18 Facts About Goose Tatum

Reece "Goose" Tatum was an American Negro league baseball and basketball player.

Goose Tatum later formed his own team known as the Harlem Magicians with former Globetrotters player Marques Haynes.

Goose Tatum is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Reece Tatum was born in El Dorado, Arkansas, on May 31,1921, to Ben and Alice Tatum.

Ben Goose Tatum was a farmer and part-time preacher, and Alice Goose Tatum was a domestic cook.

The fifth of seven children, Reece Tatum attended Booker T Washington High School in El Dorado, Arkansas, where he was a three-sport star in baseball, basketball and football.

Goose Tatum played for the Memphis Red Sox and the Birmingham Black Barons in 1941 and 1942, respectively.

Goose Tatum served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II.

Goose Tatum was released by the Globetrotters in 1955 after 11 seasons.

Saperstein told the press Goose Tatum's release was due to his violation of team rules and repeated absences from games.

In February 1955, Goose Tatum filed a lawsuit against the owners of the San Francisco, California based Pan-American Bar for refusing to serve him, his wife and three companions on account of their race.

Goose Tatum was arrested in Gary, Indiana in November 1955 for non-payment of alimony.

Goose Tatum allegedly owed his ex-wife $7,000 in alimony and was ordered by Judge Anthony Roszkowski to pay $60 a week pending a final judgment.

Goose Tatum was married briefly to Lottie 'the Body' Graves who he met in San Francisco.

Goose Tatum died at his home in El Paso, Texas on January 18,1967, at the age of 45.

Goose Tatum wove numerous comic routines into his play, many of which achieved a cult following.

In 1974, Goose Tatum was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.

Goose Tatum was the fourth player to have his number retired by the Globetrotters.