Herbert “Geese” Ausbie is a living legend in the sport of basketball, staking his claim to fame as a member of the Harlem Globetrotters. Ausbie entertained fans for over two decades, and was recognized by the organization in a ceremony IN 2017.
Ausbie was born in Crescent, Oklahoma on April 25, 1938. He was a star athlete in high school across several sports, including basketball, baseball, and track. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, he entered Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas, and was a star player for its basketball squad. Upon graduating, Ausbie fielded offers from the MLB’s Chicago Cubs and some NBA teams, but instead decided to try out for the Globetrotters.
In 1961 after an open tryout, Ausbie made the team and quickly became one of the team’s fan favorites. Ausbie’s wife and college sweetheart, Awilda, pushed her husband to make the squad. In a 1985 interview, Ausbie said his wife wrote Globetrotters owner Abe Saperstein several letters until Ausbie was invited to camp. (READ MORE)
