About Dolly King
Lived 1916 – 1969 (aged 52). Dolly King was an American basketball player.
William "Dolly" King (October 19, 1913 – January 29, 1969) was an American professional basketball and baseball player. He was one of a handful of African Americans to play in the National Basketball League (NBL), the predecessor of the NBA.
King was a multi-sport star at Long Island University during the late 1930s, playing basketball, baseball, and football. According to Clair Bee, King's coach in football and basketball, King once played an entire college football game and an entire college basketball game on the same day. After college, King played several seasons of professional basketball with the all-black New York Renaissance before Lester Harrison signed him to the NBL's Rochester Royals in 1946.
He played in Negro league baseball from 1944 to 1948, spending time with the Homestead Grays, New York Black Yankees, and New York Cubans.
King died of a heart attack in 1969, aged 55.
In 1992 his legacy was honored by the basketball family of New York with his induction into the newly formed New York City Basketball of Fame where he is enshrined together with his Scranton Minors teammates William "Pop" Gates, and Eddie Younger as well as his primary coaches Claire Bee and Red Sarachek.
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Important facts
People in Dolly King's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Dolly King's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Dolly King?
American basketball player (1916–1969)
When was Dolly King born?
Dolly King was born on 15 November 1916.
When did Dolly King die?
Dolly King died on 29 January 1969 in Binghamton.
What was Dolly King's occupation?
Dolly King was a basketball player.
What nationality was Dolly King?
Dolly King was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Dolly King. https://biography.guide/dolly-king/
MLA: "Dolly King." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/dolly-king/.
Chicago: "Dolly King." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/dolly-king/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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