Description: This is for an original program from the first ever annual tour of the Harlem Magicians which featured two of the Harlem Globetrotters former superstars, Goose Tatum and Marques Haynes. The Harlem Magicians would be formed in 1953, but this version of the team wouldn’t play until 1955 when Goose Tatum was released by the Globetrotters. Haynes had turned down offers from both the Philadelphia Warriors and Minnesota Lakers which would have made him one of the highest paid players in the league, but he chose to barnstorm the country with Tatum. This original program from the initial 1955 tour still looks great and is even signed by the legendary Bill Spivey. Spivey was the 7’ 0” center for Kentucky and was one of 32 players implicated in the point shaving scandal during the 1949 NIT Tournament. Spivey went from being a National Champion, Final Four MVP and consensus All American to being banned by every professional league even though he was found not guilty in the scandal. From 1953 through 1955 the only work Spivey could find in basketball was playing two games for the Elmira Colonels of the ABL (where he would score 21 and 32) and barnstorming with the Boston Whirlwinds, House of David, and Washington Generals, all of whom would play the Harlem Globetrotters or other touring teams such as the Harlem Magicians on this night. A great and rare program with an even rarer autograph from a superstar that never had a chance in professional basketball. The full page photo could easily taken out of the book and displayed as an 8 ½ x 11 inch autographed photo of Spivey on its own, which would make it one of the only known signed photos of Spivey known to exist.. A 1 of a kind item ready to be the centerpiece of a great basketball collection. Check out the scan and email with any questions. Combined shipping always available for multiple purchases
Price: 325 USD
Location: Brick, New Jersey
End Time: 2024-09-26T19:42:47.000Z
Shipping Cost: 5 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
All returns accepted: ReturnsNotAccepted
Team-Basketball: Harlem Magicians
Sport: Basketball
Year: 1955
Original/Reproduction: Original
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Vintage: Yes
