21 Facts About Red Klotz

Louis Herman "Red" Klotz was an American professional basketball player.

Red Klotz was a National Basketball Association point guard with the original Baltimore Bullets, and he was best known for forming the teams that play against and tour with the Harlem Globetrotters: the Washington Generals and the New York Nationals.

Red Klotz was the oldest-living NBA champion at the time of his death.

Red Klotz was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, into a Jewish family.

Red Klotz attended South Philadelphia High School where he led the school team to city basketball championships in 1939 and 1940, both times earning Philadelphia Player of the Year honors.

Red Klotz attended Villanova University on an athletic scholarship, playing on the undefeated freshman basketball team.

Red Klotz left college for World War II, serving stateside.

Red Klotz "played for a number of teams in those early and turbulent days of professional basketball", according to Joe Posnanski of Sports Illustrated.

Red Klotz played with the South Philadelphia Hebrew Association of the American Basketball League as a point guard in the 1940s.

Red Klotz played during the 1948 season on the Baltimore Bullets team, the year they won the Basketball Association of America championship.

Red Klotz played in six playoff games, scoring six points.

Red Klotz played for the Philadelphia Sphas of the ABL until 1947; the team had beaten the Harlem Globetrotters on more than one occasion.

In 1953, after playing on several all-star teams against the Trotters during their first international tours, Red Klotz was approached by Globetrotters owner Abe Saperstein about having his team tour with the Globetrotters and play them on a regular basis.

Red Klotz played with the team as a point guard until the age of 68.

In 1995 Red Klotz "disbanded" the Generals and formed the New York Nationals to take their place, to erase their record and "change their luck".

Red Klotz claimed the team still tried to win every game.

Red Klotz was inducted into the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.

Red Klotz became the first non-Globetrotter to receive the Globetrotters' "Legend" award on March 10,2007.

Red Klotz has stated he has lost over 13,000 games in his coaching career.

Red Klotz attributed much of his success to his wife, Gloria.

Red Klotz died at age 93 in Margate City, New Jersey, where he had long kept his office.