The Legacy of Red Klotz

If you ever wonder if it is possible to fall short in all you do and still be considered a winner, then look no further than Red Klotz. I know. Even this guy's name makes him sound like a giant loser. But the fact is this athlete- executive was anything but someone to be mocked or written-off. For much of his professional life Klotz was the owner, manager, coach and star player of the Washington Generals, the full-time opponent of and punch line for the Harlem Globetrotters. That's right. It was Klotz' job to lead his team to defeat, yet do so in a way that never comprised the dignity of his players or downgraded basketball itself. Also, part of his responsibility was to help the Globetrotters look good.


Of the more than 5,000 games between Klotz's Generals and the Globetrotters, his team lost everyone but one. Needless to say, that one victory, a 100 to 99 squeaker played in January, 1971, - 44 years ago  - on a cold night in Tennessee was an upset. Interestingly and perhaps fittingly, it was Klotz himself who scored the winning two-pointer with his famous set shot. While this lone night is an interesting and fun factoid, it does not overshadow the true essence of Klotz's career. His great contribution was to basketball itself. As a strong and reliable partner to the Globetrotters, Klotz and his group demonstrated that there can be as much weight in striving to hit the bulls-eye as there is in actually hitting the bulls-eye.


Such a reality is not all that different when it comes to communicating. All of us communicate everyday with those around us. Sometimes we succeed and many times we do not - at least as well as we might like. Given that, it does not mean we should stop trying to be the best communicators we can; nor does it mean communication itself is unworthy of our efforts or energy. By doing what he did, Klotz, who passed away in 2014, made a great contribution to the sport of basketball. Making good-faith efforts to connect with others provides invaluable support to the importance of communication. We should do we can to carry on the legacy of this man called Klotz.