Harlem Globetrotters Start Dribbling

It was a different world in 1927—when, on this date, The Harlem Globetrotters basketball team traveled 48 miles from Chicago to play their first game in Hinckley, Illinois.

OK, so maybe that’s not exactly “trotting the globe”, but since that day—and hundreds of players later, the Globetrotters have lived up to their name many times over.

The creation of Abe Saperstein, the Harlem Globetrotters have become an American institution—and much more than just entertainment.

At a time when only whites were allowed to play on professional basketball teams, the Harlem Globetrotters became goodwill ambassadors of racial harmony—perhaps not their initial mission---but nonetheless, these crazy black guys were nothing short of amazing as they dribbled, passed and shot their way into America’s hearts.

Starting as a “real” team, they won 101 out of 117 games in that first season—and they introduced many Midwestern audiences to a game they had never seen played before.
By 1936, the Globetrotters had played over 1,000 games in mostly rural areas. In fact, they didn’t actually play a game in Harlem until the 1960’s!

1939 was the year that the Globetrotters began to add the silly antics that have become their trademark. Saperstein loved the clowning around—as did the crowd, but the boss told his players that the stunts were only to start after the team had built a big lead over their opponent.

In 1948, the Globetrotters earned a level of respect previously unseen as they defeated the NBA’s Minneapolis Lakers. By 1950, the NBA lifted its ban on black players—and now Saberstein had to compete for talent. By this time, the Harlem Globetrotters were playing all over the world-even performing for the Pope in Rome! NBA great Wilt Chamberlain started as a Globetrotter, as did many other NBA players.

Here’s a video compilation of the Best of The Harlem Globetrotters:




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyyZaJag2Fc

After Abe Saberstein died in 1966, the team was sold to a group of Chicago businessmen for $3.7 million dollars—they later sold it to Metro Media for $11 million. Reaching the peak of their fame in the 1970’s, with even a Saturday morning cartoon series, the Globetrotters began to lose fans in the next decade after the departure of longtime stars like Meadowlark Lemmon. In 1985, Olympic Gold Medalist Lynette Woodward became the first female Globetrotter.

Over the years, the Harlem Globetrotters have played in over 115 countries in front of 120 MILLION fans! Earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, they were also inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002!

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