From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)

Helm, Carl "Kingfish"

(born: June 15, 1926 (or possibly 1925, according to his death certificate)  -  died: February 17, 2001) 

From Horse Cave, KY, Helm (sometimes spelled "Helem") was honored for his high school basketball career in Kentucky (in which the team won back-to-back high school state championships) through induction into the Kentucky High School Basketball Hall of Fame in the all-black Kentucky High School Athletic League. He played college basketball at Tennessee State University, leading the team in scoring as a freshman and earning All-Midwest honors twice during his college career.

He went on to played guard for the Harlem Globetrotters (1948-1955), receiving the Globetrotters' Distinguished Legend Award.

After his basketball career, Helm worked in maintenance and security at the Ashland Oil refinery in Catlettsburg, KY.

For more see "Ex-Horse Cave Standout Legendary Globetrotter 'Kingfish' Helped Harlem Conquer Lakers," Lexington Herald Leader, 2/20/2001; his obituary in The Bowling Green Daily News and a profile of him in the same newspaper; and his Find a Grave entry.

Kentucky County & Region

Read about Hart County, Kentucky in Wikipedia.

Kentucky Place (Town or City)

Read about Horse Cave, Kentucky in Wikipedia.

Item Relations

Cited in this Entry

NKAA Source: Lexington herald-leader (newspaper)

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Cite This NKAA Entry:

“Helm, Carl "Kingfish",” Notable Kentucky African Americans Database, accessed October 11, 2026, https://nkaa.uky.edu/nkaa/items/show/196.

Last modified: 2026-08-14 01:26:28