LOS ANGELES RED DEVILS

Though little known today, the Los Angeles Red Devils were a unique, racially-integrated professional basketball team from the mid-1940s that featured numerous stars including Jackie Robinson, the former UCLA star who was that school’s first (and still only) four-sport varsity letterman—in football, baseball, basketball, and track.

Location:Los Angeles, California Home Court:Olympic Auditorium Colors:Team Red, Ivory, College Blue Owner:Jack Duddy They were originally organized as a speculative venture by a white sports promoter named Jack Duddy, who envisioned that his new team might join the National Basketball League (NBL), which at the time was considering the addition of a West Coast franchise. Jackie Robinson scores against Cal.

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