Charles Theodore "Tarzan" Cooper (August 30, 1907 – December 19, 1980) was an African American professional basketball player who is enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He is mostly known for his time with the all-Black professional New York Renaissance (1929–41). Cooper was born in Newark, Delaware. After playing at Philadelphia Central High School, Cooper turned pro in 1925. He played for the Philadelphia Panthers and Philadelphia Saints until 1929 when he joined the New York Renaissance or Rens for eleven seasons. All were independent teams because the early professional leagues were all-white. At 6 ft 4 in (193 cm), Cooper has been called the greatest center that ever played by Hall of Famer Joe Lapchick, center for the rival Original Celtics. Cooper died at age 73 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. External links "Charles T. Cooper" at the Basketball Hall of Fame. 1907 births 1980 deaths African-American basketball players New York Renaissance players Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Centers (basketball) Basketball players from Delaware American men's basketball players People from Newark, Delaware 20th-century African-American sportspeople Central High School (Philadelphia) alumni