Year graduated
1953
Major accomplishments
Mr. Basketball; Named “Star of Stars” in the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star series; Indiana Basketball Hall of Famer
Basketball has taken Hallie Bryant to heights he had never thought possible while a youth in Calhoun Falls, South Carolina, which he calls a “little resort.” “I had some friends who say they tried to get me to play basketball,” said Bryant, who, according to his resume on the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Web site, helped lay the foundation for greatness at Indianapolis Crispus Attucks High School in the early 1950s.
“I saw some of it, but it wasn’t something that was high on my list. They were playing ball, really it was dust bowl, but football was intriguing to me because you could throw a bullet. I was into hunting and fishing and doing all the things country boys do.”
All of that changed one day as Bryant sat in art class at Public School 24. The 1983 hall of fame inductee and Indiana’s Mr. Basketball in 1953 said that, “There was a playground just a few feet from the window of the art class. For some reason they allowed those kids to play basketball out there. They were having so much fun and that was distracting me, but I liked that and I couldn’t wait ‘til I got out of school. That’s where I first started getting interested in basketball. And I watched the people who did it well I went from there to Public School 17 where I met coach Ray Crowe.”
It was the late Ray Crowe, who led all-black Attucks High School to successive state championships in 1955 and ‘56 with Oscar Robertson as the catalyst, who inspired Bryant to become more than he ever dreamed he could be.
“Ray Crowe was such a dignified person, like a movie star,” said Bryant. “Kids looked up to him because of the way he carried himself, his character, his demeanor. He was a no-foolishness type guy. He just so matched my father’s total demeanor. Of course my dad was not formally educated, but I thought he was brilliant, because he had good common sense. Ray Crowe was singing the same song, so to speak, as far as character, so we blended quite well.”
Bryant’s family prepared him well for life in all-black schools before civil rights took root in this country.
“My great grandmother, my grandparents and my father would always stress that we were not better than anyone and not less than anyone,” he said. “That has served as my foundation. Maybe they knew we would run into some bigotry, run into some negative things, not just by whites but people period. Your own people can give you bigotry, too, and ignorance.
“So I don’t have the anger and get disturbed when someone says something or treats me some way. I guess you can call it self-image, self-esteem, as you’ve learned how to use the language a little bit. That was the one thing in particular that was ingrained in me, so the anger wasn’t there. I love people. I didn’t know how to express it at one time. I like to think I have learned a little how to do it.”
Bryant says his days at Attucks provided a super experience to grow, to get to know oneself better, and know other people better. “Anyone who misses that, whether you’re at an all-black school or integrated school, those are the learning years, those are the growing years, those are the years you pick up the tools that help you to negotiate through life on all levels.”
When he was nine, Bryant’s family moved to Indianapolis from South Carolina seeking more opportunities. “The teachers were kind,” he said. “The schools in Indianapolis were segregated, also, but there wasn’t anything that was demeaning about it. They took interest in you, because the good teachers knew that you would get out in the world and have to compete. So they tried to teach you something other than what was in the books. They taught you manners, they taught you to be on time. They taught you the basic things that they thought you might have missed in the homes.”
And Ray Crowe was teaching Bryant and his fellow basketball players, Willie Gardner, Bailey Robertson, Oscar’s older brother, and Bob Jewell, how to play the game right. Bryant couldn’t play varsity as a freshman. “It wasn’t a written rule,” he said, “but I guess a lot of people thought you should play reserve the first year. We would beat the varsity in practices. But for some reason there was that old mind-set, ‘Let these guys get whatever they need in order to play varsity.’ Now kids can play as freshmen.”
In 1951, when Bryant was a sophomore, Attucks went to the state tournament finals at Butler Fieldhouse (now Hinkle Fieldhouse). The Tigers lost to Evansville Reitz, 66-59, in the afternoon with Gardner scoring 22 points, Bryant ten, Jewell six, and Robertson two. Jewell was named recipient of the Trester Award for mental attitude after Muncie Central defeated Reitz, 60-58, in the championship game.
“That state finals was a great experience,” said Bryant, “but losing wasn’t something that I took to very well. If you don’t hurt a little, you don’t grow. But I think I overdid that. I learned from the hurt.”
As a junior, Bryant’s Attucks team lost to Tech in the Indianapolis sectional, 63-60. Tech went on to become runner-up to Muncie Central in the state championship game. In 1953 Attucks lost to Shelbyville in the Indianapolis semifinals (now semistate), 46-44.
“Losing any game hurts,” said Bryant. “But when you lose in the tournament it hurts even more. But again, that which will not kill you will make you grow.”
The Mr. Basketball title salved Bryant’s hurt of losing in the state tournament. “You dream of being Mr. Basketball from the time you’re in grade school. It’s like winning the Heisman Trophy. In this state that’s the epitome of success. Winning that was for your community, and all the people who loved you, and the people who suffered with you.”
After being named “Star of Stars” in the Indiana-Kentucky All-Star series of 1953, Bryant went to Michigan and Michigan State on recruiting visits. But people kept telling him to stay close to home for his college basketball, so he opted for IU, where he again got into a growth situation.
“I had a lot of hurtin’ as far as not living up to my expectations,” he said. “I don’t want to get into why, because I’m sure I had a lot to do with that, too. But overall it was a great learning experience.”
In 1957, Bryant’s senior season in which he was a co-captain, IU was co-Big Ten champion with Michigan State. At that time the NCAA allowed only one team from a conference to go to the national tournament. Since IU had been to the tournament before, Michigan State was invited. The Hoosiers stayed home.
Bryant was drafted by the St. Louis Hawks of the NBA. “I don’t like to talk about race, but you have to stop and think about it. There had only been about three black players in the NBA at that time. St. Louis had never had one. I was drafted along with one or two other black players. I played in all the preliminary games, and was averaging about 16, 17 points. I can remember the coach, Alex Hannum, talking about a young man, Wilfong I believe was his name. He went to Missouri. ‘You came so close to making it and you deserve to make it, but we have to go with the local kid.’ It probably turned out to be the best thing.”
The Hawks called Abe Saperstein, founder and owner of the Globetrotters. Willie Gardner had played with the Globetrotters, and he told Bryant all about them. “Willie had paved the way with the Trotters, and they said Bryant played with Willie Gardner, he may be okay.” Bryant went to the Trotters after he had joined the Army and spent two years in service as a lieutenant.
The Globetrotters opened Bryant’s eyes to a whole different world. “I learned the Globetrotters are not just here in the United States,” he said. “They go all over the world [I visited 87 countries with them]. And man, Saperstein took a liking to me. He saw I was a pretty nice kid, because I didn’t do a lot of talking. He probably thought I had some sense. It’s good to have manners and be polite. Once you carry yourself in a respectful way people bend over backwards for you, in most cases.
“My skills had to play a big part, too. But all of that plays a part when you’re with an organization; whether it’s basketball or any type business you work for. That harmony thing I talk about in my book, and when you’re trying and being honest, and people can trust you, which enhances your opportunity in every area of life. You learn this in athletics.”
While playing 13 full seasons with the Trotters and then taking on public relations duties, Bryant formulated his own one-man show. Instead of just talking about the Trotters, he would demonstrate some of the ball-handling skills they were renowned for.
“I like to think of myself as an edutainer—[teacher and entertainer],” he said. “Teach people with humor and that breaks down the barrier.”
For years now, Bryant has been delivering seminars “that will help anyone who desires to have a winning edge in life,” it says in his book that was co-authored by O’Merrial Butchee, CEO of Visionamics of Munster, Indiana, and edited by Bill Shover, former director of the Indiana All-Stars as an executive at the Indianapolis Star.
In addition to being an “edutainer” for many major companies, Bryant is now “enjoying doing seminars in the Indianapolis Public Schools. I’m at my best when I let my heart talk. Basketball is a fun game, life is a fun game. Basketball teaches you how to win, how to lose, how to get along with people.”
Bryant and his life partner, Deloris Hayes, have two daughters. “Deloris has allowed me to be fully who I am—a free spirit,” he said. “I thank God for her.”