| Birth date | April 17, 1913 |
|---|---|
| Birth place | Gloucester County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Death date | November 20, 1997 (aged 84) |
| Death place | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| High school | Simon Gratz (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Years 1 | 1934–1935 |
| Team 1 | Chicago Crusaders |
| Years 2 | 1935–1936 |
| Team 2 | Philadelphia Palais Royal Big Five |
| Years 3 | 1935–1936 |
| Team 3 | Philadelphia Commanders |
| Years 4 | 1935–1936 |
| Team 4 | New York Renaissance |
| Years 5 | 1935–1936 |
| Team 5 | Harlem Globetrotters |
| Years 6 | 1936–1937 |
| Team 6 | Philadelphia Commanders |
| Years 7 | 1936–1937 |
| Team 7 | Philadelphia Giants |
| Years 8 | 1937–1938 |
| Team 8 | Harlem Globetrotters |
| Years 9 | 1938–1945 |
| Team 9 | New York Renaissance |
| Years 10 | 1941–1942 |
| Team 10 | Philadelphia Toppers |
| Years 11 | 1942–1947 |
| Team 11 | Washington Bears |
| Years 12 | 1943–1944 |
| Team 12 | Harlem Globetrotters |
| Years 13 | 1945–1946 |
| Team 13 | Harlem Globetrotters |
| Years 14 | 1946–1947 |
| Team 14 | New York Renaissance |
| Years 15 | 1946–1947 |
| Team 15 | Hazleton Mountaineers |
| Years 16 | 1947–1948 |
| Team 16 | Philadelphia Lumberjacks |
| Years 17 | 1948–1949 |
| Team 17 | Worcester Table-Talk |
| Hof player | zachary-clayton |
| Position | First baseman |
|---|---|
| Bats | Left |
| Throws | Left |
| Debutleague | Negro league baseball |
| Debutyear | 1932 |
| Debutteam | Philadelphia Bacharach Giants |
| Finalyear | 1945 |
| Finalteam | Baltimore Elite Giants |
| Teams |
|
Zachary M. Clayton (April 17, 1913 – November 20, 1997) was a basketball player for the New York Rens.[1] He was also a Negro league baseball player and a professional boxing referee. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.[2]
As a boy, Clayton's family moved from Virginia to Philadelphia. Clayton played at the Christian Street YMCA along with Charles "Tarzan" Cooper, Jackie Bethards and Bill Yancey. There they began four fruitful careers on a squad called the Tribune Men.[3] Clayton also played for the Harlem Globetrotters.[4] Clayton would win world championships with both teams.[4] Clayton is enshrined in the Philadelphia basketball Hall of Fame.[5] Clayton later became a boxing referee. His most famous bout was the 1974 Ali-Foreman "Rumble In The Jungle". Clayton also refereed Muhammad Ali's last fight, against Trevor Berbick in 1981.[6] Clayton was a lieutenant in the Philadelphia Fire Department for 26 years. He retired in 1979.
References
- ^ Grasso, John (15 November 2010). Historical Dictionary of Basketball. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810875067.
- ^ "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees". NBA.com
- ^ Mangan, JA (2004). Ethnicity, Sport, Identity: Struggles For Status. Routledge. ISBN 0-7146-8458-9.
- ^ Jackson, Hal & Haskins, James (2003). The House that Jack Built. Amber Books. ISBN 9780972751940.
- ^ "New York Renaissance ('Rens') - The Black Fives Foundation". blackfives.org
- ^ "Some Harlem Rens Became Famous Boxing Officials After Basketball". blackfives.org. 22 December 2008.