Bob 'Showboat' Hall was born on 30 September 1927 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was married to Kittie Barksdale. He died on 24 December 2014 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, USA.
His dazzling moves and comic antics made him a top showman of the Harlem Globetrotters. Having joined the team in 1948, he played in more than 5,000 games, until retiring in 1974.