Eyre Saitch

{{short description|American basketball player}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}

Eyre Saitch (February 20, 1905{{cite web |title=United States Social Security Death Index |url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JPWQ-R6K |website=FamilySearch |accessdate=19 January 2019}} in Pembroke Parish, Bermuda{{cite web |title=New York, Southern District, U.S District Court Naturalization Records, 1824-1946 |url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP7X-2986 |website=FamilySearch |accessdate=19 January 2019}} – November 28, 1985 in New Jersey) was an American professional basketball player. He was a member of the New York Renaissance basketball team,{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/photos/photomembers-york-rens-basketball-team-pose-photo-pittsburgh-27875130|publisher=abcnews.go.com|title=PHOTO:Members of the New York Rens basketball team pose for a photo in Pittsburgh, Jan. 7, 1939. Pictured, left to right, are Charles "Tarzan" Cooper, John Isaacs, Eyre Saitch, "Fats" Jenkins, Zack Clayton, Puggy Bell, "Pop" Gates, and "Wee Willie" Smith. - ABC News|accessdate=2017-01-16}} and part of the first black team to win a world championship in basketball.{{cite web|url=http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/harlem-rens-win-world-championship|publisher=aaregistry.org|title=Harlem Ren's win World Championship | African American Registry|accessdate=2017-01-16}} He would win over 2000 games with the team.{{cite web|url=http://www.blacktennishistory.com/gallery-of-champions/|publisher=blacktennishistory.com|title=Gallery of Champions #1 | Black Tennis History|accessdate=2017-01-16}} He along with his team was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.{{cite web|url=http://www.blackfives.org/70th-anniversary-harlem-rens-1939-world-pro-basketball-tournament-title/|publisher=blackfives.org|title=This Weekend: 70th Anniversary Of Harlem Rens Historic World Pro Basketball Tournament Title | The Black Fives Foundation|accessdate=2017-01-16}} Erye was a national level tennis player who would win a national title in tennis.{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2211&dat=19851210&id=VCImAAAAIBAJ&pg=4342,2163924&hl=en|title=The Afro American - Google News Archive Search|accessdate=2017-01-16}} Erye died in 1985. He won a 1926 American Tennis Association singles title.{{cite book|title=Blacks at the Net: Black Achievement in the History of Tennis|author=Djata, S.A.|date=2006|volume=1|publisher=Syracuse University Press|isbn=9780815608189|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=euvpZqqEZGEC&pg=PA221|page=221|accessdate=2017-01-16}} Sylvester Smith served as Saitch's doubles partner.{{cite journal|title=The Crisis|journal=The New Crisis|date=August 1911|publisher=The Crisis Publishing Company, Inc.|issn=0011-1422|url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_AFoEAAAAMBAJ|page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_AFoEAAAAMBAJ/page/n34 165]|accessdate=2017-01-16}} During his career he was also known as Bruiser Saitch.{{cite book|title=Cages to Jump Shots: Pro Basketball's Early Years|author=Peterson, R.|date=1990|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|isbn=9780803287723|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PgM54Dp2vuoC&pg=PA98|page=98|accessdate=2017-01-16}}