Harlem Globetrotters are an internationally famous professional basketball team known for their trick shots, fancy dribbling, and comedy routines before and during games. The Globetrotters typically play more than 150 exhibition games each year and almost always win. However, the results of the game are secondary to the entertainment the team provides.
A Jewish immigrant named Abe Saperstein organized a group of African American athletes to form the Globetrotters in 1926 in Chicago. The team was originally called the Savoy Big Five and played in the Savoy Ballroom in Chicago. After the ballroom became a skating rink in 1927, Saperstein changed the name to Saperstein’s New York Globetrotters and took the team on the road. After several more name changes, the team changed its name to the Harlem Globetrotters during the mid-1930’s. During their early history, the Globetrotters did not clown during the games. But the team was so good that it had difficulty finding quality opponents as it traveled from town to town. During the mid-1930’s, the team experimented with clowning to increase fan appeal. By the late 1930’s, the players turned their game into a show with their clowning.
After the end of World War II in 1945, the Globetrotters became an international attraction, touring throughout the world. Until this time, Black players were excluded from playing in the white professional leagues. The Globetrotters thus lured many outstanding Black players who had no other opportunity to play professionally. These players included Sweetwater Clifton, Marques Haynes, and Goose Tatum. Although Black players have been accepted in professional basketball since the early 1950’s, the Globetrotters remain active as a popular sports attraction. The Globetrotters were inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.
See also Harlem .
