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Wally Choice

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Wally Choice
Personal information
BornAugust 13, 1932
Montclair, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedSeptember 9, 2018(2018-09-09) (aged 86)
Montclair, New Jersey, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High schoolMontclair (Montclair, New Jersey)
CollegeIndiana (1953–1956)
NBA draft1956: 11th round, 78th overall pick
Selected by the St. Louis Hawks
PositionForward
Career history
1957–1964Easton Madisons / Trenton Colonials
Career highlights and awards
  • All-EPBL First Team (1962)
  • 4× All-EPBL Second Team (1958–1960, 1963)
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Wallace Choice Jr. (August 13, 1932 – September 9, 2018[1]) was an American professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers. Choice played professionally with the Harlem Globetrotters and in the Eastern Professional Basketball League. After his retirement from playing, he became a prominent community activist in his hometown of Montclair, New Jersey.

Playing career

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Choice was born in Montclair, New Jersey, and graduated from Montclair High School in 1952.[2][3] He played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers and was the second African-American to play in the Big Ten Conference.[2] Choice was appointed as team captain and became the first African-American to hold the role for a Big Ten team.[2]

Choice played for the Harlem Globetrotters and in the Eastern Professional Basketball League (EPBL).[2] He played for the Easton Madisons / Trenton Colonials and was a five-time selection to the All-EPBL Team.[4] Choice led the EPBL in scoring twice: 1,033 points during the 1961–62 season and 956 during the 1962–63 season.[5][6] His 41.3 points per game during the 1961–62 season were a league record.[7]

Later life

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Choice returned to Montclair where he became a real estate developer and owned retail outlets.[2] He was a founding member of Montclair Grass Roots in 1968 which hosted summer camps.[2][3] Choice was a community activist and nicknamed as a "godfather" of the Montclair community.[3] Montclair Grass Roots led upgrades at Glenfield Park which renamed its Glenfield Park House to the Wally Choice Community Center in 2009.[2][3]

Personal life

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Choice met his wife at Indiana University.[3] He had a son.[2][8]

Death

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Choice died aged 85 at the Mountainside Medical Center on September 9, 2018, after a short illness.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Wally Choice, Basketball-Reference.com. Accessed December 21, 2022. "Born: August 13, 1932 in Montclair, New Jersey" Note that if the 1932 date of birth is correct, he would have graduated from high school at 20 and been 86 (not 85) at his death.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Proctor, Owen (September 12, 2018). "Montclair civic leader, former Harlem Globetrotter Wally Choice dies". NorthJersey. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e Corbett, Nic (October 7, 2009). "Montclair community honors Wally Choice with re-naming ceremony". NJ.com. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  4. ^ "Wally Choice minor league basketball statistics". Stats Crew. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  5. ^ "1961-62 Eastern Professional Basketball League Leaders". Stats Crew. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  6. ^ "1962-63 Eastern Professional Basketball League Leaders". Stats Crew. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  7. ^ Miller, Chuck (December 14, 2007). "A League of Their Own". SLAM. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  8. ^ "WALLACE CHOICE Obituary". Legacy. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
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