Harlem Globetrotters

The Harlem Globetrotters are a comic basketball team that combines athleticism and comedy to create one of the best-known sports franchises in the world. Created by Abe Saperstein in 1927 in Chicago, Illinois, the team adopted the name Harlem because of its connotations as a leading African-American community. Over the years it has toured more than 100 countries putting on more than 20,000 exhibition games, mostly against hapless opposition like the Washington Generals (until 1995) and the New York Nationals (1995-present).

History

Early years

The Globetrotters started in the Negro American Legion League as the "Giles Post", and in 1927 turned professional as the "Savoy Big Five". That year, promoter Saperstein bought the team and re-named it the Harlem Globetrotters, after the most famous of all African American neighborhoods. The Globetrotters were initially a serious competitive team, and they beat the premier professional team, the Minneapolis Lakers, two games in a row in 1948 and 1949. However, in 1950, Chuck Cooper became the first black player drafted by an NBA team, and from that time on the Globetrotters had increasing difficulty attracting and retaining top talent.

Related Topics:
Negro American Legion League - Giles Post - Savoy Big Five - African American - Minneapolis Lakers - Chuck Cooper - NBA

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Finding success

The Globetrotters gradually worked comic routines into their act until they became known more for entertainment than sports. The Globetrotters' acts often feature incredible coordination and skillful handling of one or more basketballs, such as passing or juggling balls between players, balancing or spinning balls on the fingertips, and unusual or difficult shots.

Related Topics:
Entertainment - Sports

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Among the players who have been Globetrotters are NBA (National Basketball Association) greats Wilt Chamberlain and Reece "Goose" Tatum, as well as Meadowlark Lemon, Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton, and Connie "The Hawk" Hawkins. Another popular team member in the 1970s and 1980s was Fred "Curly" Neal who was the best dribbler of that era of the team's history and was immediately recognizable due to his shaven head. Baseball Hall of Famer Bob Gibson also briefly played for the team in the late 1950s.

Related Topics:
Player - NBA - Wilt Chamberlain - Reece "Goose" Tatum - Meadowlark Lemon - Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton - Connie "The Hawk" Hawkins - 1970s - 1980s - Fred "Curly" Neal - Baseball Hall of Fame - Bob Gibson

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Because virtually all of its players have been African American and because of the buffoonery involved in many of the Globetrotters' skits, they drew some criticism in the Civil Rights era. The players were derisively accused of "Tomming for Abe", a reference to Uncle Tom and white owner Abe Saperstein. However Jesse Jackson has stated: "I think they've been a positive influence. . . . They did not show blacks as stupid. On the contrary, they were shown as superior".

Related Topics:
African American - Skit - Civil Rights - Uncle Tom - Jesse Jackson

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Modern era

During the 1970s and 1980s, the team was controlled by Metromedia and was featured in numerous television series and specials, including appearances in live-action variety shows and several Hanna-Barbera cartoons (see "Media" section below).

Related Topics:
Metromedia - Television - Hanna-Barbera

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After a period of decline the Globetrotters franchise was purchased by former team member Mannie Jackson in 1993, and its fortunes revived again. In 2002 the team was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Related Topics:
Mannie Jackson - 2002 - Basketball Hall of Fame

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To try to offset the criticism that they do not play "real basketball", in recent years the Trotters have scheduled games against college teams and pick up teams like Magic Johnson's All Stars with varying results. This renews a tradition of playing NBA teams, which the Globetrotters did during the 1950s.

Related Topics:
Magic Johnson - NBA

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The Harlem Globetrotters visited Pope John Paul II at the Vatican in November of 2000 and named the Pontiff an Honorary Harlem Globetrotter.

Related Topics:
Pope John Paul II - Vatican - 2000

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"Sweet Georgia Brown" is the team's signature song.

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