The Chicago Studebaker Flyers (also known as the Chicago Studebakers) were a National Basketball League team from 1942 to 1943.Charley Rosen.
The First Tip-Off
'. McGraw-Hill, 2008. 105. They were funded by the

United Auto Workers The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers (UAW), is an American labor union that represents workers in the United States (including Puerto Rico ...

and replaced

George Halas George Stanley Halas Sr. (; February 2, 1895October 31, 1983), nicknamed "Papa Bear" and "Mr. Everything", was an American professional football player, coach, and team owner. He was the founder and owner of the National Football League's Chic ...

Chicago Bruins The Chicago Bruins were an American basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois. Owned by Chicago Bears football team owner George Halas, the Bruins were a member of the American Basketball League, a league that also featured other National Football ...

, who folded in 1942.Douglas Stark.
Paving the Way - history of integration of African Americans into professional basketball league
. ''

Basketball Digest Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately in diameter) through the defender's h ...

''. February 2001. Retrieved on October 2, 2008. During the 1942–1943 NBL season, the Studebakers and the

Toledo Jim White Chevrolets Toledo most commonly refers to: * Toledo, Spain, a city in Spain * Province of Toledo, Spain * Toledo, Ohio, a city in the United States Toledo may also refer to: Places Belize * Toledo District * Toledo Settlement Bolivia * Toledo, O ...

became the first teams in the league to

racially integrate Racial integration, or simply integration, includes desegregation (the process of ending systematic racial segregation). In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity ...

. The Studebakers did so by signing six former Harlem Globetrotters:

Tony Peyton Charles Anthony Peyton (March 3, 1921 – July 23, 2007) was an American professional basketball player. He played for the Chicago Studebaker Flyers in the National Basketball League during the 1942–43 season and averaged 2.4 points per game. H ...

Duke Cumberland Roscoe Franklin "Duke" Cumberland (1913 – October 23, 1966) was a member of the Harlem Globetrotters. He averaged 6.9 points per game in the National Basketball League for the Chicago Studebaker Flyers. See also * The Harlem Globetrotters ( ...

Bernie Price Bernard Burnice Price (September 20, 1915 – January 24, 2002) was an American professional basketball player. He played for the Harlem Globetrotters for many years. He also played for the Chicago Studebaker Flyers The Chicago Studebaker Flyers ...

Sonny Boswell Wyatt "Sonny" Boswell (May 19, 1919 – October 19, 1964) was an early African American professional basketball player. He was born in Greenville, Mississippi and grew up in Toledo, Ohio, where he attended Scott High School. He played for the Ha ...

, Roosie Hudson, and

Hillery Brown Hillery L. Brown (July 30, 1912 – February 8, 1991) was an American professional basketball player. Brown played for one season in the National Basketball League (United States), National Basketball League for the Chicago Studebaker Flyers, aver ...

. Though some claimed that the former Globetrotters experienced racism from their white teammates, coach Johnny Jordan insisted that "there was no strife", adding, "All the blacks were treated well by players and fans. People knew the Globetrotters were great ballplayers. They were well received."

References

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