Tony Paul The Detroit News Published 9:15 p.m. UTC Aug 8, 2018 Johnny Kline, who grew up in the rough-and-tumble east side of Detroit, starred in two sports at Wayne State, later traveled the world with the Harlem Globetrotters and overcome a decades-long battle with drugs and alcohol to eventually return to Wayne State to complete three degrees, died late last month. He was 87. The Globetrotters made the announcement on Twitter on July 30, saying Kline had died over the previous weekend. An obituary from Sellars Funeral Services in Lebanon, Tenn., said he died July 26. He was the oldest living Harlem Globetrotter. A celebration of Kline’s life is planned for the Northwest Activities Center, 18100 Meyers Road, on Aug. 25, starting at 10 a.m. Kline, known as “Jumpin'” Johnny Kline for his high-jump prowess while an athlete at Wayne State, is a member of the Wayne State athletics Hall of Fame (Class of 1979) and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame (Class of 2005). Kline graduated from Detroit Northeastern in 1949 and went to Wayne State, where he lettered in basketball and track, was an All-American forward on the basketball team during the 1952-53 season, and also was the team’s MVP that season. His 15.64 points a game still ranks ninth in program history, and his 13.167 rebounds ranks fifth. In track and field, he set a Wayne State record in the hop, step and jump with a leap of 47 feet, 10 inches. His best high jump was 6-6… [Read full story]
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