William "Dolly" King (November 15, 1916 – January 29, 1969) was an American professional basketball and baseball player. He was one of a handful of African Americans to play in the National Basketball League (NBL), the predecessor of the NBA.

Dolly King
Personal information
Born(1916-11-15)November 15, 1916
DiedJanuary 29, 1969(1969-01-29) (aged 52)
Binghamton, New York, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High schoolAlexander Hamilton
(Brooklyn, New York)
CollegeLIU Brooklyn (1939–1940)
Playing career1940–1952
PositionForward
Career history
As player:
1940–1941New York Rens
1941–1946Washington Bears
1944–1945Rochester
1946–1947Rochester Royals
1947–1948New York Rens
1948–1949New Haven
1949Dayton Rens
1949Mohawk Redskins
1948–1949Scranton Miners
1947–1949New York Rens
1949Dayton Rens
1948–1952Scranton Miners
1951–1952Saratoga Harlem Yankees
As coach:
1964–1969Manhattan Borough CC

King was a multi-sport star at Long Island University during the late 1930s, playing basketball, baseball, and football. According to Clair Bee, King's coach in football and basketball, King once played an entire college football game and an entire college basketball game on the same day.[1] After college, King played several seasons of professional basketball with the all-black New York Renaissance[2][3] before Lester Harrison signed him to the NBL's Rochester Royals in 1946.[1] King averaged 4.0 points per game in 41 games with Rochester and participated in the league playoffs.[4]

He played in Negro league baseball from 1944 to 1948, spending time with the Homestead Grays, New York Black Yankees, and New York Cubans.[5]

King died of a heart attack in 1969,[6] aged 52.

In 1992 his legacy was honored by the basketball family of New York with his induction into the newly formed New York City Basketball of Fame where he is enshrined together with his Scranton Minors teammates William "Pop" Gates, and Eddie Younger as well as his primary coaches Claire Bee and Red Sarachek.

References

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  1. ^ a b Ron Thomas. They cleared the lane Archived August 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. HoopsHype. Retrieved August 16, 2007.
  2. ^ Jimmy Powers (March 21, 1941). "Take Scribe's Word: Dolly King is Great". Democrat and Chronicle. p. 28. Retrieved April 7, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.  
  3. ^ Out of the Shadows Archived August 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved August 16, 2007.
  4. ^ BBallSports Statistical Database. Retrieved August 16, 2007.
  5. ^ "Dolly King Seamheads profile". seamheads.com. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  6. ^ Known deceased basketball individuals. APBR.org. Retrieved August 16, 2007.
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