Nathaniel Clifton

Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton (born Clifton Nathaniel; October 13, 1922 – August 31, 1990) was an American professional basketball player who was one of the first African Americans to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was also a professional baseball player.

Biography

Early life Born in England, Arkansas, as Clifton Nathaniel, he was given the "Sweetwater" nickname as a boy because of his love of soft drinks and his easy disposition. His family moved to Chicago when he was eight years old. However, he was cut from the team during training camp and did not play professionally. Some sources conflict and list Clifton as the first African-American to sign in the NBA. He played his first game for the New York Knicks on November 4, four days after the debut of Washington Capitols player Earl Lloyd, the first black player to appear in an NBA game. Already 27 years old when he made his debut, Clifton in his first season helped lead the team to its first-ever appearance in the NBA finals, losing in game seven. During his eight seasons in the NBA, Clifton averaged 10 points and 9 rebounds per game. He was named to the 1957 NBA All-Star team, scoring 8 points in 23 minutes in the game. At age 34, he became the oldest player in NBA history to be named a first time All-Star.

In 1957, Clifton was part of a multi-player trade between the Knicks and the Fort Wayne Pistons, but after one season in Detroit he retired from basketball. In the summer of 1958, he joined the Detroit Stars baseball team in the Negro leagues, along with his former Harlem Globetrotters teammate Reece "Goose" Tatum.

In 1961, he was coaxed out of retirement by the Chicago Majors of the fledgling American Basketball League (ABL). After the league folded at the end of 1962, the 40-year-old Clifton retired permanently.

Clifton died at age 67 on August 31, 1990, in Chicago.

Legacy Clifton's contributions to his community during his sporting career and after his playing days, have been recognized by the Associated Black Charities of New York City. They have honored him by naming one of the Black History Maker Awards the Nathaniel 'Sweetwater' Clifton Award.

In 2005, the New York Knicks basketball team renamed their monthly City Spirit Award in his honor. The Sweetwater Clifton City Spirit Award is given to a member of the community who goes above and beyond his or her normal duties to make the lives of others in the tri-state area better.

Clifton, who played softball for the Brown Bombers and Capitol Records team of the Daddy-O Daylie League, was also inducted into Chicago 16-inch softball Hall of Fame.

On February 14, 2014, Clifton was announced as a 2014 inductee by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He formally entered the Hall as a player on August 8.

A film on Clifton's life, Sweetwater, had been in planning with Sunset Pictures since 2007 and was released on April 14, 2023.

NBA career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs