This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 8/12/2011.
Marques Haynes was discovered by the Globetrotters during his playing days at Langston University in the early 1940s. He used his superb ball-handling skills to ridicule opponents and dribble out the clock against Southern University, who had just run up the score on an inferior opponent during the conference tournament. Haynes' own coach, the legendary Zip Gayles, reprimanded him for the showboating display, but it helped draw the attention of the Globetrotters. Langston was invited to play an exhibition game against the Globetrotters in Oklahoma City and in that game, Haynes led Langston to a 4-point win and was immediately invited to join the Globetrotters. Many consider him the premier ballhandler who ever lived, and his game influenced players such as Bob Cousy, “Pistol” Pete Maravich, and Fred "Curly" Neal. It is possible that Haynes has played more professional basketball games than anyone in history, staying active well into his sixties. He retired in 1992 after a 46-year professional career and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1998. This 10k gold ring weighs 24 grams and has been sized to fit an 11-12. The top panel reads “HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS” along with two synthetic round-cut diamonds surrounding a blue synthetic stone. The left and right shanks are identical, both read “LEGENDS” above a casted image of a basketball engraved with “HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS” spinning atop a pointed finger. The inside of the ring is stamped “Terryberry 10 KARAT” and engraved with the player’s initials “M.H.” The ring is in NRMT condition overall.