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Happy Birthday to you. While we have never met, I was blessed to have watched you play Major League Baseball with the Reds. Little did I know at that time that you also played basketball with the World Famous Harlem Rens and that your brother coached the Big O at Crispus Attucks. You have made significant contributions to all of us, particularly Black Americans, by the professional manner in which you handled your many God-given gifts. You are truly a real Hero and a role model!!!
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Happy Birthday to Big George Crowe, Indiana’s first Mr BasketBall. Thank you, Mr Crowe, for kindly answering questions posed over the past few years. You’re the only ballplayer I know of who hooped for home teams in Chamberlain’s California, Wooden’s Indiana, & Bob Douglas’s New York City, venues of hopes and dreams.
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Happy birthday George! Thank you for all of your hard work, courage, and determination.
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Hello Mr. Crowe,
Happy Birthday and I wish you many more.
I want to thank you for being one of the early pioneers of the sport of basketball.
I grew up in Harlem in the 50′s & 60′s and met Mr. Dolly King and Mr. Puggy Bell
while playing basketball in the Riverton housing development where they both
lived.
It is an honor to know of you. The sports legacy that you have bestowed
upon us is a blessing to all of us.
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Dear Mister Crowe,
We celebrate your life and we hope to honor you with never forgetting what you and your teammates did. Thank you so very much, sir.
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Thank you Mr. Johnson for starting this recognition and for all of you who have chimed in to wish George a special Happy Birthday.
This will make him very pleased.
I am a friend of George and see him regularly.
Will bring this to him today along with his new favorite beer…Fat Tire…and upscale Crown Royal Cast 16…he loves Crown Royal 16.
Doing well but needs our love and support.
Corny
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Talking to George’s daughter and she is so moved that you would all recognize the life accomplishments of their dad.
Thank you all
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Happy Birthday, Gramps! We so are proud of your achievements.
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Mr Crowe,
Your game and accomplishment in the game basketball is second to none…..
Happy 88 Birthday and many more…….
GO RENS
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george crowe baseball icon/ basketball very best wishes to you on a special day..my boss gave me a very hard time because of you he was from philadelphia,pa. always said that baseball players were better than basketball players i would ask him about you–my mentor would always talk about your skills on the court–have many more birthdays ..we all miss john boy wonder isaacs–
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Happy Birthday George Crowe! As the author of a soon to be published book on the NBL and a long-time collector (55 years) of baseball cards, it seems that I have always “known” you (or at least known OF you. Incidentally, most baseball cards list a 1923 birthdate, obviously because of age discrimination that many African Americans would have faced when signings slowly began after 1947.Even in the 1950s, I was impressed that you had a teaching degree. Congratulations on your longevity.
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Had dinner with George last night and shared all of your posts with him. He is very impressed that you would all participate in keeping his memory alive and reminding me to learn more about his life history. He does prefer Fat Tire and Cast 16 in moderation.
Brought him more posts this morning and he was looking good and happy.
Thanks for the wishes.
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Mr. Crowe, Happy Birthday and best wishes for many, many more. Please know that because you and a few determined others, to include my father (who played with the Globetrotters and the Chicago Studebakers) led the way, players of color throughout pro sports owe you a debt of gratitude for all the rewards they may now reep.
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Belated Happy Birthday wishes to Mr. George Crowe. I’m so appreciative of your contributions to basketball, and for the price you paid so current players could benefit. I hope you had a fun celebration on your special day!
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Happy Birthday Mr George Crowe. The impact you made on the sport of basketball has taken the sport to another level. Thanks.
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happy birthday to George Crowe hope you have many more.That era rens,celtics,globetrotters,zollners,royals,gears,will never have to take a back seat to anyone.You great players made the game what it is today.The hall of shame should be ashamed of not putting in you, and edwards,jenkins,shipp,birch,boswell,but what the hell do they no zip.
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Sweetness. Love. Wisdom. This is what it’s all about. And a good beer! :-)
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