Officials say Rivers died from cancer at a hospital in Savannah.
SAVANNAH, Ga. — Larry “Gator” Rivers, who helped integrate high school basketball in Georgia before playing for the Harlem Globetrotters and becoming a county commissioner in his native Savannah, died Saturday at age 73.told the Savannah Morning NewsRivers was a sophomore on the all-Black Beach High School team that won the first Georgia High School Association basketball tournament to include Black and white players in 1967.
Rivers once told WTOC-TV that during his tryout for the Globetrotters, team legend Marques Haynes led Rivers into a closet storing tables and folding chairs, handed Rivers a basketball and said “Let’s see you dribble around this.” Rivers came home to Savannah and got involved in the community, volunteering in schools, promoting the rebuilding of neighborhood basketball courts and opening the non-profit youth mentorship organization Gatorball Academy to teach basketball.
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Basketball legend Rivers, longtime Globetrotter, dies at 73Rivers’ death brought condolences from U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, and others.
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Basketball legend Rivers, longtime Globetrotter, dies at 73Larry “Gator” Rivers, who helped integrate high school basketball in Georgia before playing for the Harlem Globetrotters and becoming a county commissioner in his native Savannah, has died.
Read more »
Basketball legend Rivers, longtime Globetrotter, dies at 73Larry “Gator” Rivers, who helped integrate high school basketball in Georgia before playing for the Harlem Globetrotters and becoming a county commissioner in his native Savannah, has died
Read more »
Basketball legend Rivers, longtime Globetrotter, dies at 73Rivers’ death brought condolences from U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, and others.
Read more »
Former Harlem Globetrotter Larry 'Gator' Rivers diesRivers went on to become an All-American at Moberly Junior College and an All-Conference Guard at Missouri Western University, before moving on to a 16-year career as both a player and a coach for the Harlem Globetrotters from 1973-1986.
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Former Harlem Globetrotter Larry 'Gator' Rivers passed awayRivers went on to become an All-American at Moberly Junior College and an All-Conference Guard at Missouri Western University, before moving on to a 16-year career as both a player and a coach for the Harlem Globetrotters from 1973-1986.
Read more »