The Harlem Globetrotters have been making audiences laugh for close to a century, combining comedy routines with outstanding playing skills into a unique performance.
All the original players were born in Chicago, where the team began in 1926, playing exhibition games at the Savoy Ballroom, where they were known as the Savoy Big Five. In 1928, several players left to form another team which they called the “Globe Trotters.” That year, their tour of southern Illinois got them noticed by Abe Saperstein, who decided to manage them.
The Globe Trotters often competed in the World Professional Basketball Tournament, which they won in 1940, proving they were a “real” basketball team. They also beat the Minnesota Lakers in 1948; the all-white team is now the Los Angeles Lakers.
At first an all-male, all-Black team, the Globetrotters today have several women on the roster, as well as non-Black players. The games are real, and their wins are legitimate, although the Washington Generals, their usual opponents, allow for the Globetrotters’ clowning. A review says:
“The show was a huge hit with all of us. It was action packed, had great upbeat music and included good comedy and a lot of audience participation.”
The Harlem Globetrotters will be at the Pechanga Arena in San Diego on February 15. Posters are traditionally used to advertise shows like this, and organizers will find them at Print shops.
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