Reese 'Goose' Tatum

Biography

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Reece "Goose" Tatum (May 31, 1921 – January 18, 1967) was an African American multi-sport athlete.

Born in El Dorado, Arkansas, Tatum played Negro League Baseball before becoming a star basketball player with the Harlem Globetrotters. Goose and Satchel Paige were teammates. Tatum is considered to be the original "clown prince"—a term first applied to seminal Chicago Crusader/Philadelphia Giant Jackie Bethards in 1933—of the Trotters. He wove numerous comic routines into his play, of which many would reach cult status. Some of these routines were based on his stature—at 6'4", it is reported that he had an arm span of about 84 inches (210 cm) and could t...