John Roosma
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John S. Roosma (September 3, 1900 – November 13, 1983) was an amateur basketball great during the 1920s, playing for the United States Military Academy. The Passaic, New Jersey native was a prolific scorer and became the first college player to total 1,000 points for his career.
As a member of Ernest Blood's Passaic "Wonder Teams" Roosma gained almost legendary status already in high school on a team that won 179 consecutive games. Roosma captained the team and led them as scorer in three state tournaments (1919-21). After graduating from Passaic High School in 1921, General Douglas MacArthur recruited Roosma to play for the Army Black Knights. In five years the Roosma-lead Black Knights compiled a 73-13 record and won 33 consecutive games at one point. After a 74-game career, Roosma totaled 1,126 points, being the first college player to score more than 1,000 in his career (Christian Steinmetz held the record with 950 points, nevertheless he played only 40 games in three years overall).
Roosma was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1961.
He died in his home in Verona, New Jersey on November 13, 1983.[1]
