Bill "Rookie" Brown

William J. "Rookie" Brown


Born:
February 15, 1925
Philadelphia, PA

Died:
May 22, 1971
Neptune, NJ


Career
Ben Franklin High School - Philadelphia (High School)
Virginia Union (College) ??
Howard University (College)
1944-45 Washington Bears (Independent)
1945-46 Washington Bears (Independent)
1946-47 Washington Bears (Independent)
1946-47 Hazleton Mountaineers (EPBL)
1946-47 New York Rens (Independent)
1947-48 Hazleton Mountaineers (EPBL)
1947-48 New York Rens (Independent)
1948-49 Dayton Rens (NBL)
1949-50 New York Rens (Independent)
1950-51 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1951-52 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1952-53 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1953-54 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1954-55 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1955-56 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1956-57 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1957-58 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1958-59 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1959-60 Harlem Globetrotters (Independent)
1960-61 New York Harlem Satellites (Independent) - Owner / Head coach / player
1961-62 New York Harlem Satellites (Independent) - Owner / Head coach / player
1962-63 New York Harlem Satellites (Independent) - Owner / Head coach / player
1963-64 New York Harlem Satellites (Independent) - Owner / Head coach / player
1964-65 New York Harlem Satellites (Independent) - Owner / Head coach / player
1965-66 New York Harlem Satellites (Independent) - Owner / Head coach / player
1966-67 New York Harlem Satellites (Independent) - Owner / Head coach / player
1967-68 New York Harlem Satellites (Independent) - Owner / Head coach / player
1968-69 New York Harlem Satellites (Independent) - Owner / Head coach / player
1969-70 New York Harlem Satellites (Independent) - Owner / Head coach / player


Brown was a regular on the barnstorming basketball circuit, and even appeared in the film "Go Man Go," about the Harlem Globetrotters. He formed his own barnstorming team in 1960, named the Satellites. Rookie died of cancer in 1971 at 46 years of age.

He was married to Marcella and had two sons and a step-daughter.

Source:
Obituary, Asbury Park Press, May 24, 1971

Stats:
http://www.basketball-reference.com/nbl/players/b/brownwi01n.html

http://www.justsportsstats.com/basketballstatsindex.php?player_id=brownro03